Nashua Circumferential Highway

[BridgesToIdealism]

Since it doesn't look like that this has been discussed recently, lets start a thread about it. The short 2-mile spur from the Everett Turnpike over the Merrimack River to NH-3A in Hudson is known as the "Circumferential Highway" but it is anything but circumferential. Apparently the original plans called for an eastern bypass of Nashua and Hudson that would also then provide a new Merrimack River crossing between the Taylor Falls Bridge on NH-111 in Nashua and the Interstate 293 Bridge in Manchester (at the time of the original proposals, the new Manchester Airport Connector Bridge was not yet built). The highway was apparently supposed to reconnect with the Everett Turnpike at an unbuilt exit 9.

The road that exists today is nothing more than a connector route between the mainline turnpike (US 3) and NH-3A on the other side of the Merrimack River. The twin-span steel stringer bridge at the river crossing replaced a previous bridge known as the Sagamore Bridge, and also crosses an abandoned or nearly abandoned railroad line, and also carries a future segment of the Rockingham Recreational Trail. It is not signed with any name or designation, and is instead indicated by "TO NH 3A/NH 111" and "TO Everett Turnpike/US 3". There is one single intermediate access point to the D.W. Highway immediately on the west side of the river.

Given that it does not appear likely that the remainder of the highway will ever be finished by any stretch of the imagination, what are people's thoughts on the existing two-mile stub? The bridge over the Merrimack River at this location is most certainly necessary, and frankly an additional crossing near where the highway was supposed to tie back in with the turnpike is also needed (the gap between the Taylor Falls Bridge and the Manchester Airport Connector makes navigating the river valley in the Merrimack-Litchfield area next to impossible). However, having a full six lane expressway to serve as the river crossing here seems a bit excessive, as does the massive three-level stack interchange at the western terminus of the spur/stub (which also has a couple dangerous entrance merges).

Please indicate your opinions in the poll.

[hotdogPi]

My idea: connect the Circumferential Highway with MA 213 (thread here)

I can't seem to find the later thread about it (if it exists; searching for my new topics on/near the Flickr upload date doesn't return anything), but here's a picture:

[SectorZ]

What about the option to continue the Circumcision Highway* as a super-2 up to 111 east of Hudson center. The town tried for that  but the feds nor state will kick in money to help. They already own all the land along the stretch from buying it 70 years ago.

*unofficial name given to it by Hudson residents.

[cl94]

What about the option to continue the Circumcision Highway* as a super-2 up to 111 east of Hudson center. The town tried for that  but the feds nor state will kick in money to help. They already own all the land along the stretch from buying it 70 years ago.

*unofficial name given to it by Hudson residents.

That is definitely the most realistic build option.

Keeping that in mind, I expect this to remain as a stub for another 40+ years.

[vdeane]

It's arguably not even a stub at this point.  From the ground, the carriageways flow perfectly into the half-SPUI, with no visible exiting onto a freeway ramp.

[froggie]

What about the option to continue the Circumcision Highway* as a super-2 up to 111 east of Hudson center. The town tried for that  but the feds nor state will kick in money to help. They already own all the land along the stretch from buying it 70 years ago.

*unofficial name given to it by Hudson residents.

What the town studied was not a Super-2 per se but instead a 35 MPH roadway.

[hbelkins]

Is this the proposed freeway that showed up for years on Rand McNally atlases?

[cl94]

Is this the proposed freeway that showed up for years on Rand McNally atlases?

Correct.

[SectorZ]

What about the option to continue the Circumcision Highway* as a super-2 up to 111 east of Hudson center. The town tried for that  but the feds nor state will kick in money to help. They already own all the land along the stretch from buying it 70 years ago.

*unofficial name given to it by Hudson residents.

What the town studied was not a Super-2 per se but instead a 35 MPH roadway.

My apologies, you are 100% correct on that.

[yakra]

-=[ SHAMELESS NECROPOST ]=-

The road that exists today is nothing more than a connector route between the mainline turnpike (US 3) and NH-3A on the other side of the Merrimack River. The twin-span steel stringer bridge at the river crossing replaced a previous bridge known as the Sagamore Bridge,

The 1st bridge was built in the 1970s per HistoricAerials, then twinned in 1998. Its roadway was realigned to connect to a new grade separation over the DW Highway. The existing does look a bit wider in 2001 imagery. Being < 30 years old, I have to wonder if rather than tear it down and replace it they just widened it in place like MDOT did with I-295 at Back Cove (exit 8).

and also crosses an abandoned or nearly abandoned railroad line, and also carries a future segment of the Rockingham Recreational Trail.

It's a trail, but I doubt it's the Rockingham. Continuing the Windham Greenway SW along the old rail line would send it well N of there toward downtown Nashua, a wee bit S of the Taylor Falls Bridge.

[SectorZ]

and also crosses an abandoned or nearly abandoned railroad line, and also carries a future segment of the Rockingham Recreational Trail.

It's a trail, but I doubt it's the Rockingham. Continuing the Windham Greenway SW along the old rail line would send it well N of there toward downtown Nashua, a wee bit S of the Taylor Falls Bridge.

The Rockingham Recreational Trail is the trail that goes from Manchester to Epping.

The rail line in Nashua that the bridge crosses is not super active but is active. I've been going up to Nashua endlessly since 1986 and to this day I've never seen something on it (it runs right next to the Pheasant Lane Mall at the state line). Pan Am owns it now. It would also be part of any commuter rail routing up to Nashua and Manchester, although likely with the need of significant track upgrades and possibly a second track.

https://www.nashuanh.gov/1081/Railroads

if Nashua is to be believed, "Nearly three quarters of all freight shipped into New Hampshire by rail is received in this region."

[The Ghostbuster]

Although I think more of the Nashua Circumferencial Highway should have been built, I'm afraid what exists now is all that will ever be built.

[yakra]

The Rockingham Recreational Trail is the trail that goes from Manchester to Epping.

There are actually 3 branches coming out of Epping.
The main E-W trail from Manchester continues east to Rockingham Junction at old NH108 in Newfields, just S of the Newmarket line.
Just W of Main St, the Fremont branch of the Rockingham Recreational trail splits off, passes under NH101, and heads south to the Windham/Granite State Rail Trail.
Maybe another name may've been better for this one to avoid confusion.
Unless things have changed in the last 10 years, don't bother riding the Fremont branch without a fat tire bike.

Pan Am owns it now.

CSX?

[Henry]

Is this the proposed freeway that showed up for years on Rand McNally atlases?

Correct.

In fact, most of these atlases showed it as under construction, when clearly it was not.

[SectorZ]

Pan Am owns it now.

CSX?

CSX now. I can't keep track of the changes these days...