New Hampshire Route 16
Encyclopedia
New Hampshire Route 16 is a 149.75 miles (241 km) long north–south highway in the U.S. state
of New Hampshire
. Much of its length is close to the border with Maine
. NH 16 is the main route from the Seacoast region
north to the Lakes Region
and the White Mountains
. The section from Portsmouth
to Milton
is a controlled-access toll
highway known as the Spaulding Turnpike
. Between the Portsmouth Circle and Dover Point, US 4
is also routed along the Turnpike. The northern section of Route 16 is called the White Mountain Highway.
The southern terminus of Route 16 is at the Portsmouth Circle
, intersecting with Interstate 95
and the US 1 Bypass. The northern terminus is at the Maine state line in Wentworth's Location
, where it becomes Maine State Route 16.
There are three secondary state routes related to Route 16. Two loops from NH 16 are designated as New Hampshire Route 16A, and the northern NH 16A connects to both ends of the New Hampshire Route 16B loop.
at the western exit from the Portsmouth Circle, where the Spaulding Turnpike
also begins, and US 4
reaches its eastern terminus. The US 4/NH 16/Spaulding Turnpike concurrency leaves the circle as two lanes. A short distance north, the right lane leaves as local traffic, and through traffic merges down to one lane which then merges with two lanes of traffic from I-95
North to become a three lane freeway. The road then travels north through Newington
past Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (formerly the Pease Air Force Base), then merges from three to two lanes before turning northwest to cross the Little Bay Bridge
over the confluence
of Great Bay
and the Piscataqua River
. North of the bridge, US 4 leaves NH 16 and travels west towards Concord
.
Shortly after the US 4 interchange is the Dover toll plaza
, with a toll of 75¢ for passenger cars in either direction. The road continues north, passing to the west of the downtown areas of Dover
, Somersworth
, and Rochester
, known locally as the "tri-city area". After the Rochester tolls, also 75¢, the road merges down to a super two
highway, becoming an undivided two lane road, but retaining limited access. US 202
joins the concurrency for a short distance in Rochester on its way to Maine
. Two exits later, NH 11
joins the concurrency, entering eastbound with traffic from the southern Lake Winnipesaukee
area, and leaves NH 16 along with US 202 at the next exit. Traveling north into Milton, the Spaulding Turnpike ends at an intersection that marks the northern terminus of NH 125
. Route 16 continues north, no longer a limited access road, and now with the moniker of the White Mountain Highway.
From Milton, Route 16 continues to roughly parallel the Maine border. In Wakefield
, the road takes a turn to the northwest heading towards Ossipee
. Route 16 turns back to a northerly heading near Tamworth
, then makes a turn eastward in Albany
to reach Conway
. Route 16 turns north again in Conway, entering the region known as the Mount Washington valley, and begins a concurrency with US 302
between the center of Conway and the village of North Conway
. North of North Conway, in Bartlett
, the southern Route 16A loop departs and rejoins NH 16/US 302 before the road makes a westward hook.
In Glen
, Route 16 turns north from US 302 and heads toward Jackson
, where the northern NH 16A loop is located, as well as NH 16B, which is a loop that begins and ends at NH 16A. Continuing north, NH 16 passes through Pinkham Notch
, to the east of Mount Washington
, New Hampshire
's highest peak, and intersecting with the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road
. Route 16 meets US 2
in Gorham
, sharing a short concurrency along Gorham's Main Street. Leaving US 2, Route 16 continues north along the Androscoggin River
to the city of Berlin
, and then turns northeast toward the town of Errol
. From Errol NH 16 continues northeast to Wentworth's Location
and the Maine border. After crossing the border the road becomes ME 16 and heads east toward Rangeley. From there, the road continues for approximately 200 miles (321.9 km) until its terminus in Orono, Maine
. Between the New Hampshire and Maine segments of Route 16, the route stretches for approximately 350 miles (563.3 km).
From 1922 until 1926, most of the original surface alignment of Route 16, from Portsmouth to the intersection with Route 26 in Errol
, was known as New England Interstate Route 16, the "East Side Road". In 1926, the New England Routes were superseded by the system of United States Numbered Highways
, and many of the New England Routes, including Route 16, became state highway
s with the same number.
Route 16 used to serve as a non-tolled alternative to the Spaulding Turnpike
between Dover
and Rochester
. In the early 1990s, NHDOT
rerouted Route 16 onto the turnpike as a concurrency
for the full length of the turnpike. Route 16's old routing is now made up of several different roads. After crossing the bridge from Newington to Dover, the old NH 16 alignment traveled along Dover Point Road, an unnumbered city road, into downtown Dover to an intersection with NH 108
, where that route used to end. Route 108 was extended along Dover's Central Ave. and further north into Rochester
to the present end of NH 108 at NH 125
(http://www.mapquest.com/directions/linktodirs.adp?aoh=1&mo=ma&2si=gaz&un=m&aot=1&go=1&2gi=0&1a=Dover%20Point%20Rd%20%26%20Us%20Hwy%204&1c=Dover&1g=recKnjirYMuINYjTKLExOA%3d%3d&1l=Yiq1bMTy6bQ4CzBW0RUrnw%3d%3d&2c=Rochester&1rc=I1AAA&cl=EN&1n=STRAFFORD%20COUNTY&2g=pMOuaBaG0YKaN3L5I5dnCg%3d%3d&qq=UHVXrlaxt4gsDHU%252ftQpiN6hl9AQxPM6HqAFalMY2od415cNOYKD1oWdxJPtVLd2O2SZL7Uo%252bkzfO8SURgtJ%252buEXuki0X2ytJkPLXVyJajqZogFyhKvln0rotuKTQVLA9RWNsghAHQra1aMIej754oEdsjJQqW8z8wd%252fbRCg%252f2ZMOmldx3Am4oB0PHFq9YRtWLCrCZ8kwSIgdsLSeN%252bfmyvrDIFy1vjibKkTmqd1iUcK44PKClZB%252bjzz9Z0DbPdULaUl8PcLm6ke02eIcFrDKBHLw5Pocd9EEJYzeFgV2%252bSf4fstzOkBscuv5S1q595VRLK%252bM79mCNYmBiY9v2GuCXSAc663WRCvAy6ZgyzQEHlwYgZcq%252b3KtWUlmGFCO%252b6TyL%252bjjk3RAxLi%252bc2kq80JIpxgd3O1yQJRa&1s=NH&2l=tUB8ZKmf%2bnaE4naAiTtfJw%3d%3d&ct=NA&1v=INTERSECTION&2n=Strafford%20County&r=s&1y=US&1z=03820&2s=NH&1si=tana&2rc=A5XAX&2da=%2d1%2e000000&2v=CITY&did=1159514995&2y=US&rsres=1map]). From there, Route 125 was extended along Route 16's former route north to the end of the Spaulding Turnpike in Milton, and NH 125 now carries the White Mountain Highway designation between Rochester and Milton (http://www.mapquest.com/directions/linktodirs.adp?aoh=1&mo=ma&2si=tana&1gi=0&un=m&aot=1&go=1&1a=S%20Main%20St%20%26%20Common%20St&1c=Rochester&1g=8ktrIeQv3x68p%2bg0mxamZg%3d%3d&2a=State%20Hwy%2016%20%26%20White%20Mountain%20Hwy&1l=AgVBUtmlhxQXPoiDGegurw%3d%3d&2c=Milton&1da=%2d1%2e000000&1rc=I1AAA&cl=EN&1n=STRAFFORD%20COUNTY&2g=YqkCsvd8eiWWm7wGyBMSAQ%3d%3d&qq=UHVXrlaxt4gsDHU%252ftQpiN6hl9AQxPM6HqAFalMY2od415cNOYKD1oZuZBKbKjnEtfmlIozX7qmoaztPBdZ%252f7MRSLXYUHOSUC%252baRW736Z5SSCpoJ%252biC1Bt2Vv9TB9BkdmYUXEb%252bIaY3udWIcNyD5NbuMjeAptef8pW%252b03p2SADpg%252bIEOfIGRLUFghXw3gn2rEZP2GTM4y2nFN5mQ%252ff9OlCGyg6kdAOdWKzkUiPhkKW6QX31EDtfSgevKluOv86qylRCONFnpBjPVvXkUbg54LsHGQfZWlf68PVGSow%252fCxJrNAsKq06pX4TLCGQk56Q4w48IFo6tBrWqGq7iVkHRjTsmtE1j0aRpO7sFtUiq%252b%252bJCUQAEmN0cdnG8TKkFSl%252f%252bdbBlUpzPkKP0RQX1FTEAHiOCHS2AX%252btZLULn5tYd5KPOanHgsDhvYzhnQJzCcoy9xXIIsc2LR5kgz04IOtdiCmxnSD4KNxV%252bzF28hED5OgNyM%253d&1s=NH&2l=1e974F2Ra3xu4HgUATZ9bw%3d%3d&ct=NA&1v=INTERSECTION&2n=STRAFFORD%20COUNTY&r=s&1y=US&1z=03867&2s=NH&1si=tana&2rc=I1AAA&2v=INTERSECTION&did=1159514995&2y=US&2z=03851&rsres=1map]).
The Conway Bypass
is a proposed re-routing of Route 16 around Conway
and North Conway
. While preliminary work has been done, the bypass is still in planning stages.
s in New Hampshire
. Although not directly connected, the two routes are linked by their parent route, New Hampshire Route 16.
Resort Loop, in the town of Bartlett
. It splits off from U.S. Route 302
and Route 16, runs parallel to that highway for 2.4 miles (3.9 km), then rejoins US-302 and Route 16..
Officially, this section of Route 16A is also designated U.S. Route 302 Business, but it is not signed as such anywhere along its route. This is a rare instance of a hidden route in New Hampshire, and is interesting in that a duplicate state numbering has been given precedence over a unique federal one.
that is slightly more than a mile long. This road leaves Route 16, travels east to meet both the southern and northern termini of New Hampshire Route 16B (separated by merely 500 feet) and returns to Route 16, passing through the Wentworth Golf Club. The local name for this route is Village Road, and its total length is 1.03 miles (1.7 km).
located entirely in Jackson
, Carroll County
, New Hampshire
. Although the road is signed as north–south, in reality, NH 16B is a nearly-complete loop, beginning and ending at intersections with New Hampshire Route 16A roughly 500 feet (152.4 m) apart. Heading counterclockwise on NH 16B from NH 16A, NH 16B is known as Black Mountain Road, Moody Farm Road, and Carter Notch Road. The entire route has also been known as Five Mile Circuit Road.
In addition to its present designation, NH 16B has been assigned to several old alignments of NH 16, but those other routes are no longer signed as such.
In Ossipee
, NH 16B was once the designation for an old alignment of NH 16 through the village of Center Ossipee
that has been bypassed by the present NH 16 southwest of Ossipee Lake
. The route, 2.52 miles (4.1 km) in length, is still called "Route 16B" on street blade signs.
Two other roads have also held the NH 16B designation. One is a local road called Old Rochester Road in Somersworth
and Old Dover Road in Rochester
, paralleling the Spaulding Turnpike
in those two towns from NH 108
to NH 125. There is no longer any signage along the road indicating that the road was designated NH 16B.
The other road followed what is now New Hampshire Route 125
between New Hampshire Route 16 near Union
and New Hampshire Route 153
in Union, as well as NH 153 from NH 125 north to NH 16 in Wakefield
. The section of NH 125 in Carroll County is still shown as NH 16B on maps.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Much of its length is close to the border with Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. NH 16 is the main route from the Seacoast region
Seacoast Region (New Hampshire)
The Seacoast Region is the southeast area of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The region stretches 18 miles along the Atlantic Ocean from New Hampshire's border with Salisbury, Massachusetts to the Piscataqua River and New Hampshire's border with Kittery, Maine. The shoreline is generally very...
north to the Lakes Region
Lakes Region (New Hampshire)
The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is the mid-state region surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam Lake, Squam Lake, and Newfound Lake.The area is a popular tourist destination in the summer time, with the activity peaking during the annual Motorcycle Week and races at Loudon's New Hampshire...
and the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
. The section from Portsmouth
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
to Milton
Milton, New Hampshire
Milton is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,598 at the 2010 census. A manufacturing, resort and residential town, Milton includes the village of Milton Mills...
is a controlled-access toll
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
highway known as the Spaulding Turnpike
Spaulding Turnpike
The Spaulding Turnpike is a toll road in New Hampshire, USA, running from Interstate 95 in Portsmouth northwest to Milton. The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border, and in the mid-1990s New Hampshire Route 16 was re-signed onto the turnpike...
. Between the Portsmouth Circle and Dover Point, US 4
U.S. Route 4
U.S. Route 4 is a long United States highway that runs from East Greenbush, New York, in the west to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the east, traversing through Vermont.In New York, US 4 is signed north–south to reflect its alignment in the state...
is also routed along the Turnpike. The northern section of Route 16 is called the White Mountain Highway.
The southern terminus of Route 16 is at the Portsmouth Circle
Portsmouth Traffic Circle
The Portsmouth Traffic Circle is a four-point rotary in the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.-Description:The southern exit of the circle provides access to Interstate 95 north and south, although only northbound I-95 traffic enters here. The eastern and northern exits are part of the U.S. Route 1...
, intersecting with Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in New Hampshire
Interstate 95, the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, cuts through the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire. The majority of it, from the Massachusetts border to the Portsmouth Circle in Portsmouth, is the 14.29-mile Blue Star Turnpike or New Hampshire Turnpike, a toll...
and the US 1 Bypass. The northern terminus is at the Maine state line in Wentworth's Location
Wentworth's Location, New Hampshire
Wentworth's Location is a township in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 33 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, where it becomes Maine State Route 16.
There are three secondary state routes related to Route 16. Two loops from NH 16 are designated as New Hampshire Route 16A, and the northern NH 16A connects to both ends of the New Hampshire Route 16B loop.
Route description
From the south headed north, Route 16 begins in PortsmouthPortsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
at the western exit from the Portsmouth Circle, where the Spaulding Turnpike
Spaulding Turnpike
The Spaulding Turnpike is a toll road in New Hampshire, USA, running from Interstate 95 in Portsmouth northwest to Milton. The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border, and in the mid-1990s New Hampshire Route 16 was re-signed onto the turnpike...
also begins, and US 4
U.S. Route 4
U.S. Route 4 is a long United States highway that runs from East Greenbush, New York, in the west to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the east, traversing through Vermont.In New York, US 4 is signed north–south to reflect its alignment in the state...
reaches its eastern terminus. The US 4/NH 16/Spaulding Turnpike concurrency leaves the circle as two lanes. A short distance north, the right lane leaves as local traffic, and through traffic merges down to one lane which then merges with two lanes of traffic from I-95
Interstate 95 in New Hampshire
Interstate 95, the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, cuts through the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire. The majority of it, from the Massachusetts border to the Portsmouth Circle in Portsmouth, is the 14.29-mile Blue Star Turnpike or New Hampshire Turnpike, a toll...
North to become a three lane freeway. The road then travels north through Newington
Newington, New Hampshire
Newington is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 753 at the 2010 census. It is bounded to the west by Great Bay, northwest by Little Bay and northeast by the Piscataqua River. It is home to Portsmouth International Airport at Pease , and to the New...
past Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (formerly the Pease Air Force Base), then merges from three to two lanes before turning northwest to cross the Little Bay Bridge
Little Bay Bridge
The Little Bay Bridge is a twin-span girder bridge that carries a concurrency of U.S. Route 4, NH Route 16, and the Spaulding Turnpike across the mouth of Little Bay, where it meets the Piscataqua River, between the city of Dover and the town of Newington in New Hampshire.The first span, which is...
over the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of Great Bay
Great Bay (New Hampshire)
Great Bay is a tidal estuary located in Strafford and Rockingham counties in eastern New Hampshire, United States. The bay occupies over , not including its several tidal river tributaries. Its outlet is at Hilton Point in Dover, New Hampshire, where waters from the bay flow into the Piscataqua...
and the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
. North of the bridge, US 4 leaves NH 16 and travels west towards Concord
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
.
Shortly after the US 4 interchange is the Dover toll plaza
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
, with a toll of 75¢ for passenger cars in either direction. The road continues north, passing to the west of the downtown areas of Dover
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
, Somersworth
Somersworth, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,477 people, 4,687 households, and 3,079 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,173.4 people per square mile . There were 4,841 housing units at an average density of 494.9 per square mile...
, and Rochester
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair....
, known locally as the "tri-city area". After the Rochester tolls, also 75¢, the road merges down to a super two
Super two
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two lane is a two-lane surface road built to high standards, typically including partial control of access, occasional passing lanes and hard shoulders...
highway, becoming an undivided two lane road, but retaining limited access. US 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
joins the concurrency for a short distance in Rochester on its way to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. Two exits later, NH 11
New Hampshire Route 11
New Hampshire Route 11 is a long east–west state highway in New Hampshire, running westward along the southern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. Its eastern terminus is at the Maine state line in the city of Rochester, where it continues north as Maine State Route 11. U.S. Route 202, which runs...
joins the concurrency, entering eastbound with traffic from the southern Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
area, and leaves NH 16 along with US 202 at the next exit. Traveling north into Milton, the Spaulding Turnpike ends at an intersection that marks the northern terminus of NH 125
New Hampshire Route 125
New Hampshire Route 125 is a long north–south state highway in Rockingham and Strafford counties in southeastern New Hampshire. It runs from Plaistow to just north of Milton...
. Route 16 continues north, no longer a limited access road, and now with the moniker of the White Mountain Highway.
From Milton, Route 16 continues to roughly parallel the Maine border. In Wakefield
Wakefield, New Hampshire
Wakefield is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,078 at the 2010 census. The town includes the villages of Wakefield Corner , East Wakefield, North Wakefield, Sanbornville, Union, Woodman and Province Lake...
, the road takes a turn to the northwest heading towards Ossipee
Ossipee, New Hampshire
Ossipee is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,345 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County...
. Route 16 turns back to a northerly heading near Tamworth
Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,856 at the 2010 census. Tamworth includes the villages of Chocorua, South Tamworth, Wonalancet, and Whittier. The White Mountain National Forest is to the north...
, then makes a turn eastward in Albany
Albany, New Hampshire
Albany is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 735 at the 2010 census.Albany includes Mount Chocorua and Mount Paugus, as well as the southeastern corner of the White Mountain National Forest. Albany is the entrance to the Mount Washington Valley, and features...
to reach Conway
Conway, New Hampshire
Conway is a town, the largest in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,115 at the 2010 census. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west and north. Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake State Park are in the west...
. Route 16 turns north again in Conway, entering the region known as the Mount Washington valley, and begins a concurrency with US 302
U.S. Route 302
U.S. Route 302 is a spur of U.S. Route 2. It currently runs 171 miles north from Portland, Maine, at U.S. Route 1, to Montpelier, Vermont, at US 2...
between the center of Conway and the village of North Conway
North Conway, New Hampshire
North Conway is a census-designated place in eastern Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,349 at the 2010 census. A year-round resort area, North Conway is the largest village within the town of Conway, which is bounded on the east by the Maine state line. The White...
. North of North Conway, in Bartlett
Bartlett, New Hampshire
Bartlett is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,788 at the 2010 census. Bartlett includes the villages of Glen, Lower Bartlett and Intervale. It is set in the White Mountains, surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest...
, the southern Route 16A loop departs and rejoins NH 16/US 302 before the road makes a westward hook.
In Glen
Glen, New Hampshire
Glen is an unincorporated village in the town of Bartlett in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The village is the home of Story Land, a popular amusement park in the Mount Washington Valley region, a resort area that also includes the communities of North Conway and Jackson.Glen is found at...
, Route 16 turns north from US 302 and heads toward Jackson
Jackson, New Hampshire
Jackson is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 816 at the 2010 census. Jackson is an elegant resort area in the White Mountains. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west, north and east...
, where the northern NH 16A loop is located, as well as NH 16B, which is a loop that begins and ends at NH 16A. Continuing north, NH 16 passes through Pinkham Notch
Pinkham Notch
Pinkham Notch is a mountain pass in the White Mountains of north-central New Hampshire, United States. The notch is a result of extensive erosion by the Laurentide ice sheet during the Wisconsinian ice age. Pinkham Notch was eroded into a glacial U-shaped valley whose walls are formed by the...
, to the east of Mount Washington
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
's highest peak, and intersecting with the base of the Mount Washington Auto Road
Mount Washington Auto Road
The Mount Washington Auto Road is a toll road that extends from New Hampshire Route 16 in Pinkham Notch to the summit of Mount Washington in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The road climbs from an altitude of at the bottom to at the top, an average gradient of 11.6%...
. Route 16 meets US 2
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada...
in Gorham
Gorham, New Hampshire
Gorham is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,848 at the 2010 census. Gorham is located in the White Mountains, and parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the south and northwest. Moose Brook State Park is in the west. The town is crossed by the...
, sharing a short concurrency along Gorham's Main Street. Leaving US 2, Route 16 continues north along the Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
to the city of Berlin
Berlin, New Hampshire
Berlin is a city along the Androscoggin River in Coos County in northern New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,051 at the 2010 census. It includes the village of Cascade. Located on the edge of the White Mountains, the city's boundaries extend into the White Mountain National Forest...
, and then turns northeast toward the town of Errol
Errol, New Hampshire
Errol is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 291 at the 2010 census. It is located north of the White Mountains along Route 16 at the intersection of Route 26...
. From Errol NH 16 continues northeast to Wentworth's Location
Wentworth's Location, New Hampshire
Wentworth's Location is a township in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 33 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area....
and the Maine border. After crossing the border the road becomes ME 16 and heads east toward Rangeley. From there, the road continues for approximately 200 miles (321.9 km) until its terminus in Orono, Maine
Orono, Maine
Orono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
. Between the New Hampshire and Maine segments of Route 16, the route stretches for approximately 350 miles (563.3 km).
Junction list
- See the Spaulding TurnpikeSpaulding TurnpikeThe Spaulding Turnpike is a toll road in New Hampshire, USA, running from Interstate 95 in Portsmouth northwest to Milton. The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border, and in the mid-1990s New Hampshire Route 16 was re-signed onto the turnpike...
article for a list of exits along the controlled access portion of Route 16.
History
Errol, New Hampshire
Errol is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 291 at the 2010 census. It is located north of the White Mountains along Route 16 at the intersection of Route 26...
, was known as New England Interstate Route 16, the "East Side Road". In 1926, the New England Routes were superseded by the system of United States Numbered Highways
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
, and many of the New England Routes, including Route 16, became state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
s with the same number.
Route 16 used to serve as a non-tolled alternative to the Spaulding Turnpike
Spaulding Turnpike
The Spaulding Turnpike is a toll road in New Hampshire, USA, running from Interstate 95 in Portsmouth northwest to Milton. The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border, and in the mid-1990s New Hampshire Route 16 was re-signed onto the turnpike...
between Dover
Dover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
and Rochester
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair....
. In the early 1990s, NHDOT
New Hampshire Department of Transportation
The State of New Hampshire Department of Transportation is a government agency of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The NHDOT is under the executive direction of Commissioner of Transportation George Campbell. The main office of the NHDOT is located in the J.O...
rerouted Route 16 onto the turnpike as a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
for the full length of the turnpike. Route 16's old routing is now made up of several different roads. After crossing the bridge from Newington to Dover, the old NH 16 alignment traveled along Dover Point Road, an unnumbered city road, into downtown Dover to an intersection with NH 108
New Hampshire Route 108
New Hampshire Route 108 is a long north–south state highway in Rockingham and Strafford counties in southeastern New Hampshire. The northern terminus of the route is in the city of Rochester at NH Route 125 and NH Route 202A...
, where that route used to end. Route 108 was extended along Dover's Central Ave. and further north into Rochester
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair....
to the present end of NH 108 at NH 125
New Hampshire Route 125
New Hampshire Route 125 is a long north–south state highway in Rockingham and Strafford counties in southeastern New Hampshire. It runs from Plaistow to just north of Milton...
(http://www.mapquest.com/directions/linktodirs.adp?aoh=1&mo=ma&2si=gaz&un=m&aot=1&go=1&2gi=0&1a=Dover%20Point%20Rd%20%26%20Us%20Hwy%204&1c=Dover&1g=recKnjirYMuINYjTKLExOA%3d%3d&1l=Yiq1bMTy6bQ4CzBW0RUrnw%3d%3d&2c=Rochester&1rc=I1AAA&cl=EN&1n=STRAFFORD%20COUNTY&2g=pMOuaBaG0YKaN3L5I5dnCg%3d%3d&qq=UHVXrlaxt4gsDHU%252ftQpiN6hl9AQxPM6HqAFalMY2od415cNOYKD1oWdxJPtVLd2O2SZL7Uo%252bkzfO8SURgtJ%252buEXuki0X2ytJkPLXVyJajqZogFyhKvln0rotuKTQVLA9RWNsghAHQra1aMIej754oEdsjJQqW8z8wd%252fbRCg%252f2ZMOmldx3Am4oB0PHFq9YRtWLCrCZ8kwSIgdsLSeN%252bfmyvrDIFy1vjibKkTmqd1iUcK44PKClZB%252bjzz9Z0DbPdULaUl8PcLm6ke02eIcFrDKBHLw5Pocd9EEJYzeFgV2%252bSf4fstzOkBscuv5S1q595VRLK%252bM79mCNYmBiY9v2GuCXSAc663WRCvAy6ZgyzQEHlwYgZcq%252b3KtWUlmGFCO%252b6TyL%252bjjk3RAxLi%252bc2kq80JIpxgd3O1yQJRa&1s=NH&2l=tUB8ZKmf%2bnaE4naAiTtfJw%3d%3d&ct=NA&1v=INTERSECTION&2n=Strafford%20County&r=s&1y=US&1z=03820&2s=NH&1si=tana&2rc=A5XAX&2da=%2d1%2e000000&2v=CITY&did=1159514995&2y=US&rsres=1map]). From there, Route 125 was extended along Route 16's former route north to the end of the Spaulding Turnpike in Milton, and NH 125 now carries the White Mountain Highway designation between Rochester and Milton (http://www.mapquest.com/directions/linktodirs.adp?aoh=1&mo=ma&2si=tana&1gi=0&un=m&aot=1&go=1&1a=S%20Main%20St%20%26%20Common%20St&1c=Rochester&1g=8ktrIeQv3x68p%2bg0mxamZg%3d%3d&2a=State%20Hwy%2016%20%26%20White%20Mountain%20Hwy&1l=AgVBUtmlhxQXPoiDGegurw%3d%3d&2c=Milton&1da=%2d1%2e000000&1rc=I1AAA&cl=EN&1n=STRAFFORD%20COUNTY&2g=YqkCsvd8eiWWm7wGyBMSAQ%3d%3d&qq=UHVXrlaxt4gsDHU%252ftQpiN6hl9AQxPM6HqAFalMY2od415cNOYKD1oZuZBKbKjnEtfmlIozX7qmoaztPBdZ%252f7MRSLXYUHOSUC%252baRW736Z5SSCpoJ%252biC1Bt2Vv9TB9BkdmYUXEb%252bIaY3udWIcNyD5NbuMjeAptef8pW%252b03p2SADpg%252bIEOfIGRLUFghXw3gn2rEZP2GTM4y2nFN5mQ%252ff9OlCGyg6kdAOdWKzkUiPhkKW6QX31EDtfSgevKluOv86qylRCONFnpBjPVvXkUbg54LsHGQfZWlf68PVGSow%252fCxJrNAsKq06pX4TLCGQk56Q4w48IFo6tBrWqGq7iVkHRjTsmtE1j0aRpO7sFtUiq%252b%252bJCUQAEmN0cdnG8TKkFSl%252f%252bdbBlUpzPkKP0RQX1FTEAHiOCHS2AX%252btZLULn5tYd5KPOanHgsDhvYzhnQJzCcoy9xXIIsc2LR5kgz04IOtdiCmxnSD4KNxV%252bzF28hED5OgNyM%253d&1s=NH&2l=1e974F2Ra3xu4HgUATZ9bw%3d%3d&ct=NA&1v=INTERSECTION&2n=STRAFFORD%20COUNTY&r=s&1y=US&1z=03867&2s=NH&1si=tana&2rc=I1AAA&2v=INTERSECTION&did=1159514995&2y=US&2z=03851&rsres=1map]).
The Conway Bypass
Conway Bypass (New Hampshire)
The Conway Bypass is a proposed rerouting of New Hampshire Route 16 around the villages of Conway and North Conway. Though it has been in a proposal stage for decades, the project is still slowly moving forward...
is a proposed re-routing of Route 16 around Conway
Conway, New Hampshire
Conway is a town, the largest in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 10,115 at the 2010 census. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west and north. Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake State Park are in the west...
and North Conway
North Conway, New Hampshire
North Conway is a census-designated place in eastern Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,349 at the 2010 census. A year-round resort area, North Conway is the largest village within the town of Conway, which is bounded on the east by the Maine state line. The White...
. While preliminary work has been done, the bypass is still in planning stages.
New Hampshire Route 16A
New Hampshire Route 16A is a designation held by two separate state highwayState highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
s in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Although not directly connected, the two routes are linked by their parent route, New Hampshire Route 16.
Southern segment
The southern segment of Route 16A is a loop road, known locally as the IntervaleIntervale, New Hampshire
Intervale is an unincorporated village located on the boundary between the towns of Bartlett and Conway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The village is part of the Mount Washington Valley, a resort area that also includes the communities of North Conway and Jackson.Intervale is found along...
Resort Loop, in the town of Bartlett
Bartlett, New Hampshire
Bartlett is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,788 at the 2010 census. Bartlett includes the villages of Glen, Lower Bartlett and Intervale. It is set in the White Mountains, surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest...
. It splits off from U.S. Route 302
U.S. Route 302
U.S. Route 302 is a spur of U.S. Route 2. It currently runs 171 miles north from Portland, Maine, at U.S. Route 1, to Montpelier, Vermont, at US 2...
and Route 16, runs parallel to that highway for 2.4 miles (3.9 km), then rejoins US-302 and Route 16..
Officially, this section of Route 16A is also designated U.S. Route 302 Business, but it is not signed as such anywhere along its route. This is a rare instance of a hidden route in New Hampshire, and is interesting in that a duplicate state numbering has been given precedence over a unique federal one.
Northern segment
The northern segment of Route 16A is a loop road in JacksonJackson, New Hampshire
Jackson is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 816 at the 2010 census. Jackson is an elegant resort area in the White Mountains. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west, north and east...
that is slightly more than a mile long. This road leaves Route 16, travels east to meet both the southern and northern termini of New Hampshire Route 16B (separated by merely 500 feet) and returns to Route 16, passing through the Wentworth Golf Club. The local name for this route is Village Road, and its total length is 1.03 miles (1.7 km).
New Hampshire Route 16B
New Hampshire Route 16B (abbreviated NH 16B) is a 5.38 miles (8.7 km) long state highwayState highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
located entirely in Jackson
Jackson, New Hampshire
Jackson is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 816 at the 2010 census. Jackson is an elegant resort area in the White Mountains. Parts of the White Mountain National Forest are in the west, north and east...
, Carroll County
Carroll County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,666 people, 18,351 households, and 12,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 18/km² . There were 34,750 housing units at an average density of 14/km²...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Although the road is signed as north–south, in reality, NH 16B is a nearly-complete loop, beginning and ending at intersections with New Hampshire Route 16A roughly 500 feet (152.4 m) apart. Heading counterclockwise on NH 16B from NH 16A, NH 16B is known as Black Mountain Road, Moody Farm Road, and Carter Notch Road. The entire route has also been known as Five Mile Circuit Road.
In addition to its present designation, NH 16B has been assigned to several old alignments of NH 16, but those other routes are no longer signed as such.
In Ossipee
Ossipee, New Hampshire
Ossipee is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,345 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County...
, NH 16B was once the designation for an old alignment of NH 16 through the village of Center Ossipee
Center Ossipee, New Hampshire
Center Ossipee is a census-designated place in the town of Ossipee in Carroll County, New Hampshire. The population was 561 at the 2010 census. It is one of two major villages in the town, the other being Ossipee Corner .New Hampshire Route 16 and Route 25 bypass the village to the east...
that has been bypassed by the present NH 16 southwest of Ossipee Lake
Ossipee Lake
Ossipee Lake is located in Carroll County in eastern New Hampshire, in the communities of Ossipee and Freedom. At 3,245 acres, it is the sixth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. The lake is fed by the West Branch , the Bearcamp and Lovell rivers , and the Pine River...
. The route, 2.52 miles (4.1 km) in length, is still called "Route 16B" on street blade signs.
Two other roads have also held the NH 16B designation. One is a local road called Old Rochester Road in Somersworth
Somersworth, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 11,477 people, 4,687 households, and 3,079 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,173.4 people per square mile . There were 4,841 housing units at an average density of 494.9 per square mile...
and Old Dover Road in Rochester
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair....
, paralleling the Spaulding Turnpike
Spaulding Turnpike
The Spaulding Turnpike is a toll road in New Hampshire, USA, running from Interstate 95 in Portsmouth northwest to Milton. The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border, and in the mid-1990s New Hampshire Route 16 was re-signed onto the turnpike...
in those two towns from NH 108
New Hampshire Route 108
New Hampshire Route 108 is a long north–south state highway in Rockingham and Strafford counties in southeastern New Hampshire. The northern terminus of the route is in the city of Rochester at NH Route 125 and NH Route 202A...
to NH 125. There is no longer any signage along the road indicating that the road was designated NH 16B.
The other road followed what is now New Hampshire Route 125
New Hampshire Route 125
New Hampshire Route 125 is a long north–south state highway in Rockingham and Strafford counties in southeastern New Hampshire. It runs from Plaistow to just north of Milton...
between New Hampshire Route 16 near Union
Union, New Hampshire
Union is a village and census-designated place in the town of Wakefield in Carroll County, New Hampshire. It had a population of 204 at the 2010 census....
and New Hampshire Route 153
New Hampshire Route 153
New Hampshire Route 153 is a long secondary north–south highway in Strafford and Carroll counties in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. The road runs from Farmington north to Conway....
in Union, as well as NH 153 from NH 125 north to NH 16 in Wakefield
Wakefield, New Hampshire
Wakefield is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,078 at the 2010 census. The town includes the villages of Wakefield Corner , East Wakefield, North Wakefield, Sanbornville, Union, Woodman and Province Lake...
. The section of NH 125 in Carroll County is still shown as NH 16B on maps.