U.S. Route 4 in New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
In the state of New Hampshire
, U.S. Route 4
runs for 106.8 miles (171.9 km) across the central and southern part of the state, stretching from Lebanon on the Connecticut River
border with Vermont
southeast to Portsmouth on the eastern coast.
, where it immediately intersects Route 10
which runs parallel to the river. US-4 turns south onto Route 10, and the two routes turn south, meeting Route 12A before turning towards and interchanging with Interstate 89
. At this point, Route 10 joins the I-89 freeway southbound, while US-4 continues east into downtown Lebanon. The road crosses Route 120
, continues east and interchanges with I-89/Route 10 again. US-4 continues east away from the freeway into Mascoma, where Route 4A splits off to the southeast. US-4 continues east through Enfield and into Canaan, where it meets the southern end of Route 118
. The road turns to the south at this point, passing through Grafton and Danbury, where US-4 meets the west end of Route 104
and continues south into Andover. In Andover, US-4 turns back to the east and meets Route 11
near Route 4A's eastern terminus. US-4 and Route 11 run concurrently through Andover for about 2 miles (3.2 km) before splitting, Route 11 to the northeast and US-4 to the southeast. US-4 enters the town of Salisbury and crosses Route 127
, before continuing into Boscawen and intersecting with U.S. Route 3
. US-3 and US-4 share a short concurrency (about a mile), before US-4 turns east to interchange with Interstate 93
at Exit 17.
US-4 joins I-93 southbound, and runs along the freeway until Exit 15E in Concord. At this interchange, US-4 leaves I-93 and joins Interstate 393
and U.S. Route 202
which run eastbound out of the city. The two U.S. routes overlap I-393 to its terminus in the northern corner of Pembroke. I-393 then ends, and US-4/US-202 merge onto Route 9 eastbound through Chichester and into Epsom. The road crosses Route 28
at the Epsom Traffic Circle, then continues east and intersects Route 107
, forming a 2 miles (3.2 km) long four-route concurrency into Northwood, where Route 107 splits off to the northwest. US-4, US-202, and Route 9 continue through Northwood, and US-202 and Route 9 split from US-4 at an intersection with Route 43
.
US-4 continues east, meeting the west end of New Hampshire Route 152
and proceeding into Nottingham and then into Lee, where US-4 meets Route 125
at a rotary interchange. After leaving this interchange, US-4 crosses into Durham and becomes a semi-limited-access highway. US-4 has a partial eastbound interchange with Route 155
and a diamond interchange with Route 155A
down the road, providing access to the University of New Hampshire
campus in Durham. US-4 has one more interchange, with Route 108
, before becoming a full-access highway again. US-4 continues east towards the coast and crosses the tidal Bellamy River
to enter Dover, then interchanges with the Spaulding Turnpike
(Route 16
). US-4 joins the Turnpike southbound, closely paralleling the Maine
state border and crossing the Little Bay Bridge
into the town of Newington
before continuing into the city of Portsmouth. US-4 comes to an end at the final southbound interchange with Interstate 95
, where the Turnpike splits to merge with I-95 South, and Route 16 continues south to end at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle
, providing access to I-95 North and U.S. Route 1 Bypass.
(and NH 11 from Andover to Franklin
) was first numbered in 1925 as an eastern extension of New England Route 14. From Franklin to Concord, New Hampshire
the road was designated as Route 6 (now US 3), and from Concord to Northwood, New Hampshire
it was Route 9 (now NH-9). Between Northwood and Dover, New Hampshire
, the road was previously not numbered. From Dover to its eastern terminus at Portsmouth, New Hampshire
, the road used part of Route 16 (now New Hampshire Route 16
).
and Andover
, New Hampshire
, serving as a shortcut around several villages on U.S. Route 4. Until Interstate 89 was built in the early 1970s, this was part of the main route between the Lebanon-Hanover
area and the southeastern portion of New Hampshire. Today, traffic is very light on this road.
The western terminus is in Lebanon at US 4, near the western tip of Lake Mascoma
. The eastern terminus is in the town of Andover at New Hampshire Route 11
. This highway is locally named the 4th New Hampshire Turnpike.
Route 4A is an alternate route of U.S. Route 4, and not of New Hampshire Route 4
, a completely different route.
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...
, U.S. Route 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...
runs for 106.8 miles (171.9 km) across the central and southern part of the state, stretching from Lebanon on 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...
border with Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
southeast to Portsmouth on the eastern coast.
Route description
U.S. Route 4 crosses the Connecticut River into New Hampshire in the community of West LebanonWest Lebanon, New Hampshire
West Lebanon, New Hampshire, is a district within the city of Lebanon on the Connecticut River. The area contains a major shopping plaza strip along New Hampshire Route 12A, serving the Upper Valley communities along Interstates 89 and 91...
, where it immediately intersects Route 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...
which runs parallel to the river. US-4 turns south onto Route 10, and the two routes turn south, meeting Route 12A before turning towards and interchanging with Interstate 89
Interstate 89
Interstate 89 is an interstate highway in the New England region of the United States travelling between Bow, New Hampshire and Highgate Springs, Vermont. As with all odd-numbered primary interstates, I-89 is signed as a north–south highway...
. At this point, Route 10 joins the I-89 freeway southbound, while US-4 continues east into downtown Lebanon. The road crosses Route 120
New Hampshire Route 120
New Hampshire Route 120 is a long secondary north–south state highway in Sullivan and Grafton counties in the upper Connecticut River Valley region of New Hampshire. NH 120 runs between the towns of Claremont and Hanover....
, continues east and interchanges with I-89/Route 10 again. US-4 continues east away from the freeway into Mascoma, where Route 4A splits off to the southeast. US-4 continues east through Enfield and into Canaan, where it meets the southern end of Route 118
New Hampshire Route 118
New Hampshire Route 118 is a long secondary north–south highway in Grafton County, New Hampshire. NH 118 stretches from Woodstock, in the White Mountains Region, south to Canaan in the Upper Valley region....
. The road turns to the south at this point, passing through Grafton and Danbury, where US-4 meets the west end of Route 104
New Hampshire Route 104
New Hampshire Route 104 is a long secondary east–west highway in central New Hampshire. The highway runs from Danbury to Meredith on Lake Winnipesaukee in the Lakes Region....
and continues south into Andover. In Andover, US-4 turns back to the east and meets Route 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...
near Route 4A's eastern terminus. US-4 and Route 11 run concurrently through Andover for about 2 miles (3.2 km) before splitting, Route 11 to the northeast and US-4 to the southeast. US-4 enters the town of Salisbury and crosses Route 127
New Hampshire Route 127
New Hampshire Route 127 is a north–south state highway in central New Hampshire. The highway runs from Hopkinton in Merrimack County northward to Sanbornton in Belknap County....
, before continuing into Boscawen and intersecting with 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...
. US-3 and US-4 share a short concurrency (about a mile), before US-4 turns east to interchange with Interstate 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...
at Exit 17.
US-4 joins I-93 southbound, and runs along the freeway until Exit 15E in Concord. At this interchange, US-4 leaves I-93 and joins Interstate 393
Interstate 393
Interstate 393 is a spur extending east from Interstate 93 at Concord, New Hampshire, USA. The primary purpose of the road is to bypass a densely-built commercial strip on Route 9 in the eastern part of Concord. Several times a year, I-393 also serves traffic to events at New Hampshire Motor...
and U.S. Route 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....
which run eastbound out of the city. The two U.S. routes overlap I-393 to its terminus in the northern corner of Pembroke. I-393 then ends, and US-4/US-202 merge onto Route 9 eastbound through Chichester and into Epsom. The road crosses Route 28
New Hampshire Route 28
New Hampshire Route 28 is an north–south state highway in southeastern New Hampshire. It connects the town of Ossipee in east-central New Hampshire with Salem on the Massachusetts border....
at the Epsom Traffic Circle, then continues east and intersects Route 107
New Hampshire Route 107
New Hampshire Route 107 is a long north–south state highway in New Hampshire. It connects Laconia in the Lakes Region with Seabrook on the Atlantic coast....
, forming a 2 miles (3.2 km) long four-route concurrency into Northwood, where Route 107 splits off to the northwest. US-4, US-202, and Route 9 continue through Northwood, and US-202 and Route 9 split from US-4 at an intersection with Route 43
New Hampshire Route 43
New Hampshire Route 43 is a long north–south state highway in southeastern New Hampshire, the United States. It runs from Candia to Northwood....
.
US-4 continues east, meeting the west end of New Hampshire Route 152
New Hampshire Route 152
New Hampshire Route 152 is a long east–west highway in Rockingham and Strafford counties in southeastern New Hampshire. The road connects the towns of Newmarket and Nottingham....
and proceeding into Nottingham and then into Lee, where US-4 meets 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...
at a rotary interchange. After leaving this interchange, US-4 crosses into Durham and becomes a semi-limited-access highway. US-4 has a partial eastbound interchange with Route 155
New Hampshire Route 155
New Hampshire Route 155 is an long secondary north–south highway in southeastern New Hampshire. The highway runs from Epping in Rockingham County to Dover in Strafford County...
and a diamond interchange with Route 155A
New Hampshire Route 155A
New Hampshire Route 155A is a long loop road in Strafford County, New Hampshire. It runs from Lee to Durham and back into Lee.-Route description:...
down the road, providing access to the University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire is a public university in the University System of New Hampshire , United States. The main campus is in Durham, New Hampshire. An additional campus is located in Manchester. With over 15,000 students, UNH is the largest university in New Hampshire. The university is...
campus in Durham. US-4 has one more interchange, with Route 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...
, before becoming a full-access highway again. US-4 continues east towards the coast and crosses the tidal Bellamy River
Bellamy River
The Bellamy River, in Strafford County, southeastern New Hampshire, is a tributary of the Piscataqua River about long. It rises in Swains Lake in Barrington, west of Dover...
to enter Dover, then interchanges with 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...
(Route 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...
). US-4 joins the Turnpike southbound, closely paralleling 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 and crossing 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...
into the town of 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...
before continuing into the city of Portsmouth. US-4 comes to an end at the final southbound interchange with Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
, where the Turnpike splits to merge with I-95 South, and Route 16 continues south to end at the Portsmouth Traffic 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...
, providing access to I-95 North and U.S. Route 1 Bypass.
History
The section of US 4 from the Vermont state line to AndoverAndover, New Hampshire
Andover is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,371 at the 2010 census. Andover includes the villages of Cilleyville, Potter Place, and East Andover, in addition to the town center...
(and NH 11 from Andover to Franklin
Franklin, New Hampshire
The median income for a household in the city was $34,613, and the median income for a family was $41,698. Males had a median income of $32,318 versus $25,062 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,155...
) was first numbered in 1925 as an eastern extension of New England Route 14. From Franklin to Concord, New Hampshire
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....
the road was designated as Route 6 (now US 3), and from Concord to Northwood, New Hampshire
Northwood, New Hampshire
Northwood is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,241 at the 2010 census.-History:First settled in 1763, Northwood was incorporated on February 6, 1773 by Colonial Governor John Wentworth, when a large tract of land called "North Woods" was separated from...
it was Route 9 (now NH-9). Between Northwood and Dover, New Hampshire
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...
, the road was previously not numbered. From Dover to its eastern terminus at Portsmouth, New Hampshire
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...
, the road used part of Route 16 (now New Hampshire Route 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...
).
Suffixed routes
New Hampshire Route 4A is a 24 miles (38.6 km) long east–west road between LebanonLebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
and Andover
Andover, New Hampshire
Andover is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,371 at the 2010 census. Andover includes the villages of Cilleyville, Potter Place, and East Andover, in addition to the town center...
, 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...
, serving as a shortcut around several villages on U.S. Route 4. Until Interstate 89 was built in the early 1970s, this was part of the main route between the Lebanon-Hanover
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
area and the southeastern portion of New Hampshire. Today, traffic is very light on this road.
The western terminus is in Lebanon at US 4, near the western tip of Lake Mascoma
Mascoma Lake
Mascoma Lake is a lake in western New Hampshire, United States. Most of the lake is located within the town of Enfield, while a small portion is within the city of Lebanon, where it drains into the Mascoma River, a tributary of the Connecticut River....
. The eastern terminus is in the town of Andover at New Hampshire Route 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...
. This highway is locally named the 4th New Hampshire Turnpike.
Route 4A is an alternate route of U.S. Route 4, and not of New Hampshire Route 4
New Hampshire Route 4
New Hampshire Route 4 is a long state highway located in eastern Strafford County, New Hampshire. The southwestern terminus of the route is at New Hampshire Route 9 and New Hampshire Route 108 in downtown Dover. The northeastern terminus is at the Maine state line in Rollinsford.The southern...
, a completely different route.