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Interstate 93
Interstate 93
from Wikipedia

Interstate 93 marker
Interstate 93
Map
I-93 highlighted in red
Route information
Length189.95 mi[1] (305.69 km)
Existed1957–present
NHSEntire route
RestrictionsNo hazardous goods and cargo tankers between exits 15B and 18 in Massachusetts[2]
Major junctions
South end I-95 / US 1 / Route 128 in Canton, MA
Major intersections
North end I-91 in Waterford, VT
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesMassachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont
CountiesMA: Norfolk, Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex
NH: Rockingham, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Belknap, Grafton
VT: Caledonia
Highway system
I-91MA I-95
I-89NH I-95
I-91VT VT 100

Interstate 93 (I-93) is an Interstate Highway in the New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont in the United States. Spanning approximately 190 miles (310 km) along a north–south axis, it is one of three primary Interstate Highways located entirely within New England; the other two are I-89 and I-91. The largest cities along the route are Boston, and Manchester, New Hampshire; it also travels through the New Hampshire state capital of Concord.

I-93 begins at an interchange with I-95, US Route 1 (US 1) and Route 128 in Canton, Massachusetts. It travels concurrently with US 1 beginning in Canton, and, with Route 3 beginning at the Braintree Split on the BraintreeQuincy city line, through the Central Artery in Downtown Boston before each route splits off beyond the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. The portion of highway between the Braintree Split and the Central Artery is named the "Southeast Expressway", while the portion from Boston to the New Hampshire state line is named the "Northern Expressway".

I-93 ends in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at I-91.[3] For most of its length, I-93 indirectly parallels US 3. In New Hampshire, the two highways have several interchanges with each other, as well as a concurrency through Franconia Notch State Park.

Route description

[edit]
Lengths
  mi[1] km
MA 47.07 75.75
NH 131.78 212.08
VT 11.10 17.86
Total 189.95 305.69

Massachusetts

[edit]
Southern terminus of I-93 at I-95 in Canton, Massachusetts

I-93's southern terminus is at exit 26 (formerly exit 12) of I-95 in Canton, cosigned with US 1 north. At this junction, I-95 north heads to the northwest (cosigned with US 1 south, as well as Route 128, which begins at the interchange), to serve as the beltway around Boston, while I-95 south runs by itself southwest through Boston's southwestern suburbs toward Rhode Island. The southernmost three miles (4.8 km) of I-93 run east through Boston's southern suburbs, passing through Canton and Randolph. In Randolph, I-93 meets the northern end of Route 24 (Fall River Expressway/AMVETS Memorial Highway) at exit 4. I-93 continues east into Braintree, interchanging with Route 3, the major freeway linking Boston to Cape Cod, at exit 7 (known locally as the "Braintree Split"). Route 3 north joins I-93 and US 1, and the highway turns north toward Boston. These first seven miles (11 km) of I-93 follow what was formerly part of Route 128 before it was truncated at the I-95/I-93 junction.

Signs in the Financial District of Boston pointing toward Downtown Crossing, Chinatown, I-93, and I-90

Upon turning northward, the highway is known as the Southeast Expressway, passing through Quincy and Milton before crossing into the city of Boston over the Neponset River. After the Massachusetts Avenue connector exit, the highway officially becomes the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, also known as the Central Artery, and passes beneath Downtown Boston. A major intersection with the Massachusetts Turnpike/I-90 (exit 16, formerly 20) takes place just south of Downtown Boston. After the massive interchange, motorists use the O'Neill Tunnel to travel underneath the city and then use the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge to cross the Charles River. Two exits are located in the tunnel, where the speed limit is 45 mph (72 km/h). Route 3 leaves the Artery just before the Zakim bridge via exit 18 (formerly 26), and US 1 leaves the Artery just after the bridge, via exit 19 (formerly 27) (no southbound access). From Boston through the rest of Massachusetts, Concord, New Hampshire, appears as the control city on northbound overhead signs. The Artery ends as I-93 continues north out of the city.

I-93 continues through the northern suburbs of Boston, coming to a second interchange with I-95 and Route 128, which run concurrently. Travelers going north can either change over to I-95 north to eventually reach Maine or remain on I-93 toward New Hampshire. Farther north, in Andover, I-93 meets I-495, providing access to Worcester to the southwest and New Hampshire's Seacoast Region to the northeast. Just south of the state line, I-93 crosses the Merrimack River into Methuen, where it intersects Route 110 and Route 113 at exit 43 (formerly 46) just north of the river crossing. Between 2014 and 2018, the Route 110/Route 113 junction beneath I-93 was converted from a rotary to a partial cloverleaf, with the new traffic patterns opening in various stages during 2016 and 2017.[4] On I-93 northbound, the exit was split into 43A (formerly 46A) for Route 110 and Route 113 eastbound, and 43B (formerly 46B) for Route 110 and Route 113 westbound. I-93 then interchanges with the western end of Route 213, a connector between I-93 and I-495. I-93 then crosses into New Hampshire after about one mile (1.6 km).

In all, I-93 has 46 (formerly 48) numbered exits in Massachusetts, although, before the mileage-based exit numbering system was implemented in 2021, several numbers were skipped in and near Boston. Several exits were removed from I-93 to address traffic problems in addition to converting the Central Artery from 6 to 8 to 10 lanes, by reducing the combined number of on- and offramps from 27 to 14.[5] Exit 46 (formerly 48) in Methuen, just before the New Hampshire state line, is the highest-numbered exit along the entire route. I-93 once had only 22 exits prior to the rerouting of I-95 onto Route 128.[6] Nearly the entire length of I-93 in Massachusetts carries four lanes in each direction. Average daily traffic volumes on I-93 in the state range from 100,000 vehicles at the New Hampshire border[7] and 150,000 vehicles at the southern end at I-95[8] to over 200,000 vehicles through Braintree and Quincy.[7]

New Hampshire

[edit]

I-93 travels just over 131 miles (211 km) in New Hampshire, about two-thirds of the highway's total distance. Serving as the main Interstate route in New Hampshire, it connects the state capital, Concord, and its largest city, Manchester. Beyond Concord are the towns of Tilton, Plymouth, and Littleton. I-93 is designated as the Alan B. Shepard Highway,[9] from the Massachusetts line to Hooksett (just north of Manchester at the northern terminus of I-293), as the Everett Turnpike from Hooksett to Concord, and as the Styles Bridges Highway, after the US politician, from Concord to the Vermont line. This section of roadway was constructed between 1961 and 1977.

Between the northern end of I-293 in Hooksett and the beginning of I-89 in Bow, I-93 also carries the northern end of the Everett Turnpike. There is one toll booth along this section, at exit 11 in Hooksett; the toll for passenger cars is $1.00 ($0.50 at the ramp toll booth). This is the only toll collected along the entire length of the highway. I-93 in New Hampshire is also notable for having state liquor stores serve as rest areas, which are passed just after the toll plaza, traveling north. There are separate stores on both sides of the Interstate for travelers in each direction.

I-93 enters New Hampshire at Salem. A rest area and welcome center is available on the northbound side of the freeway, directly before exit 1. I-93 is four lanes wide in each direction for its first 18.5 miles (29.8 km), until the split with I-293 and New Hampshire Route 101 (NH 101), where I-93 drops to three lanes before adding a fourth and fifth lane back to the freeway after the interchange. The construction to widen I-93 to four lanes each way between the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border and its junction with I-293 and NH 101 was fully complete as of April 2021.[10]

I-93 north approaching its southern interchange with I-293 and NH 101 in Manchester

I-93 and NH 101 run concurrently for about one mile (1.6 km) before NH 101 exits to the east as its own freeway, serving Portsmouth and the Seacoast Region. I-93 maintains three lanes of traffic in each direction until the junction with I-89, then is a four-lane freeway through most of its journey northward, with the only exception being the Franconia Notch section.

Northbound lane of I-93/US 3 in Franconia Notch

In the state capital of Concord, I-393 heads directly east (cosigned with eastbound US 4 and US 202), providing another route to the Seacoast Region. Westbound US 4 joins I-93 and runs concurrently with it, crossing the Merrimack River again, until exit 17 for Penacook, about five miles (8.0 km) farther north, before exiting westward. Continuing north, I-93 traverses the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and then makes its way north through the heart of the White Mountains Region. I-93 passes through Franconia Notch State Park as a two-lane freeway (one lane in each direction) with a 45-mile-per-hour (72 km/h) speed limit, designed to reduce I-93's impact on Franconia Notch. For the trip through Franconia Notch, I-93 and US 3 run concurrently.

Beyond Franconia Notch State Park, US 3 heads northeastward through the Great North Woods Region, while I-93 runs to the northwest. The final town along I-93 in New Hampshire is Littleton, served by four exits. Many motorist services are available at exit 42. After passing through town, it crosses the Connecticut River into Vermont. The last exit along I-93 is exit 44 for Monroe, through which a rest area and welcome center is accessible to travelers on both sides of the highway.

In 2013, a bill was signed by governor Maggie Hassan to raise the speed limit on I-93 to 70 mph (110 km/h) from milemarker 45 to the Vermont border, with the exception of the Franconia Notch Parkway. The new limit took effect on January 1, 2014.

Vermont

[edit]

I-93 runs for 11 miles (18 km) in Vermont, with one numbered exit in the state before ending at the interchange with I-91 in St. Johnsbury in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. A rest area and welcome center is located along the northbound side of the highway for travelers entering from New Hampshire. The final three miles (4.8 km) of the Interstate actually veer to the southwest while traveling northbound. Vehicles bound for Canada can use northbound I-91 to reach the Derby Line–Stanstead Border Crossing at that Interstate's end, and northwards into Canada as an autoroute freeway into the Canadian province of Quebec. The portion of I-93 in Vermont parallels both US 2 and Vermont Route 18 (VT 18).

History

[edit]

Southeast Expressway

[edit]
KML is not from Wikidata

The Southeast Expressway was constructed between 1954 and 1959, at the same time the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway (Central Artery) was built. Its northern terminus is at exit 15 (southbound) or 15B (northbound) (former exit 18; Frontage Road) in South Boston, a former Y interchange where the canceled Southwest Corridor/I-95 was to meet with I-93 and run concurrent northward into downtown. The southern terminus is at the Y interchange (the "Braintree Split") at exit 7 in Braintree (the former southern terminus of Route 128). A section of the expressway, beginning south of the Savin Hill overpass and ending just before the Braintree Split, utilizes a zipper lane, in which a movable barrier carves out a reversible high-occupancy vehicle lane (HOV lane) on the non-peak side of the highway during rush hour. Most of the right of way for the Granite Railway in Milton and Quincy was incorporated into the expressway.[11]

On August 21, 1969, a train of three runaway locomotives burst out of what is now Cabot Yard, across Frontage Road, and blocked the northbound side of the highway.[12]

Boston

[edit]
Route of the original Central Artery, as well as other roadways affected by the Big Dig
Route of the new Central Artery after the Big Dig
I-93 through the O'Neill Tunnel
I-93 passing by TD Garden as it travels on the Zakim Bridge
The South Bay Interchange (looking south) to the Southeast Expressway with Great Blue Hill visible in the background
South Bay Interchange Closeup
A closer view of the South Bay Interchange

The Central Artery, officially the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, was a section of highway in Downtown Boston constructed in the 1950s and was originally designed as a fully elevated highway. This new highway was greatly disliked by the citizens of the city because it cut the heart of the city in half; cast long, dreary shadows; and was an eyesore to the community. Because of the public outcry, Governor John A. Volpe ordered the southern half of the highway redesigned so that it was underground; this section became known as the Dewey Square Tunnel. With the cancelation of the highway projects leading into the city in 1972 by Governor Francis Sargent, the Central Artery gained the designation of I-93 in 1974. It has also carried the local highway designations of US 1 (since 1989) and Route 3.

By the mid-1970s, I-93 had outgrown its capacity and had begun to deteriorate due to a lack of maintenance. State Transportation Secretary Frederick P. Salvucci, aware of the issues surrounding the elevated roadway, proposed a plan conceived in the early 1970s by the Boston Transportation Planning Review to replace the rusting elevated six-lane Central Artery with a new, more efficient underground roadway. This plan was merged with a long-standing proposal to build a third harbor tunnel to alleviate congestion in the Sumner and Callahan tunnels to East Boston; the new plan became known as the Central Artery/Tunnel Project or the Big Dig.

These new roadways were built during a 12-year period from 1994 to early 2006. The massive project became the largest urban construction project ever undertaken in US history.[13] Construction on the new I-93 segment was not without serious issues: a lengthy federal environmental review pushed the start of construction back from approximately 1990, causing many inflationary increases, while funding for the project was the subject of several political battles between President Ronald Reagan and Representative Tip O'Neill. Major construction on the new roadway was done while maintaining the old roadway, a step that also greatly increased the cost of the project. The original Charles River crossing, named Scheme Z, was the object of great public outcry similar to that of the building of the original highway. The outcry eventually led to the replacement of Scheme Z with a newer, more sleek cable-stayed bridge and complementing exit for Cambridge, increasing the cost even more.

In Downtown Boston, I-93 is made up of the O'Neill Tunnel and Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, which spans the Charles River. The underground construction of the tunnel system was completed as of October 2006; however, repairs continue to many parts of the tunnel due to water leakage because of improper construction of the slurry walls supporting the O'Neill Tunnel. The former route of the above-ground Artery, so named "the other Green Monster" by Mayor Thomas Menino, was replaced mostly by open space known formally as the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.[14]

Additional improvements were done in the South Bay section of the highway: the I-90/I-93 interchange was completely redesigned, a new HOV lane extending from the zipper lane in Quincy was added and the South Boston Haul road that was constructed to bypass truck traffic around residential streets in the South End was opened to general traffic.[citation needed]

Hazardous cargos are prohibited from I-93 in Boston over safety issues in the tunnels; these cargos must exit at either the Leverett Circle connector when traveling southbound or at the Massachusetts Avenue exit when traveling northbound.[citation needed]

Northern Expressway

[edit]
KML is not from Wikidata

The Northern Expressway was constructed from Medford to the New Hampshire border between 1956 and 1963. It was extended through Somerville and Charlestown to the Central Artery, US 1, and the planned route of the Inner Belt Expressway (proposed I-695) between 1965 and 1973. Because it was already under construction, the highway was granted an exception to the moratorium on highway expansion inside Route 128 that was announced in 1970.[15]

I-93 was originally planned with a southern terminus in Cambridge (just north of Boston), where it was to meet the Inner Belt (I-695). However, when that route was canceled and the I-95 section into Boston was canceled and rerouted onto Route 128 in the mid-1970s, I-93 was extended an additional 18 miles (29 km) southward down the Central Artery (which had been signed as a concurrency of I-95 and Route 3 before I-95 was rerouted) and the Southeast Expressway (what was then just Route 3) from Boston to Braintree and then west along Route 128 (which was later removed from this section of road in 1997) to terminate at I-95 in Canton.

In an attempt to alleviate rush-hour traffic jams, travel in the breakdown lane of I-93 is permitted between exit 35 (formerly 41) and exit 46 (formerly 43), where the highway currently has three lanes in each direction. This extra travel is permitted on the southbound side on weekdays between 6:00 am and 10:00 am and on the northbound side between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm to align with commuting hours. However, on most busy days, this fails to prevent traffic delays. The Massachusetts State Police has expressed displeasure with this arrangement, citing that traffic in the breakdown lanes interferes with the ability of emergency vehicles to respond to accidents.[citation needed]

Rapid bridge replacement project

[edit]

In August 2010, in Medford, a 25-by-7-foot (7.6 m × 2.1 m) section of bridge deck on the northbound side partially collapsed due to age-related structural fatigue.[16] The collapse forced the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to evaluate the remaining bridges along the corridor, eventually deciding to replace several bridges along the highway in a plan called 93 Fast 14. MassDOT set in motion a plan to replace the superstructure and concrete decks on 14 overpass bridges along that section of the Interstate, using rapid bridge replacement methods. The $98.1-million (equivalent to $137 million in 2024[17]) project replaced bridges originally built in 1957 with a set of prefabricated modular concrete bridges in a series of weekend roadway closures. Traffic was diverted into a series of crossover lanes during construction. The main part of the project took place each weekend from June through August 2011, with the exception of the July 4 holiday weekend. One or two bridges were replaced each weekend during the construction time frame. The project was part of the commonwealth's Accelerated Bridge Program.[18][19]

Methuen Rotary

[edit]

Off exit 43 (formerly 46) in Methuen, the surface level traffic circle was rebuilt as part of an overall infrastructure improvement that also included constructing a new bridge carrying the Interstate over the local road, reconstructing on- and offramps to the highway, and realigning the Interstate itself.[20]

New Hampshire

[edit]

As originally envisioned by the federal government, I-93 would have followed the route of present US 3/Northwest Expressway/Everett Turnpike from Boston to Concord. By 1956, the two states had drawn up new plans for I-93 to the east, bypassing the tolled Everett Turnpike from Manchester southward along a new alignment, known as the "Northern Expressway" in Massachusetts and crossing into New Hampshire in Salem. The New Hampshire section south of Hooksett would be named the Alan B. Shepard Highway, named for the first American in space, a Derry native.[21]

The first part of I-93 completed in New Hampshire opened in Salem from the Massachusetts border to exit 2 (NH 38/NH 97) in August 1961. The route was extended gradually northward over the next several years, reaching exit 3 (NH 111) by the end of 1961, as well as a second segment from the I-293/NH 101 west interchange to exit 7 (NH 101 east) at the same time. The two segments were connected in late 1962. This left a gap in I-93, as traffic was directed along NH 101 West and the Everett Turnpike, while the southern segment of I-93 continued on and ended in a stub at exit 7.[21]

By 1963, the route had been completed from the end of the Everett Turnpike section, through Concord and north to Tilton (exit 20), and to NH 104 in New Hampton by 1964 (exit 23) and to Plymouth by 1965 (exit 26), and from there gradually northward until it reached the southern end of Franconia Notch. By 1977, I-93 was completed between exit 7 and the Everett Turnpike in Hooksett, completing the Alan B. Shepard Highway segment of I-93 and closing the gap that had stood for 15 years. The Everett Turnpike section had been built in 1957 and incorporated into I-93 in 1958. After the completion of the Alan B. Shepard Highway portion, the portion concurrent with NH 101 was widened to eight lanes, while the Everett Turnpike section from Hooksett to Concord was widened to six lanes in 1978.[21]

A small segment was also completed from the northern end of Franconia Notch to Littleton prior to 1984, with the final stretch from Littleton to the Vermont border completed by 1984. This left a gap through Franconia Notch, with traffic directed along US 3 between the two sections. For years, debates over how to minimize the environmental impact of the road through the notch (including on the Old Man of the Mountain, which would collapse in 2003) prevented it being built. As a compromise the Franconia Notch Parkway, a super-two roadway with 45-mile-per-hour (72 km/h) speed limit, was completed in June 1988,[22][23] replacing US 3. Originally, this road was not included in I-93, as it had its own exit numbers and was signed "TO I-93", though, later, the parkway was officially added to the Interstate System despite the substandard conditions and the exits renumbered. The parkway opened in June 1988, replacing Route 3, and grade crossings were replaced by an overpass.[citation needed]

Begun in 2006 and continuing until 2021, the portion between the state border and the I-293 southern terminus was widened to eight lanes; this necessitated the rebuilding and/or relocation of several interchanges. An additional exit has been proposed near milemarker 13 that would include a new connector road to NH 28, effectively bypassing downtown Derry and relieving traffic along NH 102 at exit 4.[24] Construction began in 2023.

Vermont

[edit]

Construction of I-93 in Vermont was completed in 1982. It was planned to be built longer if I-91 did not change its designation eastward in the northeastern part of the state.[citation needed] It was the last Interstate to be built in the state.[25]

Future expansion

[edit]

Massachusetts plans

[edit]

Since 1996, the Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway) has studied rebuilding the interchange of I-93 and I-95 in Woburn along the border with Stoneham and Reading.[26] The project was expected to start in early 2017 and cost $267 million but continued community opposition has postponed the project indefinitely.[27] A project to upgrade the interchange of I-93 and I-95 in Canton is also proposed.

An additional 2010 proposal to upgrade Route 24, running southwards from I-93 exit 4 in Randolph to I-195 near Fall River, has also been put off due to studies showing the cost of the project being very high.[citation needed]

MassDOT and its predecessor MassHighway have planned on widening I-93 to a uniform four travel lanes in both directions from the lane drop near exit 35 (formerly 41) in Wilmington to the New Hampshire border since the beginning of the 2000s.[28] The first section of widening will be done as part of the I-93 Tri-Town Interchange Project. The project will construct a new interchange in Wilmington. I-93 will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction from exit 35 (formerly 41) to I-495, a distance of approximately 5 miles (8 km), as the first phase in widening I-93 from exit 35 (formerly 41) to the New Hampshire state line. Early estimates of the entire project place the cost at $567 million.[29]

New Hampshire plans

[edit]

Initial plans to widen I-93 to a uniform four travel lanes in both directions from Salem to Manchester beginning in 2008 were put on hold due to a lawsuit designed to force the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) to update the plans to include other transportation options. Under orders from the US District Court, NHDOT and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) were required to provide an updated environmental review. The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a lawsuit in February 2006, hoping to force any expansion plans in the area to include the restoration of commuter rail service between Manchester and Boston.[30] Despite the suit, the exit 1 interchange construction was allowed to undergo upgrading and expansion; other associated projects related to the widening, chiefly around exits 3 and 5, were also eventually allowed to proceed. The whole set of projects were eventually allowed to move forward following an agreement between the state and the CLF that removed the group's opposition to construction which does not pose a threat to the environment.[31]

As part of the 2009 stimulus package, New Hampshire was set to receive several million dollars in highway construction funds. One of the projects was the widening of a portion of I-93 between the Massachusetts border and Manchester. Bidding was set to begin in February 2009, with construction slated to begin in late 2009 or early 2010.[32] The plans called for NHDOT to widen the southernmost 20 miles (32 km) of I-93 to four lanes in each direction, from the existing two lanes in each direction. In addition, all five interchanges along this length would be upgraded to accommodate larger amounts of traffic, including the replacement of many aging bridges.[31] According to plans filed by the state with USDOT, the project was scheduled to run from 2009 through 2016, with work starting at the Massachusetts line and moving northward to Manchester. The project was designed with an intermodal transit bent; new or improved park and ride facilities were deployed at exits 1, 3, and 5, and a widened median strip was designed to accommodate a planned commuter rail service between Boston and Manchester.[33] As a way to help defray the costs of the expansion, in early 2010, NHDOT made a formal request to the Federal Highway Administration to add tolls to I-93 at the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border. The new toll facility was to be located in Salem, approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of the state line, and would cost travelers $2.00 per vehicle. The proposal faced opposition from state legislators in both states, who claimed the tolls would cause severe congestion in the area and lead to an economic burden to local residents. Opponents included US senator Scott Brown.[34] The proposal was eventually dropped in favor of issuing new state bonds to pay for expansion. The new policy was laid out by Transportation Commissioner George Campbell after reviewing the proposal and receiving a promise from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that it would not be enacting a similar toll on the Massachusetts side of the border.[35]

Plans were announced in 2012 that I-93 would receive new northbound and southbound bridges over I-89 in Bow. To reduce traffic on the southbound bridge, NHDOT added a third lane to ease congestion. The bridges were completed in 2014.

More plans were announced in 2014 that the Hooksett rest areas would be rebuilt. The new rest areas feature a 14-pump Irving Oil gas station, a new New Hampshire liquor and wine outlet, and a few restaurants and shops. The project was completed in 2015.

In Londonderry, a new interchange on I-93 connecting to the adjacent town of Derry was in final planning stages as of June 2020. Construction of exit 4A, to be located approximately a mile (1.6 km) north of exit 4 in Londonderry, began in 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in fall 2024.[needs update] The interchange is part of a larger series of road improvements expected to be completed in 2026.[36]

Exit list

[edit]
.

Massachusetts converted from sequential to distance-based exit numbering on I-93 in mid-2021.[37] New Hampshire continues to use sequential exit numbering on all of its freeways except at interstate-to-interstate interchanges, which are usually unnumbered (exit 15E to I-393 is an exception to this convention). Vermont added "milepoint exit" numbers to existing signs in 2020, essentially marking each interchange with two exit numbers (except the I-91 interchange, which was previously unnumbered).[38]

StateCountyLocation[39][40]
[41][42]
mi[39][40]
[41][42]
kmOld exitNew exit[43][44]Destinations[43][44]Notes
MassachusettsNorfolkCanton0.0000.0001B

I-95 north / US 1 south (Route 128 north) – Dedham, Providence, RI
Southern terminus; southern end of US 1 concurrency
631A
I-95 south – Providence, RI
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; exit 26 on I-95
1.4152.277642 Route 138 – Stoughton, MiltonSigned as exits 2A (south) and 2B (north)
Milton2.6154.208653Ponkapoag Trail – Houghton's Pond
Randolph3.4805.601664
Route 24 south – Fall River
Left exit southbound; northern terminus and exits 41A-B on Route 24
4.2336.812675 Route 28 – Randolph, MiltonSigned as exits 5A (south) and 5B (north)
Braintree6.45010.380686
Route 37 south – West Quincy, Braintree, Holbrook
Northern terminus of Route 37
6.80210.9477
Route 3 south – Braintree, Cape Cod
Braintree Split; left exit southbound; southern end of Route 3 concurrency
Quincy8.18213.1688Furnace Brook Parkway – Quincy
Milton9.162–
9.410
14.745–
15.144
9Adams Street / Bryant Avenue – Milton, North Quincy, West QuincySigned for Adams Street northbound, Bryant Avenue southbound
10.13416.30910Squantum Street – MiltonSouthbound exit only
10.83717.44011
Granite Avenue to Route 203 – Ashmont, East Milton
Signed as exits 11A (south) and 11B (north) southbound; no northbound access to Granite Avenue south
SuffolkBoston11.57518.62812
Route 3A south – Neponset, Quincy
No northbound exit
12.45620.0461313AFreeport Street – DorchesterNorthbound exit only
12.72820.4841413BMorrissey Boulevard – Savin HillNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
14.34323.0831514Columbia Road – Dorchester, South Boston
14.82023.8501615ASouthampton Street – Andrew SquareNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
17Frontage RoadFormer northbound exit removed during Big Dig reconstruction
15.100–
15.929
24.301–
25.635
1815BFrontage Road / Massachusetts Avenue – Roxbury, Andrew SquareSigned as exit 15 southbound
19East Berkeley Street / Broadway / Albany StreetClosed as part of Big Dig reconstruction
15.34024.6872016 I-90 / Mass Pike – Logan Airport, Worcester, South StationNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; exit 134 on I-90 / Mass Pike
South Station / AirportNorthbound left exit and southbound left entrance; former HOV-only exit until April 2021[45]
South end of the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel
17.25327.76620-2216A South StationSouthbound exit and northbound entrance

I-90 west / Mass Pike west / Albany Street[46]
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; exit 134B on I-90 / Mass Pike
21Kneeland Street – ChinatownFormer southbound exit and northbound entrance; closed during Big Dig reconstruction
16.69426.86622Surface Road – ChinatownSouthbound entrance only
17.34027.9062317Government CenterNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; access via North Street
17.48728.14316BPurchase StreetSouthbound exit and entrance
17.87428.76524A17AGovernment CenterSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
24B17B
Route 1A north (Callahan Tunnel) – Airport
Southbound exit and northbound entrance
North end of the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel
25Causeway Street – North Station / Haymarket Square / Government CenterClosed as part of Big Dig reconstruction
Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge over the Charles River
17.89228.7942618
Route 3 north – Storrow Drive, Cambridge
Route 3 north and Cambridge only listed on additional/separate signage northbound; northbound signage; northern end of Route 3 concurrency
19.58531.519
Route 28 / Route 3 north – Leverett Circle, Cambridge, Storrow Drive
Leverett Connector / North Station; southbound signage
Charlestown High Bridge over the Charles River (demolished 2004 as part of Big Dig reconstruction; existed west of current alignment)
18.60329.9392719
US 1 north (Tobin Bridge) – Revere
Northbound left exit and southbound entrance; northern end of US 1 concurrency
MiddlesexSomerville19.23030.9482820
To Route 99 – Sullivan Square, Somerville
Northbound exit only, partially in Boston
20.41532.855Sullivan Square, Charlestown, Assembly SquareSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
20.25932.60429
30
21
Route 28 / Route 38 north – Somerville, Medford
Northbound signage; southern terminus of Route 38
Medford21.32334.316 Route 38 – Medford, SomervilleSouthbound signage
21.74334.9923122
Route 16 west (Mystic Valley Parkway) – Arlington
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
21.85935.179
Route 16 east – Everett, Revere
Southbound exit and northbound entrance
22.55436.2973223 Route 60 – Medford, MaldenTo Tufts University's Medford/Somerville Campus
23.22937.3833324 Route 28 (Fellsway West) – WinchesterRoosevelt Circle
Stoneham25.27640.6783425
Route 28 north – Stoneham, Melrose
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
26.08741.9833526Park Street – Stoneham, MelroseSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Woburn26.92943.3383627Montvale Avenue – Stoneham, Woburn
Reading28.47645.8283728 I-95 / Route 128 – Peabody, WalthamSigned as exits 28A (north) and 28B (south); exits 55A-B on I-95
Woburn29.96548.22437C30Commerce Way / Atlantic Avenue – Anderson RTC
Wilmington31.13650.1093831 Route 129 – Reading, Wilmington
32.63552.5213933Concord Street – Wilmington
34.06454.8214034 Route 62 – North Reading, Wilmington
34.62955.7304135 Route 125 – Andover, North Andover
EssexAndover37.68260.6434238Dascomb Road – Tewksbury, Andover
39.19663.0804339 Route 133 – Andover, North TewksburySigned as exits 39A (east) and 39B (west) southbound
40.52165.2124440 I-495 – Lawrence, LowellSigned as exits 40A (north) and 40B (south); exits 97A-B on I-495
42.42368.2734542River Road – South Lawrence
Merrimack River43.13969.425General Edward D. Sirois Memorial Bridge
Methuen43.46569.9504643 Route 110 / Route 113 – Lawrence, DracutInterchange rebuilt in 2017; signed as exits 43A (east) and 43B (west) northbound[47])
45.11372.6024745Pelham Street
45.48373.1984846
Route 213 east (Loop Connector) – Methuen, Haverhill
Western terminus and exits 1A-B on Route 213
 46.250
0.000
74.432
0.000
MassachusettsNew Hampshire line
New HampshireRockinghamSalem1.3682.2021

Rockingham Park Boulevard to NH 28 / NH 38 – Salem
Access to The Mall at Rockingham Park and Tuscan Village
3.0014.8302

To NH 38 / NH 97 – Pelham, Salem
Windham5.8219.3683 NH 111 – Windham, North Salem
Londonderry11.34118.2524 NH 102 – Derry, Londonderry
12.420.04AOlde Rum Trail – East DerryUnder construction, expected completion in fall of 2024[48]
15.29124.6085 NH 28 – North Londonderry
HillsboroughManchester18.48829.754

I-293 north / NH 101 west – Manchester, Bedford
Southern terminus of I-293; southern end of NH 101 concurrency; to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
20.59133.1386Candia Road, Hanover StreetSouthbound exit only
20.96733.7437
NH 101 east – Portsmouth, Seacoast
Northern end of NH 101 concurrency
22.09335.5558
Wellington Road, Bridge Street to NH 28A
MerrimackHooksett23.92238.4999 US 3 / NH 28 – Hooksett, ManchesterSigned as exits 9N (north) and 9S (south)
25.72741.40410 NH 3A – Hooksett
26.68942.952

I-293 south / Everett Turnpike south – Manchester, Nashua, Manchester Airport
Northern terminus of I-293; southern end of Everett Turnpike concurrency; last northbound exit before toll
28.659–
28.751
46.122–
46.270
11
To NH 3A – Hooksett
Access via Hackett Hill Road
Hooksett Toll Plaza
Bow35.49557.124
I-89 north – Lebanon, White River Junction VT
Southern terminus of I-89; last southbound exit before toll
Concord35.97757.89912

NH 3A (South Main Street) to I-89 north – Bow Junction
Signed as exits 12S (south) and 12N (north); I-89 not signed southbound
37.33160.07813 US 3 (Manchester Street) – Downtown Concord
38.45461.88614 NH 9 (Loudon Road) – State Offices

Everett Turnpike ends
Northern terminus of Everett Turnpike
38.97762.72715


I-393 east / US 4 east / US 202 to US 3 (North Main Street) – Loudon, Portsmouth
Western terminus of I-393; southern end of US 4 concurrency; signed as exits 15E (east) and 15W (west)
40.18864.67616 NH 132 – East Concord
44.58271.74817


US 4 west to US 3 / NH 132 – Penacook, Boscawen
Northern end of US 4 concurrency; signed as exits 17E (NH 132) and 17W (US 4) southbound
Canterbury47.86977.03818
To NH 132 – Canterbury
Northfield54.97688.47519 NH 132 – Northfield, FranklinNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
BelknapTilton56.90791.58320

US 3 / NH 11 to NH 132 / NH 140 – Tilton, Laconia
Sanbornton61.15998.42622 NH 127 – Sanbornton, West Franklin
New Hampton69.229111.41323 NH 104 / NH 132 – Meredith, New Hampton
GraftonAshland75.308121.19624 US 3 / NH 25 – Ashland, Holderness
Holderness79.992128.73525 NH 175A (Holderness Road) – PlymouthAccess to Plymouth State University
Plymouth80.877130.15926
US 3 / NH 25 / NH 3A south – Plymouth, Rumney
Northern terminus of Route 3A
Campton83.762134.80227 US 3 – Blair Bridge, West CamptonAccess via Blair Road
86.819139.72228
NH 49 to NH 175 – Campton, Waterville Valley
Thornton88.542142.49529 US 3 – Thornton
Woodstock94.400151.92230 US 3 – Woodstock, Thornton
97.334156.64431
Tripoli Road to NH 175
100.499161.73732 NH 112 – Lincoln, North Woodstock
Lincoln102.538165.01933 US 3 – North Woodstock, North Lincoln
104.315–
106.006
167.879–
170.600
134A
US 3 south – Flume Gorge, Park Information Center
Southern end of US 3 concurrency; no southbound entrance
Franconia110.158177.282234BCannon Mountain Tramway – Old Man Historic Site
110.858178.409334C
NH 18 north – Echo Lake Beach, Peabody Slopes, Cannon Mountain
Southern terminus of NH 18
112.315180.75335
US 3 north – Twin Mountain, Lancaster
Northern terminus of concurrency with US 3; northbound exit and southbound entrance
112.947181.77136
NH 141 to US 3 – Twin Mountain, South Franconia
115.946186.59737 NH 18 / NH 142 – Franconia, BethlehemNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
116.728187.85638 NH 18 / NH 116 / NH 117 / NH 142 – Franconia, Sugar HillNH 142 not signed northbound
Bethlehem119.295191.98739 NH 18 / NH 116 – North Franconia, Sugar HillSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
120.777194.37240 US 302 / NH 18 – Bethlehem, Twin Mountain
Littleton122.418197.01341 NH 116 (Cottage Street) – Littleton, Whitefield
124.397200.19842
US 302 / NH 10 to NH 18 – Littleton, Woodsville
126.129202.98543
NH 135 to NH 18 – Littleton, Dalton
130.355209.78644 NH 18 / NH 135 – Monroe, Waterford, VT
Connecticut River131.764
0.000
212.054
0.000
Senator Andrew Poulsen Bridge[40]
New HampshireVermont line
VermontCaledoniaWaterford7.51012.08617
VT 18 to US 2 – St. Johnsbury, Lower Waterford, East St. Johnsbury
11.10417.87011 I-91 – St. Johnsbury, White River JunctionNorthern terminus; signed as exits 11A (south) and 11B (north); exit 128 on I-91
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Auxiliary routes

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Interstate 93 (I-93) is a north–south Interstate Highway spanning the New England states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It extends from its southern terminus at the junction of Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 in Canton, Massachusetts, northward approximately 190 miles to its northern terminus at Interstate 91 near St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The route serves as a primary corridor linking the densely populated Boston metropolitan area with rural northern New England, passing through major cities including Boston, Manchester, and Concord. In the Boston region, I-93 constituted the elevated Central Artery until its reconstruction into an underground tunnel as part of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, commonly known as the Big Dig, which aimed to reduce congestion and reclaim surface land for public use. North of Massachusetts, the highway traverses industrial and suburban zones in southern New Hampshire before ascending into the rugged White Mountains, where it navigates Franconia Notch State Park via a viaduct that preserves scenic views and avoids direct impact on fragile natural features. The project has faced ongoing expansions and safety initiatives, particularly in New Hampshire, to address capacity constraints and high crash rates in certain segments.

Route Description

Massachusetts

Interstate 93 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 95, , and in Canton, heading north initially concurrent with for about 1 mile before diverging northeast. The highway continues through Randolph and Braintree, where it intersects the southern terminus of Route 3 at the Braintree Split, a complex directional interchange facilitating high-volume traffic flows. From Braintree, I-93 proceeds north through Quincy as the Southeast Expressway, a multi-lane urban freeway designed to handle dense commuter traffic toward . In , I-93 transitions into the , an elevated viaduct historically plagued by congestion and structural issues, much of which has been replaced by an underground tunnel as part of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (commonly known as the ), completed in phases through the early 2000s. Key features include the Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge spanning the and interchanges at Leverett Circle and Sullivan Square, accommodating up to eight lanes in sections with elevated structures over dense urban landscapes. The route then passes through Charlestown, Somerville, and Medford, maintaining elevated alignments to navigate rail yards, rivers, and residential areas. North of Medford, I-93 shifts to a more suburban profile, traversing Woburn, Stoneham, Reading, and Wilmington with interchanges for Route 16 in Arlington, a second junction with I-95/ in Reading, and in Woburn. The highway continues to Lawrence and Methuen, where it encounters Route 213 and approaches the New Hampshire state line near Salem, marking the transition to less developed terrain. Throughout its approximately 47-mile path in , I-93 functions as the principal north-south corridor for , supporting daily commutes and freight movement with average annual daily traffic exceeding 150,000 vehicles in core urban segments.

New Hampshire

Interstate 93 enters from Massachusetts near Salem, marking the beginning of its 131.65-mile traversal through the state. The southern segment passes through suburban areas including Derry and Londonderry before reaching , the state's largest city and a key economic hub with industrial and commercial activity. In , I-93 intersects with I-293, a circumferential route that serves as a bypass around the city center, facilitating access to business districts. North of , the highway transitions into the tolled portion of the , carrying up to eight lanes through to Concord, the state capital, where it supports governmental and light industrial functions. From Concord, I-93 proceeds northward through semi-rural landscapes toward Plymouth and the White Mountains, serving exits that connect to manufacturing parks and educational institutions like . The route parallels in southern sections, providing alternative access for local traffic. Lane configurations vary, with four to six lanes in urban stretches widening projects aim to accommodate growing freight and commuter volumes, while northern rural areas maintain two to four lanes. In the central and northern regions, I-93 climbs into mountainous terrain, culminating in , a scenic passage between the Franconia and Kinsman Ranges featuring steep grades and limited-access parkway design to preserve natural features. Exits in areas like Littleton and near Plymouth link to destinations, including ski resorts such as Loon Mountain and Cannon Mountain, which drive seasonal traffic surges during winter periods and fall foliage viewing. The highway concludes at the Vermont state line north of Littleton, approximately 10 miles south of , with signage emphasizing its role as a primary corridor for regional travel and commerce.

Vermont

Interstate 93 enters from across the state line near Lower Waterford and extends northwest for 11.1 miles (17.9 km) through the region, primarily paralleling Vermont Route 18 before terminating at a three-level interchange with on the eastern outskirts of St. Johnsbury. This brief segment functions mainly as a transitional link, connecting the primary north-south corridor of I-93 in to I-91, which provides northward access toward the Canadian border at Derby Line and supports regional freight movement along the Northeast Quadrant freight network. The Vermont portion includes minimal , with a single numbered exit (Exit 1) serving VT 18 and for local access to St. Johnsbury, alongside a approximately 1.3 miles from the state line; no additional interchanges or significant engineering features exist within the state. Constructed as part of the broader Interstate System to ensure continuity, this endpoint alignment has required no major expansions or reconstructions, reflecting its role as a low-volume rural connector rather than a high-capacity primary route.

Design and Engineering

Roadway Standards and Capacity

Interstate 93 adheres to core design criteria established by the American Association of and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), including fully controlled access with grade-separated interchanges, minimum 12-foot travel widths, 10-foot outside shoulders, and 4-foot inside shoulders where reconstruction allows. However, legacy segments, particularly the Notch Parkway in , deviate from these standards with narrower 11-foot lanes, reduced shoulders, and a single per direction in a super-2 configuration to preserve the scenic , resulting in substandard geometrics and a posted of 45 mph. Lane configurations vary by region and reflect urban-rural transitions: in urban corridors near , I-93 typically provides 3 to 4 lanes per direction, supplemented by high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in select segments for capacity augmentation. In , most rural and suburban stretches maintain 2 lanes per direction, with widening projects targeting 4 lanes to address growing demand, though bridges in some areas accommodate up to 8 total lanes. Pavement consists primarily of flexible asphalt overlays on granular bases, resurfaced periodically with high-performance mixes to withstand freeze-thaw cycles and heavy traffic. Posted speed limits range from 55 mph in urban zones to 65 mph on rural segments, while enforces 65 to 70 mph on flatter northern rural portions, dropping to 55 mph near urban and 45 mph through Franconia Notch due to grades exceeding 3% and curvature. No dedicated truck climbing lanes exist along I-93, though steep grades in the White Mountains prompt advisories for slower vehicles to use right lanes. Signage follows the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards, with Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) elements including cameras, ramp meters in congested areas, and dynamic message signs for real-time incident and congestion alerts. Capacity constraints manifest in high (AADT) volumes exceeding 80,000 vehicles per day near the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border and over 70,000 in central segments, creating bottlenecks at legacy partial-cloverleaf interchanges that limit merge/diverge flows and exacerbate peak-hour delays in the metropolitan area. These metrics underscore design-era limitations, with urban sections handling daily vehicle miles traveled well above 100,000 amid commuter patterns, though ADA-compliant features like curb ramps at interchanges and have been retrofitted in resurfacing efforts to meet federal accessibility requirements.

Key Structures and Features

The Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, carrying I-93 over the in , , features a cable-stayed design with inverted-Y towers rising 270 feet, supporting a hybrid structure of in the 745-foot main span and in the back spans, making it the widest ever constructed at ten lanes. Its slender towers and cantilevered roadways accommodate high urban traffic volumes while incorporating seismic-resistant piers engineered to withstand regional forces. Elevated viaducts along I-93 in , consist of multi-span structures spanning rail yards and urban corridors, utilizing precast segments and tight-radius ramps to navigate constrained topography while maintaining structural integrity under heavy loads. These viaducts, including sections from Exit 21 to Temple Street, employ steel and repairs to address durability in corrosive environments, with designs accounting for loads on exposed elevated spans per ASCE 7 standards. In New Hampshire's , I-93 narrows to a super-2 configuration with one lane per direction, featuring extensive rock cuts and high retaining walls to stabilize steep slopes and minimize environmental disruption in the mountainous . These adaptations include flood-resistant elements, such as alignments avoiding cumulative increases in base flood elevations and minimizing impacts on floodways, informed by post-event analyses of regional vulnerabilities. Northern elevated and cut sections incorporate wind load considerations for gusts in exposed areas, alongside provisions for winter operations including policies and traction device requirements during storms. ![I-93 through Franconia Notch][center]

Historical Development

Planning and Initial Construction (1950s–1960s)

The designation of stemmed from the , which authorized a 41,000-mile national to enhance defense mobility, commerce, and urban-rural connectivity. In , state planning emphasized urban arterial links into , integrating the route with existing expressways to alleviate congestion in densely populated areas south and north of the city. New Hampshire's approach prioritized rural north-south corridors, connecting industrial centers like to the broader system and facilitating access to for interstate travel. Construction commenced shortly after federal approval, with initiating the Southeast Expressway segment of I-93—running from northward—between 1954 and 1959 to serve as a high-capacity urban distributor. Concurrently, the Northern Expressway portion from Medford to the state line advanced from 1956 to 1963, featuring initial four-lane configurations in each direction with concrete pavement slabs designed for heavy traffic volumes projected at 60,000 to 70,000 vehicles per day. These early builds incorporated interchanges coordinated with , which paralleled and fed into I-93 north of Boston, ensuring seamless transitions for regional traffic flows. Land acquisition posed significant hurdles, relying on eminent domain proceedings under newly enacted state laws to secure rights-of-way through urban neighborhoods and rural parcels, often displacing residents and businesses amid limited pre-1956 experience with large-scale takings. Initial segments employed two- to four-lane undivided designs with minimal shoulders, reflecting cost-conscious standards before full federal funding scaled up expansions. By the mid-1960s, these foundational efforts had established I-93's core alignment, setting the stage for northern extensions into New Hampshire's corridor.

Urban Artery Completion and Challenges (1970s–1990s)

The urban segments of Interstate 93 in , particularly the Northern Expressway through Somerville and Charlestown, advanced in the early 1970s despite intensifying opposition to highway expansion in densely populated areas. Construction in Charlestown occurred in 1972, with the route from Medford southward through Somerville into reaching completion in 1973, linking to the pre-existing . This extension faced a partial moratorium on Boston-area freeway projects imposed by Governor in February 1970, though I-93 received an exemption due to its advanced progress, allowing continuity amid broader resistance to urban disruption. Initial operational delays arose from engineering flaws, including hazardous merging configurations at interchanges that postponed full northbound and southbound utilization until corrections in the mid-1970s. By the early 1980s, the portion from Canton to the border operated continuously, though the Methuen Rotary—built in the to handle Routes 110 and 113 under I-93—exhibited emerging capacity strains from rising volumes, signaling long-term intersection challenges without immediate reconstruction. Federal funding via the , established under the 1956 Interstate Act, supported these completions, allocating resources for right-of-way acquisition and elevated structures totaling millions in 1970s dollars. In , I-93 progressed northward, with approximately 123 miles open from Salem to Littleton by 1977, but the final 20-mile Franconia Notch Parkway to the line encountered prolonged delays over environmental concerns and scenic preservation mandates. Opened and dedicated on June 2, 1988, this limited-access segment incorporated design compromises to mitigate impacts on the , reflecting early applications of the (NEPA) of 1969, which required impact statements and public input for federally aided projects starting in the . The adjoining extension to St. Johnsbury, a 23-mile , opened October 29, 1982, after agricultural land disputes delayed proceedings under NEPA protocols. Rising traffic in the region by the late and generated initial congestion analyses, highlighting bottlenecks at urban merges and prompting capacity evaluations that underscored the limits of four-lane designs amid suburban growth. These studies, informed by vehicle-mile data from federal reports, revealed average delays exceeding baseline projections, though solutions deferred major interventions until subsequent decades.

Integration with Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig)

The Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project, commonly known as the , integrated Interstate 93 by replacing its aging elevated section in —a roughly 1.5-mile span of six-lane —with a depressed and tunneled roadway known as the Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Jr. Tunnel. This transformation, part of the broader effort to alleviate severe congestion that imposed an estimated $500 million annual cost on motorists through accidents, fuel waste, and delays, involved excavating beneath the existing structure while maintaining traffic flow via temporary elevated lanes. Construction on the I-93 components began in 1991, with the tunnel segments opening progressively; the full tunnel became operational in December 2002, followed by the demolition of the elevated viaducts by 2005. Key engineering features included the Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, a cable-stayed structure spanning the that replaced the narrower Charlestown High Bridge, providing 10 lanes and enhanced seismic resilience for I-93 northbound and southbound traffic. The project also linked I-93 to the extension of I-90, facilitating seamless access to , though the primary I-93 focus was urban depressurization rather than harbor crossing. Total project costs reached $14.8 billion, far exceeding initial estimates of $2.6 billion due to scope expansions, geological challenges, and management issues, prompting federal-state funding disputes resolved through supplemental federal appropriations and state toll revenues. The integration mitigated longstanding urban blight from the 1950s-era elevated artery, which had divided neighborhoods and blocked waterfront views, by freeing up surface land for the 300-acre Greenway park system upon viaduct removal in , reconnecting to adjacent areas. Traffic outcomes showed empirical gains, including reduced idling and a 12% drop in regional carbon emissions from smoother flows, though pre-project congestion metrics like speed variance were not uniformly tracked post-opening. However, persistent water infiltration—ranging from 400 to 700 leaks—triggered in joints, , and electrical systems, necessitating millions in repairs and highlighting deficiencies despite initial denials of flaws by project officials. Surface road rebuilds, including new ramps and the Greenway's completion, extended into 2007, marking the project's official close.

Major Projects and Maintenance

Northern Expressway and Early Expansions

In the years following the completion of the Northern Expressway segment of Interstate 93 from Medford, Massachusetts, to the New Hampshire state line in 1963, upgrades focused on addressing capacity constraints and structural limitations amid rising traffic volumes. The original configuration provided eight lanes from Medford to Wilmington and six lanes from Wilmington northward, but post-construction enhancements included the widening of the Merrimack River Bridge to six lanes in 1975 to handle increased loads and vehicle throughput, reflecting adaptations to heavier commercial traffic and suburban growth. These modifications responded to traffic patterns that intensified after the 1970s oil crises, as economic rebound spurred greater highway dependence for commuting and freight, exceeding initial design assumptions in the corridor paralleling the Everett Turnpike in southern New Hampshire. During the and , additions and operational tweaks provided incremental capacity without wholesale reconstruction, particularly in the Medford-to-Salem, , stretch. A high-occupancy (HOV) was introduced southbound in Medford and Somerville—covering approximately two miles—in the late to prioritize multi-occupant travel during peaks. From 1999 onward, emergency shoulders were converted to temporary travel lanes during rush hours between Wilmington and the border, effectively expanding usable pavement and mitigating bottlenecks. In , the southern segment from the state line through Salem to , constructed as two lanes each direction in the early for 60,000 to 70,000 per day, saw early planning for widening by the early as volumes approached and exceeded those thresholds by , though major construction occurred later. Bridge replacements and reinforcements addressed weight restrictions on aging structures ill-suited for modern loads, with the 1975 Merrimack widening exemplifying efforts to eliminate postings that had constrained heavier vehicles since the build. These upgrades, informed by empirical data and assessments, improved flow in the northern corridor, where the Everett Turnpike's parallel alignment diverted some local but underscored I-93's role as the primary north-south artery. While comprehensive accident statistics specific to these interventions are sparse, the capacity measures aligned with broader interstate standards aimed at reducing congestion-related incidents through better spacing and speed consistency. ![I-93 North approaching I-293 North in Manchester][float-right]

Recent Widening and Reconstruction Efforts

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has pursued widening Interstate 93 from Salem to , a 19.8-mile segment, to expand capacity from two lanes to four lanes in each direction, addressing chronic congestion and improving through reconstruction of pavement, bridges, and interchanges. Project phases advanced through the 2010s into the 2020s, with federal funding under the (IIJA) supporting design and construction elements, including bridge repairs and corridor improvements. A key component, the new Exit 4A interchange in Londonderry and Derry, began construction in March 2022 to alleviate local traffic bottlenecks by providing east-side access approximately one mile north of Exit 4. Phase one, encompassing the interchange ramps and Old Rum Trail connection, reached completion in July 2025, though subsequent phases involving adjacent road widenings continued into late 2025. IIJA formula grants further bolstered this effort by funding related interchange design and construction. Further north, reconstruction in the Concord-Bow area escalated in estimated costs to $370 million by 2024, reflecting and scope expansions for adding lanes, rehabilitating 33 bridges, and reconfiguring interchanges at Exits 12-14 to enhance safety and connectivity. This marked nearly a 50% increase from prior projections, prompting financing reviews by NHDOT in September 2025 amid delays in construction advancement. In , the Somerville I-93 viaduct preservation project, initiated in summer 2022, focused on joint replacements, corrosion repairs, and structural reinforcements from Route 28 to Temple Street to extend the viaduct's and restore load capacity. Work progressed through 2025, incorporating daytime and under-viaduct activities, with full completion targeted for fall 2025. ![I-93 North approaching I-293 North in Manchester][float-right]

Bridge and Viaduct Preservation

The (MassDOT) has prioritized rehabilitation of legacy viaducts along I-93, particularly the Somerville Viaduct constructed in the , through projects emphasizing structural inspections, repairs, element rehabilitation, expansion joint replacements, and deck preservation to mitigate deterioration and ensure ongoing safety. Initiated in summer 2022 and scheduled for completion in fall 2024, the $34 million Somerville project maintains two travel lanes during peak hours while addressing corrosion-prone areas identified in routine assessments, thereby extending the viaduct's operational lifespan without full replacement. Similar preservation efforts in Medford targeted 10 bridges carrying I-93, incorporating deck resurfacing and joint upgrades to counteract age-related wear from environmental exposure and traffic loads. In , the (NHDOT) employs rapid bridge replacement methodologies for select I-93 spans to minimize disruptions while preserving overall corridor integrity, as demonstrated by a $3.5 million awarded to E.D. Swett for replacing two 90-foot girder bridges using prefabricated components installed over short closures. Ongoing multi-bridge rehabilitation in and Hooksett, valued at $10.1 million and active as of 2025, focuses on full and partial deck repairs, renewals, bridge rail refurbishments, curbing fixes, and fascia treatments to address and in 1960s-era structures, preventing progressive failure through biennial inspections mandated under federal bridge safety standards. Seismic evaluations integrated into preservation planning, such as those in MassDOT's accelerated bridge programs along I-93, have confirmed that certain structures require no additional due to inherent design redundancies and low regional hazard levels, allowing resources to prioritize mitigation and load-bearing enhancements that collectively extend by decades based on post-rehabilitation modeling. These interventions, grounded in data and FHWA guidelines, have empirically averted structural deficiencies, with rehabilitated spans demonstrating improved load ratings and reduced maintenance frequencies in follow-up assessments.

Future Expansions and Proposals

Massachusetts Initiatives

In , initiatives for Interstate 93 emphasize structural preservation and resilience enhancements along the urban corridor near , prioritizing rehabilitation over capacity expansions amid high and limited right-of-way availability. The state's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for federal fiscal years 2025–2029 allocates significant funding to bridge preservation projects on I-93, including deck replacements and superstructure work in locations such as Stoneham-Winchester and Quincy, to address deterioration without adding lanes. These efforts reflect a strategic shift toward maintenance-focused investments, as outlined in MassDOT's ResilientMass Plan, which integrates climate adaptation into capital planning through 2030. The Somerville I-93 preservation project exemplifies this approach, with Phase 1 rehabilitation—encompassing substructure concrete repairs, refurbishment, replacements, and deck patching—scheduled for completion in fall 2025 after starting in summer 2022. A Phase 2 extension, budgeted at $188.7 million for federal 2026, targets further elevated structure rehabilitation from Route 28 to Temple Street, extending the viaduct's service life amid ongoing urban traffic demands. Complementing these are resilience measures, such as a $3.1 million slope stabilization initiative on I-93 in set for federal 2026, aimed at mitigating and vulnerabilities exacerbated by recent storms like those in 2023–2024. Proposals also explore smart corridor technologies to optimize existing capacity, including upgrades to variable message signs (VMS) along I-93 for real-time traffic monitoring and incident response, part of MassDOT's broader intelligent transportation systems (ITS) deployments completed as of 2024. Integration with infrastructure features in projects like the $20 million cleaning and painting of I-93 bridges over MBTA lines and the Red Line near Columbia Road, ensuring compatibility during preservation work and supporting multimodal resilience without disrupting transit operations. Flood-proofing adaptations draw from MassDOT's participation in federal resiliency pilots, applying lessons from tunnel and station protections to viaduct-adjacent vulnerabilities, though full implementation remains in planning phases as of 2025. Overall, these initiatives underscore a commitment to sustaining I-93's functionality in a constrained urban environment, with no major widening proposals advancing due to environmental, community, and fiscal constraints.

New Hampshire Developments

In southern , the Interstate 93 Exit 4A project in Londonderry, located approximately one mile north of Exit 4, achieved substantial completion with the opening of the new and Old Rum Trail connector in July 2025, following construction start in March 2022. This addition aims to alleviate congestion on NH Route 102 by providing direct access to the east side of I-93, enhancing regional connectivity and supporting commercial development in Derry and Londonderry. Further north, the ongoing reconstruction and widening of I-93 from Salem to encompasses 19.8 miles, converting the corridor from two to four lanes in each direction through phased segments that include interchange improvements and bridge rehabilitations. This initiative addresses capacity constraints amid projected traffic growth exceeding 140,000 vehicles per day in Salem areas, facilitating smoother freight movement along a key trucking corridor. By reducing bottlenecks, the project is expected to boost throughput for goods transport, aligning with statewide freight plans anticipating modest increases in truck tonnage shares. The proposed expansion in the Concord-Bow area, involving lane additions in each direction over a five-mile stretch of I-93 and upgrades to I-89 interchanges, faced a setback in September 2025 when the Department of Transportation halted financing for the phase due to constraints and escalations. Originally estimated lower, the project's price tag has risen to $370 million, nearly 50% above prior projections, potentially delaying economic benefits such as improved mobility for regional growth. These developments underscore efforts to enhance I-93's role in accommodating 's expanding demands, though fiscal hurdles have tempered timelines.

Vermont Considerations

In Vermont, Interstate 93 traverses approximately 11 miles from the New Hampshire state line northward through Waterford and Barnet to its northern terminus at the cloverleaf interchange with in St. Johnsbury, providing a brief connector in the state's . Average annual daily traffic volumes along this segment typically fall below 20,000 vehicles, reflecting rural character and precluding major widening or capacity upgrades. Planning prioritizes integration with for seamless northbound access toward , with the existing three-level interchange handling current freight and commuter flows without proposed structural enhancements. Cross-border coordination with emphasizes trade facilitation, including shared maintenance of the state line approaches and nominations for charging infrastructure along I-93 to support freight corridors and improve regional logistics efficiency. As of 2025, Vermont Agency of Transportation activities remain focused on routine preservation, such as resurfacing ramps and parking areas at the Waterford Welcome Center, rather than expansive reconstructions.

Impacts and Controversies

Economic and Transportation Benefits

Interstate 93 functions as a primary for cross-border commuting between southern and the metropolitan area, enabling efficient daily travel for workers and supporting regional labor market integration. With average daily northbound traffic volumes nearing 117,000 vehicles near the border in recent assessments, the highway facilitates the movement of commuters essential to New Hampshire's economic ties with , where roads serve as key conduits for workforce mobility and goods distribution. The route bolsters and recreational economies by providing direct access to the White Mountains region, which draws millions of visitors annually and underpins a substantial portion of New Hampshire's $4 billion outdoor recreation sector. Efficient connectivity via I-93 reduces travel barriers for seasonal influxes, contributing to tourism's role as a major economic driver, including winter activities generating $1.5 billion yearly. Major expansions, including the $755 million widening from Salem to completed in phases through the , have shortened travel times and enhanced freight mobility northward, aiding manufacturing and logistics by improving throughput for goods heading toward and beyond. Ongoing initiatives like the Exit 4A interchange in Derry and Londonderry aim to decongest local routes such as NH 102, projecting spurred commercial development and vitality through better interstate linkage. Such investments align with broader economic multipliers, where U.S. studies indicate each dollar spent yields approximately 1.8 to 3.6 in long-term output gains through enhanced productivity and connectivity.

Safety and Traffic Efficiency Data

Widening projects on Interstate 93 in , including additions of lanes and medians between and Salem completed in phases through the , incorporated safety features such as improved interchange designs and ramp alignments to mitigate high-crash locations identified in state studies. These enhancements addressed crossover and merge conflicts prevalent in pre-widening configurations, aligning with guidelines for reducing severe crashes in congested corridors. Despite these measures, I-93 remains New Hampshire's deadliest highway, averaging six fatal crashes annually based on recent analyses, underscoring ongoing risks from high volumes exceeding 100,000 vehicles daily in southern segments. In , the Big Dig's reconstruction of the urban I-93 from an elevated to a tunnel system eliminated a structure with pre-project accident rates four times the national urban interstate average, primarily due to structural deterioration and weaving patterns. Post-completion in 2007, the project yielded a 62% reduction in vehicle-hours traveled on I-93, correlating with decreased congestion-induced incidents through smoother flow and reduced speed variance, though specific crash reductions are not quantified in state reports beyond overall mobility gains. High-injury segments near ramps, such as those in Quincy and Medford, have been targeted with median barriers and ramp redesigns to curb run-off-road and rear-end collisions, consistent with MassDOT's identification of I-93 as a priority corridor. Rural portions of I-93 in and exhibit fatality rates aligned with or below national interstate averages for divided rural highways, benefiting from consistent geometric standards like wide medians that prevent head-on collisions, in contrast to undivided rural roads where rates exceed 1.65 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled. Traffic efficiency relies on high-occupancy (HOV) lanes south of , which dynamically open via variable message signs to prioritize carpools and alleviate peak-hour bottlenecks, reducing delays without mechanisms. These operational tools, implemented since the and upgraded with movable barriers, enhance throughput on segments carrying over 200,000 daily s, demonstrating through sustained capacity gains amid funding constraints for further expansions as of 2025.

Environmental and Health Effects

Traffic emissions along Interstate 93 in urban Massachusetts, particularly near Somerville, contribute elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which epidemiological studies link to increased respiratory symptoms, asthma exacerbations, and cardiopulmonary disease in nearby residents. Measurements near I-93 corridors show PM2.5 concentrations exceeding background urban levels by factors of 1.5 to 2, with hotspots in environmental justice communities like Somerville due to proximity within 500 meters of the roadway. These pollutants arise primarily from vehicle exhaust and tire/road wear, with causal evidence from cohort studies indicating a 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 associated with 6-13% higher mortality from respiratory causes. In the mountainous sections of I-93 in , construction and operation have raised concerns over stormwater runoff and sedimentation affecting waterways, though best management practices (BMPs) such as blankets, sediment basins, and vegetated swales have demonstrably reduced by 70-90% in monitored projects. State crossing regulations under Env-Wt 900 require designs accommodating aquatic wildlife passage, mitigating barriers to in Tier 1-3 waterways crossed by the highway. Wildlife-vehicle collisions, including with deer and in northern segments like Franconia Notch, are addressed through fencing and potential over/underpasses, with New Hampshire data showing such structures reduce incidents by up to 90% where implemented. Mitigation efforts, including partial noise barriers along urban I-93 segments that attenuate sound by 5-10 decibels, have proven effective in limiting localized impacts, as post-construction monitoring indicates compliance with federal air quality standards despite high volumes exceeding 150,000 vehicles daily. However, environmental regulations have delayed widening projects by years—such as wetland permitting for I-93 expansions requiring federal approvals—prolonging congestion that empirically elevates overall emissions through idling and stop-go , potentially offsetting localized gains. Claims of severe, unmitigated harm often rely on proximity correlations without fully accounting for BMP efficacy or the net reduction in pollutants from smoother flow post-reconstruction, as evidenced by modeling in similar highway upgrades showing 20-30% NOx drops.

Community and Urban Division Debates

The construction of Interstate 93 through , in the early 1970s involved takings that demolished hundreds of homes and businesses, displacing thousands of residents and bisecting established working-class neighborhoods such as those near the McGrath Highway extension. Local opposition highlighted the highway's role in fragmenting community cohesion and reducing property values by up to 20% in adjacent areas, though these protests failed to halt the project itself, which prioritized regional connectivity over localized preservation. Concurrent 1960s highway revolts in the area successfully blocked ancillary plans like the Inner Belt Expressway, an eight-lane connector from I-93 through Somerville and that would have exacerbated divisions; a coalition of residents, students, and activists rallied against it in , citing irreversible urban scarring similar to that already inflicted by I-93's . These actions preserved some intact neighborhoods but underscored a pattern where I-93's barriers—elevated structures and noise walls—functioned as racial and economic dividers, limiting pedestrian access and fostering isolation in lower-income areas. While I-93 facilitated suburban commuting and economic expansion by reducing Boston travel times by 25-30% post-completion, its sociological costs included persistent community fragmentation, with bisected areas experiencing higher rates of social disconnection compared to unimpacted zones. The 2000s /Tunnel Project () partially remediated downtown divisions by submerging the elevated I-93 portion and creating 1.5 miles of linear parks along the Greenway, reclaiming 40 acres for public use and reconnecting previously severed neighborhoods like the North End and West End. Recent widening efforts, such as the I-93 rehabilitation in Somerville completed in 2021, incorporated forums on mitigations like enhanced sound barriers, yet decisions ultimately favored empirical data—projecting 20% capacity increases—over vetoing resident preferences for full removal. In , proposals for new interchanges like Exit 4A near Derry have sparked localized debates on land acquisition and business disruptions, balancing growth inducement against fears of accelerated suburban sprawl dividing rural-urban fringes. These tensions reflect a causal : highways enable mobility essential for metropolitan economies but impose enduring barriers that empirical studies link to reduced neighborhood vitality, with remediation often secondary to throughput demands.

Auxiliary Routes

Interstate 293

Interstate 293 (I-293) serves as the primary auxiliary loop of Interstate 93, functioning as a partial beltway around , to divert traffic from the urban core of I-93. The 11.18-mile route begins at the interchange with I-93 (exit 5 on I-93) south of downtown Manchester and extends westward through suburban areas, interchanging with in , before curving northward along the F.E. Everett Turnpike parallel to the to reconnect with I-93 north of the city center (exit 6 on I-93). This configuration allows northbound I-93 traffic to bypass Manchester's denser sections by exiting at 5, following I-293 west and north, and reentering at 6, reducing pressure on the mainline through the city's business district and Merrimack River crossings. Construction of the northern segment along the F.E. Everett Turnpike commenced in 1953, with the initial portion from NH 101 to NH 3A (Queen City Avenue) opening to traffic on August 20, 1955, predating the Interstate designation. The full loop, including the western connector to Bedford, was completed in phases through the 1970s, with official designation as I-293 approved on August 9, 1976, for the Everett Turnpike segment from I-93 north of Manchester. Primarily four lanes wide with plans for widening to three lanes in each direction in congested areas, I-293 includes key interchanges such as NH 28 (exit 1), Second Street (exit 2), NH 101 (exit 3), and US 3/Bridge Street (exit 4), facilitating local access while prioritizing through relief for I-93. The route's design integrates seamlessly with I-93 by providing an alternative path for approximately 63,000 daily vehicles in its busiest 3.5-mile stretch north of exit 5, alleviating bottlenecks in Manchester's central corridor where I-93 carries higher volumes through residential and commercial zones. Ongoing improvements, including reconstruction of exits 6 (Amoskeag Street) and 7 (Front Street) to single-point urban and directional interchanges respectively, aim to enhance capacity and safety without expanding the main I-93 alignment. This auxiliary role supports regional freight and commuter flows, connecting Manchester's airport and industrial parks to the broader I-93 corridor northward to and southward to . Interstate 93 shares a concurrency with through in northern , extending approximately 18 miles from Lincoln to . This overlap facilitates joint signage and access to key scenic and recreational sites, including the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway and the Notch's hiking trails, while US 3 continues northeast beyond the park toward Twin Mountain. The segment, completed in phases between 1967 and 1971, replaced older alignments to accommodate higher traffic volumes and improve safety in the mountainous terrain. No other Interstate spurs or loops branch directly from I-93 in or adjacent states, distinguishing it from routes with multiple auxiliaries. Temporary truck restrictions or detours have occurred during widening projects, such as the I-93 Bow-Concord improvements initiated in 2017, but these do not constitute permanent related routes. Concurrencies remain limited to US 3 in this context, with no equivalent designations for business or relief alignments along the mainline.

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References

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