NH Traffic during weekday mornings

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giggy

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I rarely head north on weekdays - but heading up friday - looking to be in the lincoln area around 9am - which would put me in manchester around 7:30 and Concord around 8am - via rt 3 and 93. How much traffic can be expected during those times?

many thanks! :)
 
I normally try to leave Brookline before 6:30 AM on weekdays, traffic on I 93 at that time is very reasonable. I very much suspect that the same applies to Rt 3.
 
giggy said:
I rarely head north on weekdays - but heading up friday - looking to be in the lincoln area around 9am - which would put me in manchester around 7:30 and Concord around 8am - via rt 3 and 93. How much traffic can be expected during those times?

many thanks! :)

You'll bottleneck through Concord, but nothing too bad. Most traffic is heading the opposite direction into MA.
 
I tend to leave the Boston area ~6am and head up via 93. That works out to ~7am at the 93 toll booths. Haven't had much trouble with traffic. If I leave about an hour later, getting on 93N from 128N might be a bit congested and the traffic gets a bit heavy in Concord, but I don't remember any big delays. IIRC 3N (from 128N) is medium traffic, but moving.

Fortunately (for me) the big traffic jams are in the southbound lanes... :)

Doug
 
Hi Giggy

I'm making the assumption that you will be taking RT 3 (the Everett Turnpike) to 293 then merging with 93 just South of the Hooksett tolls.

I drive the opposite direction every morning at approximately the same time and you will probably see minor delays at the Bedford toll plaza on Rt 3.

There is construction on 293 through Manchester and most of your delays will occur between exit 4 and exit 6.

You should be OK getting through Concord. Traffic may be heavy but it's usually travelling the speed limit.
 
I drive to Manchester every morning, and have been known to hike on weekdays. Suffice it to say that unless there is an accident, traffic north of the border is "unremarkable". AND WE LIKE IT THAT WAY!

Tim
 
giggy said:
I rarely head north on weekdays - but heading up friday - looking to be in the lincoln area around 9am - which would put me in manchester around 7:30 and Concord around 8am - via rt 3 and 93. How much traffic can be expected during those times?

many thanks! :)
Peak rush hour through Manchester and Concord is a cakewalk for anyone familiar with the Boston area (or any other major US city). It can get a bit slow Southbound from Manchester to the state line on 93, but I doubt if you care about that. The only time it is ever a problem is during Loudon NASCAR events and in June during Biker Week. Even then: a ten minute slower trip is the norm. Of course, Ma$$holes should watch their speed.
 
If on the Everett Tpk going north through Manchester, after you pass the I-293 exit to the airport, stay in your left lane. The right lanes can have stopped traffic at the exits to the river bridges while you pass through the city.
 
I think that Rt. 93 is about a mile shorter than Rt. 3 (hard to believe, but I have measured both many times; also saves an extra toll booth). I have rarely found traffic northbound really bad on either route until after about 3 in the afternoon, perhaps 2 on Fridays, and until 7 or 8 pm. I definitely do not wish to see another two lanes added in each direction on Rt. 93 between Salem and Manchvegas, as that will only increase development and traffic (environmental groups recently had a request for delay in construction approved by the courts).
 
NewHampshire said:
Yo Gig! North bound you will be fine. Once past Concord put the pedal to the floor, crank some tunes and keep an eye out for Rollers! ;)

Brian

If you put the pedal the the floor you'll get caught by one of the many speed traps you'll pass before you get to Exit 32. Best keep it at 70mph.
 
dentonfabrics said:
If you put the pedal the the floor you'll get caught by one of the many speed traps you'll pass before you get to Exit 32. Best keep it at 70mph.

I rarely see any speed traps, and most are around the Concord area (or there after). I usually keept it 75 or under, but still..........maybe I am just lucky. :D ;)

Brian
 
Speed traps are there, although rare. I suspect they aren't enforcing 93N in the AM on a weekday, however. Ski weekends, definitely. They have a turnout every 2.5 miles, so slow down a bit for that .5 miles surrounding the turnout. I've never been bothered by the NH state police in 10+ years of driving north on 93. I typically stay at 75 or less. Of course I might go faster if I'm following a car with MA plates :rolleyes:

Tim
 
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Mass plates. Skis on top. They are looking for you. Sorry, folks...just the way it is! :D
 
NewHampshire said:
I rarely see any speed traps, and most are around the Concord area (or there after). I usually keept it 75 or under, but still..........maybe I am just lucky. :D ;)

Brian
Better lucky than good! For 3.5 years I travelled Route 93 from 101 to Plymouth. I saw many, many speed traps, and many folks pulled over. I never went over about 70, was pulled over only once, and given only a warning. I have NH plates.

Seems to me that speeding tickets are about the easiest way for a government to make money nowadays.
 
bikehikeskifish said:
I typically stay at 75 or less. Of course I might go faster if I'm following a car with MA plates :rolleyes:

Tim

In NASCAR thats called drafting and is a good thing :D ;)

Brian

P.S. I probably see one speed trap on 93 North (almost always between Concord and about exit 24) every three or four weekends apart, and more on holliday weekends than ever......and that is considering I drive up to Concord on Saturdays, and then drive to the Whites on Sundays. I have only seen ONE on 93 South on a Saturday afternoon.
 
Paradox said:
For 3.5 years I travelled Route 93 from 101 to Plymouth. I saw many, many speed traps, and many folks pulled over.
The section of 93 between Concord and Plymouth (or maybe to the
Kanc) is a well-known speed-trap zone.

Some newspaper reporter checked court records for the area and found that an inordinate number of out-of-state cars had been pulled over...

I have often seen speed traps in this zone.

Doug
 
Keep an eye out for moose when you get up near Tripoli Road. If a truck starts flashing its lights and blowing its horn, don't just fly by willy-nilly; it's probably a warning that something is in the road.

Regarding Concord, I got tied up there a couple years ago because of construction, but it's been clear sailing since. Nascar is done for the year at Loudon, so it'll just be leaf-peepers, now.
 
The toughest speed trap I've ever seen (and I've seen it twice) is when the trooper parks on the exit Ramp on Exit 35 (Rt 3 to Twin Mtn). You've been hustling up 93 at 65mph, then you've got to slow down to 45 or so thru the notch (which seems to take forever), then they let you go back to 65mph for about 2 miles until you take exit 35 where BAM, there sits the trooper. Nasty, nasty stuff.

Me, I'm going up 93 with the cruise cntrl set at 70. Never get stopped.
 
Compared to MA its a non-issue. Watch for speed traps in MA between exit 26-28 on Route 3 in MA. Then at the NH border where the "Border Patrol" of
MA and NH troopers often sit, especially on weekends. The next area is at exit 7-8 along the Everett in Nashua. NPD is merciless and will nail you, keep it slow in Nashua!!! :p

From there you"ll find them ocassionally between Merrimack, NH and Manchester. Not much during the day but often on weekends. :)

From there be careful AFTER Concord, and again between Exit 28 and 32 along I-93 in the Lincoln area. They and the U.S. Border patrol, seperately and sometimes together, run large scale traffic stops.

If you keep it between 65-70 I have never had a problem along 93.

BUT. if your flying at 85 mph, with Mass. plates, THANKs, You"ll get my summons!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :) :p :eek:
 
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