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Spaulding Turnpike
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Spaulding Turnpike
The Spaulding Turnpike is a 33.26-mile (53.53 km) controlled-access toll road in eastern New Hampshire. Its entire length is overlapped by New Hampshire Route 16 (NH 16). Its southern terminus is at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle (I-95/US 1 Byp.) in Portsmouth, a terminus it shares with US 4 and NH 16. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with NH 125 in Milton, where NH 16 continues north as a two-lane freeway.
The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border. NH 16 was signed onto the Turnpike in the mid-1990s.
The turnpike is part of the New Hampshire Turnpike System operated by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Bureau of Turnpikes. Along with I-95 between the Massachusetts state border and the Portsmouth Circle (Blue Star Turnpike), the two turnpikes are collectively known as the Eastern Turnpike.
The turnpike is named for the Spaulding brothers of Rochester—Rolland H. Spaulding (1873–1942) and Huntley N. Spaulding (1869–1955)—who both served as Governor of New Hampshire. It was announced in August 1952 to connect Portsmouth and Rochester at a cost of $13.5 million. Work on the first section of the turnpike, between Portsmouth and Dover, started in 1954, with that segment opening in September 1956. The complete (as originally planned) 24-mile (39 km) route between Portsmouth and Rochester opened on August 29, 1957, the same day that the Everett Turnpike was dedicated. In 1977, the New Hampshire House of Representatives approved funding to extend the Spaulding Turnpike by 12 miles (19 km) north through Milton. Construction began in 1978, with the extension opening on August 20, 1981.
The Spaulding Turnpike begins in Portsmouth, at I-95 northbound Exit 4. Access from I-95 south and US 1 Bypass is facilitated via Exit 5 (Portsmouth Traffic Circle). A northbound-only exit connects with Brady Drive, accessible only from the traffic circle. The Spaulding Turnpike becomes a six-lane freeway concurrent with US 4 and NH 16, with a 55 mph (90 km/h) speed limit. Exit 1 in Newington provides access to Pease International Tradeport and the Newington malls.
Exit 2, a northbound-only exit/entrance which facilitated access to the Mall at Fox Run and adjacent businesses, was closed permanently on July 19, 2015. Exit 3 is a full-access interchange with Woodbury Avenue, with a connection to Pease Tradeport via Arboretum Drive. Exit 4 provides access to Newington Village and businesses along Shattuck Way. The turnpike then crosses the Little Bay Bridge into Dover, with seven lanes (three northbound, and four southbound) for vehicles and a temporary pedestrian and bicycle path on the northbound shoulder of the bridge.
Exit 5 provides access to Hilton Park and Wentworth Terrace. This exit was permanently closed when the northbound lanes were shifted onto the permanent northbound alignment of the turnpike on November 28, 2018.
US 4 leaves the turnpike at Exit 6, with the Dover barrier toll located about 700 metres (770 yd) to the north. The reconstruction of Exit 6 into a full access diamond interchange between Dover and Durham was open to traffic on November 15, 2019. Before the reconstruction, there was no access from eastbound US 4 to the northbound turnpike or Dover Point Road north, nor from the southbound turnpike to Dover Point Road north. Traffic then had to utilise the Spaulding Turnpike southbound and turn around at Exit 4 in Newington in order to access the Spaulding Turnpike northbound or Dover Point Road north.
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Spaulding Turnpike
The Spaulding Turnpike is a 33.26-mile (53.53 km) controlled-access toll road in eastern New Hampshire. Its entire length is overlapped by New Hampshire Route 16 (NH 16). Its southern terminus is at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle (I-95/US 1 Byp.) in Portsmouth, a terminus it shares with US 4 and NH 16. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with NH 125 in Milton, where NH 16 continues north as a two-lane freeway.
The turnpike roughly parallels the Maine border. NH 16 was signed onto the Turnpike in the mid-1990s.
The turnpike is part of the New Hampshire Turnpike System operated by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Bureau of Turnpikes. Along with I-95 between the Massachusetts state border and the Portsmouth Circle (Blue Star Turnpike), the two turnpikes are collectively known as the Eastern Turnpike.
The turnpike is named for the Spaulding brothers of Rochester—Rolland H. Spaulding (1873–1942) and Huntley N. Spaulding (1869–1955)—who both served as Governor of New Hampshire. It was announced in August 1952 to connect Portsmouth and Rochester at a cost of $13.5 million. Work on the first section of the turnpike, between Portsmouth and Dover, started in 1954, with that segment opening in September 1956. The complete (as originally planned) 24-mile (39 km) route between Portsmouth and Rochester opened on August 29, 1957, the same day that the Everett Turnpike was dedicated. In 1977, the New Hampshire House of Representatives approved funding to extend the Spaulding Turnpike by 12 miles (19 km) north through Milton. Construction began in 1978, with the extension opening on August 20, 1981.
The Spaulding Turnpike begins in Portsmouth, at I-95 northbound Exit 4. Access from I-95 south and US 1 Bypass is facilitated via Exit 5 (Portsmouth Traffic Circle). A northbound-only exit connects with Brady Drive, accessible only from the traffic circle. The Spaulding Turnpike becomes a six-lane freeway concurrent with US 4 and NH 16, with a 55 mph (90 km/h) speed limit. Exit 1 in Newington provides access to Pease International Tradeport and the Newington malls.
Exit 2, a northbound-only exit/entrance which facilitated access to the Mall at Fox Run and adjacent businesses, was closed permanently on July 19, 2015. Exit 3 is a full-access interchange with Woodbury Avenue, with a connection to Pease Tradeport via Arboretum Drive. Exit 4 provides access to Newington Village and businesses along Shattuck Way. The turnpike then crosses the Little Bay Bridge into Dover, with seven lanes (three northbound, and four southbound) for vehicles and a temporary pedestrian and bicycle path on the northbound shoulder of the bridge.
Exit 5 provides access to Hilton Park and Wentworth Terrace. This exit was permanently closed when the northbound lanes were shifted onto the permanent northbound alignment of the turnpike on November 28, 2018.
US 4 leaves the turnpike at Exit 6, with the Dover barrier toll located about 700 metres (770 yd) to the north. The reconstruction of Exit 6 into a full access diamond interchange between Dover and Durham was open to traffic on November 15, 2019. Before the reconstruction, there was no access from eastbound US 4 to the northbound turnpike or Dover Point Road north, nor from the southbound turnpike to Dover Point Road north. Traffic then had to utilise the Spaulding Turnpike southbound and turn around at Exit 4 in Newington in order to access the Spaulding Turnpike northbound or Dover Point Road north.