U.S. 1 Bypass - Portsmouth / Kittery

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U.S. 1 Bypass
Sarah Mildred Long Bridge - Kittery, ME

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge across the Piscataqua River opened as the Maine-New Hampshire Bridge in 1940. The span honored Sarah Mildred Long, a former Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge Authority executive director.¹ - 07/29/2007

U.S. 1 Bypass branches west from U.S. 1 in the town of Kittery to the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge crossing the Piscataqua River into Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The route is mostly a four lane arterial with a grade separation at Route 103 (Dennett Road). U.S. 1 Bypass narrows to two lanes across the span into the Granite State and widens again to a four lane expressway southwest to a traffic circle connecting U.S. 4, the Spaulding Turnpike and Interstate 95. South from U.S. 4, U.S. 1 Bypass continues past two signalized intersections along an expressway back to U.S. 1 (Lafayette Road).

Kittery, ME - 1964

Until 1972, U.S. 1 Bypass provided the connection between the Maine and New Hampshire Turnpikes. The free section of Interstate 95 between the two toll roads was built in response to traffic congestion along the non-limited access U.S. 1 Bypass.

Major construction underway between 2015 and late 2017 focused on replacing the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, which was built in 1940, across the Piscataqua River. The $170 million project was funded jointly by the Maine and New Hampshire Departments of Transportation.2 Preliminary work consolidated the connectors from U.S. 1 Bypass to State Route 103 at Oak Terrace. Traffic lights were activated on January 22, 2015 at a new intersection with Bridge Street.2 The new traffic pattern provided connections from U.S. 1 Bypass south to Bridge Street and from Bridge Street to the Piscataqua River bridge, eliminating the previous movement along the Oak Terrace loop.

The Sarah Mildred Long Bridge closed to traffic permanently on August 21, 2016, following the failure of a mechanism used in lifting the center span to accommodate boating traffic. The bridge was slated for removal on November 1, 2016. The time needed and costs associated with repairing the lift mechanism, coupled with the pending removal of the span, led officials to raise the bridge and ultimately remove the center span.3

U.S. 1 Bypass South
U.S. 1 Bypass south leaves the interchange with U.S. 1 south and SR 236 (Harold L. Dow Highway) and approaches a signalized intersection with Gorges Road. Several businesses including a truck stop and hotel line the highway ahead of SR 103.

U.S. 1 Bypass south leaves the interchange with U.S. 1 south and SR 236 (Harold L. Dow Highway) and approaches a signalized intersection with Gorges Road. Several businesses including a truck stop and hotel line the highway ahead of SR 103.

07/29/07

U.S. 1 Bypass widens to four lanes between Gorges Road and a point ahead of the SR 103 connector (Bridge Street). The right lane used to default onto Oak Terrace ahead of the Piscataqua River lift bridge. Changes made by January 2015 added a left turn onto Bridge Street, eliminating the movement to SR 103 by way of Oak Terrace.

U.S. 1 Bypass widens to four lanes between Gorges Road and a point ahead of the SR 103 connector (Bridge Street). The right lane used to default onto Oak Terrace ahead of the Piscataqua River lift bridge. Changes made by January 2015 added a left turn onto Bridge Street, eliminating the movement to SR 103 by way of Oak Terrace.

07/29/07

U.S. 1 Bypass reassurance shield posted south of the intersection with Gorges Road.

U.S. 1 Bypass reassurance shield posted south of the intersection with Gorges Road.

07/29/07

A second draw bridge warning sign precedes the SR 103 under crossing along U.S. 1 Bypass south.

A second draw bridge warning sign precedes the SR 103 under crossing along U.S. 1 Bypass south.

07/29/07

SR 103 (Dennett Road) passes underneath U.S. 1 Bypass with no direct access. The state route links Kittery with South Elliot and Elliot Center to the north. Southward, SR 103 continues to the Kittery town center, Kittery Foreside and Seavy Island, home of Portsmouth Naval Base.

SR 103 (Dennett Road) passes underneath U.S. 1 Bypass with no direct access. The state route links Kittery with South Elliot and Elliot Center to the north. Southward, SR 103 continues to the Kittery town center, Kittery Foreside and Seavy Island, home of Portsmouth Naval Base.

07/29/07

Until January 22, 2015, Oak Terrace looped underneath U.S. 1 Bypass at the Piscataqua River to SR 103 at Bridge Street. Changes made here added a traffic light and left turn to Bridge Street directly. Oak Terrace remains in use as a local road to the Oak Terrace community.

Until January 22, 2015, Oak Terrace looped underneath U.S. 1 Bypass at the Piscataqua River to SR 103 at Bridge Street. Changes made here added a traffic light and left turn to Bridge Street directly. Oak Terrace remains in use as a local road to the Oak Terrace community.

03/26/13

U.S. 1 Bypass crossed the Piscatagua River on the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. An advisory sign indicated that the bridge lifted every 30 minutes between 7:15 AM to 6:45 PM.

U.S. 1 Bypass crossed the Piscatagua River on the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. An advisory sign indicated that the bridge lifted every 30 minutes between 7:15 AM to 6:45 PM.

07/29/07

Views of the Piscataqua River lift bridge from southbound along U.S. 1 Bypass. Below the former roadway deck was a second deck carrying a railroad line. The New Hampshire state line lies roughly midway across the river.
3 photos

Views of the Piscataqua River lift bridge from southbound along U.S. 1 Bypass. Below the former roadway deck was a second deck carrying a railroad line. The New Hampshire state line lies roughly midway across the river.

03/26/13

07/29/07

U.S. 1 Bypass scenes
Oak Terrace spurred west from U.S. 1 Bypass north beside the Piscataqua River lift bridge along the east banks of the river. The road continued to Bridge Street at Old Post Road until January 2015, when the connection was permanently closed.

Oak Terrace spurred west from U.S. 1 Bypass north beside the Piscataqua River lift bridge along the east banks of the river. The road continued to Bridge Street at Old Post Road until January 2015, when the connection was permanently closed.

07/29/07

Oak Terrace spurred west from U.S. 1 Bypass north beside the Piscataqua River lift bridge along the east banks of the river. The road continued to Bridge Street at Old Post Road until January 2015, when the connection permanently closed.

Oak Terrace spurred west from U.S. 1 Bypass north beside the Piscataqua River lift bridge along the east banks of the river. The road continued to Bridge Street at Old Post Road until January 2015, when the connection permanently closed.

07/29/07

The west end of Oak Terrace previously connected Bridge Street and SR 103 with U.S. 1 Bypass south into Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This movement was eliminated in January 2015 when a new traffic light was activated allowing left turns from Bridge Street to the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge. Reference to NH 101 here was not for the freeway between the Seacoast and Manchester, but rather the former alignment of NH 101 west from Portsmouth to Exeter (now a part of NH 33).

The west end of Oak Terrace previously connected Bridge Street and SR 103 with U.S. 1 Bypass south into Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This movement was eliminated in January 2015 when a new traffic light was activated allowing left turns from Bridge Street to the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.
Reference to NH 101 here was not for the freeway between the Seacoast and Manchester, but rather the former alignment of NH 101 west from Portsmouth to Exeter (now a part of NH 33).

07/29/07

References:

  1. "N.H. DOT project aims to revamp Route 1 Bypass." Seacoastonline.com, September 3, 2012.
  2. New Hampshire DOT Portsmouth - STP-X-5379(025) 13455 US Route 1 Bypass PDF file, https://www.nh.gov/dot/projects/portsmouth13455/documents/13455_contractmap_111314.pdf accessed January 29, 2015.
  3. "Sarah Long Bridge Permanently Closed to Vehicular Traffic." https://www.nh.gov/dot/media/nr2016/nr-2016-08-24-long-bridge-closure.htm" New Hampshire DOT, news release. August 24, 2016.

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Page Updated Tuesday November 22, 2016.