U.S. Route 302 in New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 302 crosses the northern part of New Hampshire
, entering the state by bridging the Connecticut River
from Wells River, Vermont
, following the Ammonoosuc River
into the White Mountains
, passing through Crawford Notch
and following the Saco River
out of the mountains to Fryeburg, Maine. US 302 serves as one of the few major highways that runs east–west in northern New England
.
U.S. Route 302 is a spur of U.S. Route 2
, but does not intersect its parent highway in New Hampshire.
. It follows Central Street on a two-lane alignment, passing through Woodsville
until it reaches NH 10
(Dartmouth College Highway), where it turns eastward and forms an overlap.
US 302 and NH 10 follow the Ammonoosuc River
through a mix of fields and forested land, passing through Bath
as Lisbon Road and Lisbon
as its Main Street. As it approaches Littleton
, the road's name changes to Meadow Street and becomes a shopping strip just before crossing the river and interchanging with I-93
. After a short stretch, the road meets Main Street at a skewed intersection, defaulting onto Main Street and passing through the town's development.
The route turns southward onto Cottage Street, immediately bridging the Ammonoosuc River once again, and passes through a residential area before turning eastward onto Bethlehem Road. The route passes under Interstate 93 again and passes through woodland, where it crosses I-93 for a third time at a second interchange, where it also intersects NH 116
. US 302 then travels eastward through largely forested land, passing through Bethlehem
and Twin Mountain
(where it crosses U.S. Route 3
), then turns southward as it passes through Crawford Notch State Park
, bearing Crawford Notch
Road as its name and paralleling the Saco River
.
After turning eastward again, passing through Bartlett
and intersecting NH 16
, the road becomes White Mountain Highway and turns southward once more, passing Lower Bartlett and entering North Conway
. The route follows Eastman Road south of North Conway, which it follows to its end at NH 113
(Main Street) after bridging the Saco River once again. US 302 turns east onto NH 113, passing through more forested land as it crosses the Maine
state border, bound for Fryeburg a short stretch east of there.
Between 1922 and 1935, most of the current routing of US 302 from Portland, Maine
west to its intersection with New Hampshire Route 18
in Littleton
was designated as New England Interstate Route 18. The New England route designation was later removed and supplanted by the US 302 designation east of Littleton. West of Littleton, NH/VT Route 18 carried the designation north to US 2, which carried the designation west to Montpelier, Vermont
.
US 302 today takes a more southerly path than the original Route 18. West of Littleton, it runs along parts of former New England Interstate Routes 10 and 25.
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...
, entering the state by bridging the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
from Wells River, Vermont
Wells River, Vermont
Wells River is a village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 325 at the 2000 census. The village center is located at the junction of U.S...
, following the Ammonoosuc River
Ammonoosuc River
The Ammonoosuc River is a river, 55 mi long, in northwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. "Ammonoosuc" is Abnaki for "small, narrow fishing place"....
into 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...
, passing through Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch is the steep and narrow gorge of the Saco River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located almost entirely within the town of Hart's Location...
and following the Saco River
Saco River
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
out of the mountains to Fryeburg, Maine. US 302 serves as one of the few major highways that runs east–west in northern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
U.S. Route 302 is a spur of U.S. Route 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...
, but does not intersect its parent highway in New Hampshire.
Route description
US 302 enters the state of New Hampshire at a two-lane arch bridge over the Connecticut River beginning in Wells River, VermontWells River, Vermont
Wells River is a village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 325 at the 2000 census. The village center is located at the junction of U.S...
. It follows Central Street on a two-lane alignment, passing through Woodsville
Woodsville, New Hampshire
Woodsville is a census-designated place in the town of Haverhill in Grafton County, New Hampshire, U.S., along the Connecticut River at the mouth of the Ammonoosuc River. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census...
until it reaches NH 10
New Hampshire Route 10
New Hampshire Route 10 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. Its southern terminus is at the Massachusetts state line in the town of Winchester. In Massachusetts the highway becomes Massachusetts Route 10. Total length of the highway is .-Route description:NH 10...
(Dartmouth College Highway), where it turns eastward and forms an overlap.
US 302 and NH 10 follow the Ammonoosuc River
Ammonoosuc River
The Ammonoosuc River is a river, 55 mi long, in northwestern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River, which flows to Long Island Sound. "Ammonoosuc" is Abnaki for "small, narrow fishing place"....
through a mix of fields and forested land, passing through Bath
Bath, New Hampshire
Bath is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2010 census. Now a tourist destination and bedroom community for Littleton, the town is noted for its historic architecture, including the Brick Store and three covered bridges...
as Lisbon Road and Lisbon
Lisbon, New Hampshire
Lisbon is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,595 at the 2010 census. Lisbon hosts an annual "Lilac Festival" on Memorial Day weekend....
as its Main Street. As it approaches Littleton
Littleton, New Hampshire
Littleton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,928 at the 2010 census. Situated at the edge of the White Mountains, Littleton is bounded on the northwest by the Connecticut River....
, the road's name changes to Meadow Street and becomes a shopping strip just before crossing the river and interchanging with I-93
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
. After a short stretch, the road meets Main Street at a skewed intersection, defaulting onto Main Street and passing through the town's development.
The route turns southward onto Cottage Street, immediately bridging the Ammonoosuc River once again, and passes through a residential area before turning eastward onto Bethlehem Road. The route passes under Interstate 93 again and passes through woodland, where it crosses I-93 for a third time at a second interchange, where it also intersects NH 116
New Hampshire Route 116
New Hampshire Route 116 is a long east–west highway in northern New Hampshire. NH 116 is a scenic rural highway stretching from Haverhill, which lies along the Connecticut River, to Jefferson, in the White Mountains Region....
. US 302 then travels eastward through largely forested land, passing through Bethlehem
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
Bethlehem is a hillside town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census. It is home to Cushman and Strawberry Hill state forests. The eastern half of the town is within the White Mountain National Forest...
and Twin Mountain
Twin Mountain, New Hampshire
Twin Mountain is a village within the town of Carroll in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is named for two prominent summits which rise to the south of the village, North Twin Mountain and South Twin Mountain ....
(where it crosses U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
), then turns southward as it passes through Crawford Notch State Park
Crawford Notch State Park
Crawford Notch State Park is located on U.S. Highway 302, in northern New Hampshire, between Bretton Woods and Bartlett. The park occupies the center of Crawford Notch, a major pass through the White Mountains.-External links:*...
, bearing Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch
Crawford Notch is the steep and narrow gorge of the Saco River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located almost entirely within the town of Hart's Location...
Road as its name and paralleling the Saco River
Saco River
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
.
After turning eastward again, passing through 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...
and intersecting NH 16
New Hampshire Route 16
New Hampshire Route 16 is a 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...
, the road becomes White Mountain Highway and turns southward once more, passing Lower Bartlett and entering 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...
. The route follows Eastman Road south of North Conway, which it follows to its end at NH 113
New Hampshire Route 113
New Hampshire Route 113 is a long east–west state highway in east-central New Hampshire. Route 113 begins in the Lakes Region at an intersection with U.S. Route 3 and New Hampshire Route 25 in Holderness, and stretches eastward across the central part of the state, ending at an intersection with...
(Main Street) after bridging the Saco River once again. US 302 turns east onto NH 113, passing through more forested land as it crosses the 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...
state border, bound for Fryeburg a short stretch east of there.
History
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
west to its intersection with New Hampshire Route 18
New Hampshire Route 18
New Hampshire Route 18 is a long north–south state highway in New Hampshire. Its northern terminus is at the Vermont state line in the town of Littleton, where the road continues north as Vermont Route 18. The southern terminus of NH 18 is at an interchange with Interstate 93 and U.S...
in Littleton
Littleton, New Hampshire
Littleton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,928 at the 2010 census. Situated at the edge of the White Mountains, Littleton is bounded on the northwest by the Connecticut River....
was designated as New England Interstate Route 18. The New England route designation was later removed and supplanted by the US 302 designation east of Littleton. West of Littleton, NH/VT Route 18 carried the designation north to US 2, which carried the designation west to Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier is a city in the U.S. state of Vermont that serves as the state capital and the shire town of Washington County. As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. The population was 7,855 at the 2010...
.
US 302 today takes a more southerly path than the original Route 18. West of Littleton, it runs along parts of former New England Interstate Routes 10 and 25.
Junction list
| County | Location | Mile | Intersection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grafton Grafton County, New Hampshire Grafton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2010 census, the population was 89,118. Its county seat is North Haverhill, which is a village within the town of Haverhill. Until 1972, the county courthouse and other offices were located in downtown Woodsville, a... |
Woodsville Woodsville, New Hampshire Woodsville is a census-designated place in the town of Haverhill in Grafton County, New Hampshire, U.S., along the Connecticut River at the mouth of the Ammonoosuc River. The population was 1,126 at the 2010 census... |
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| Bath Bath, New Hampshire Bath is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,077 at the 2010 census. Now a tourist destination and bedroom community for Littleton, the town is noted for its historic architecture, including the Brick Store and three covered bridges... |
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| Lisbon Lisbon, New Hampshire Lisbon is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,595 at the 2010 census. Lisbon hosts an annual "Lilac Festival" on Memorial Day weekend.... |
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| Littleton Littleton, New Hampshire Littleton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,928 at the 2010 census. Situated at the edge of the White Mountains, Littleton is bounded on the northwest by the Connecticut River.... |
Interchange | |||
| Interchange | ||||
| Bethlehem Bethlehem, New Hampshire Bethlehem is a hillside town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census. It is home to Cushman and Strawberry Hill state forests. The eastern half of the town is within the White Mountain National Forest... |
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| Coos Coos County, New Hampshire -National protected areas:*Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge *Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge *White Mountain National Forest -Demographics:... |
Twin Mountain Twin Mountain, New Hampshire Twin Mountain is a village within the town of Carroll in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is named for two prominent summits which rise to the south of the village, North Twin Mountain and South Twin Mountain .... |
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| Carroll 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... |
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... |
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| 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... state line |
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