Best way to Alton?

pmj · 04-06-2005, 05:37 PM

We live in Alton but we have LOTS of family and friends in Massachusetts (North shore to Boston).
When we are in Ma. we always come and go home via Rt 95 to the Spaulding Trnpk(16) to Rt 11 into Alton. We have timed all the routes and the one I mentioned may not be much quicker but it seems quicker because there is more highway and we are less apt to get behind a tractor or some other piece of slower machinery.

That said, if we were coming from Lowell/Nashua Area, we would come up 3-93-393-4-28.

pmj

ApS · 04-06-2005, 06:32 PM

Nobody's mentioned my old standby, exit 7 (101E) -- one mile to 28 Bypass north. There's a gas station right at that 28 intersection, too. (Old standby because I've been searching all the alternates since).

I'll give that Concord route a try, though, to exit 15. (I've got the Official NH State map before me now). In the past, I've been toll-road averse.

No longer. Traffic has gotten to me. I'll miss that 28 drive alongside the Suncook rivers, though.

Exit 9 isn't too bad to 28. Just slow for a space, with inner-city racers in the traffic. If the traffic is hopeless, there's fast food available. 'Can't vouch for Wendy's, Dunkin Donuts, or Subway availability. If there's construction detours on any of those offered exit alternates (9 and 10), retrace your path back to I-93.

One dead-certain piece of advice: Never get lost in Manchester city limits. It's as bad -- maybe worse -- than Boston.

PROPELLER · 04-07-2005, 09:24 AM

As APS mentioned that is another alternative to taking exit 9N if you take 93 to 28. However you do not do any better as you still have to go through the worst part of 28 in Hooksett(K-Mart, Merchants, etc) especially bad on Friday afternoons. Once you get through the light at Shaws & Wendys though, its smooth sailing. The Epsom circle is not bad at all even on Friday afternoons & the Circle Restaurant is a great place to eat.

Island Girl · 04-07-2005, 07:06 PM

My favorite route on Thursday nights is 495N, Rt4N to Rt 3N, all the way to exit 20, Rt 3 to 3/11 bypass..While longer in miles, it actually takes less time due to rush hour on those other roads mentioned.

The route home is almost always 28S to 93S to 101W, 293S to 3S to 4S to 495S ... On Sundays there is just not that much traffic on 28.

I found that the time of day I would get to exit 9 on 93, through the rush hour traffic on 101E takes longer than going up and around.

The round about route is not the way to go back... too much traffic at the Hooksett tolls.

ApS · 04-07-2005, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PROPELLER

"...The Epsom circle is not bad at all even on Friday afternoons..."

Depends.

I crossed the center line to get ...something... (food?, gas?), towing a trailer near the Epsom circle.

When trying to get back into traffic, I had a wait of more than a few minutes.

Note to self: Get food/gas on the same side of the road as one's re-entry.

(Merging with direction-friendly traffic is easier than crossing opposed/oncoming traffic and then trying to merge in the direction needed).

ghfromaltonbay · 04-08-2005, 12:18 PM

[QUOTE=pmj]

We live in Alton but we have LOTS of family and friends in Massachusetts (North shore to Boston).
When we are in Ma. we always come and go home via Rt 95 to the Spaulding Trnpk(16) to Rt 11 into Alton. We have timed all the routes and the one I mentioned may not be much quicker but it seems quicker because there is more highway and we are less apt to get behind a tractor or some other piece of slower machinery.

That said, if we were coming from Lowell/Nashua Area, we would come up 3-93-393-4-28.

You're right about getting stuck behind a slow moving vehicle. HOWEVER, my pet peeve is those drivers who can't keep a steady speed on roads like Rte. 11 or 28 with limited passing zones. I wouldn't mind if they did a steady 50 mph in the 55 mph zones, at least you wouldn't have to constantly step on the brakes to keep from tailgating. I'm referring to the noodniks who go 55, then slow to 45 and then remember they're behind the wheel and go 50 then back to 45. When you do get to a passing zone and try to pass them when they're doing 45, they wake up again and then try to go 55 as you're passing them.

ApS · 04-09-2005, 07:18 AM

Just when I'm ready to pay the tolls on Everett (and avoid some traffic), there's a plan afoot to eliminate some tolls!

http://www.theunionleader.com/articl...?article=53111

It would help some of us here.

ghfromaltonbay · 04-09-2005, 12:25 PM

The tolls that would be eliminated would only help those who enter and exit in Merrimack. The Bedford and Hooksett tolls which you pass thru while traveling from Nashua to Hooksett are not affected. Right now these are 75 cents each or 37.5 cents with the token discount. I always thought it was pricey if you wanted to take Exit 11 to stop at the Burger King or Papa Gino's on the way home which are visible from the highway, you needed to pay 50 cents to get back on the Everett heading south.

04-06-2005, 05:37 PM	#1
pmj Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 240 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I like 95-16-11 We live in Alton but we have LOTS of family and friends in Massachusetts (North shore to Boston). When we are in Ma. we always come and go home via Rt 95 to the Spaulding Trnpk(16) to Rt 11 into Alton. We have timed all the routes and the one I mentioned may not be much quicker but it seems quicker because there is more highway and we are less apt to get behind a tractor or some other piece of slower machinery. That said, if we were coming from Lowell/Nashua Area, we would come up 3-93-393-4-28. pmj

04-06-2005, 06:32 PM	#2
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,957 Thanks: 2,234 Thanked 783 Times in 559 Posts	Exit 7? Nobody's mentioned my old standby, exit 7 (101E) -- one mile to 28 Bypass north. There's a gas station right at that 28 intersection, too. (Old standby because I've been searching all the alternates since). I'll give that Concord route a try, though, to exit 15. (I've got the Official NH State map before me now). In the past, I've been toll-road averse. No longer. Traffic has gotten to me. I'll miss that 28 drive alongside the Suncook rivers, though. Exit 9 isn't too bad to 28. Just slow for a space, with inner-city racers in the traffic. If the traffic is hopeless, there's fast food available. 'Can't vouch for Wendy's, Dunkin Donuts, or Subway availability. If there's construction detours on any of those offered exit alternates (9 and 10), retrace your path back to I-93. One dead-certain piece of advice: Never get lost in Manchester city limits. It's as bad -- maybe worse -- than Boston. __________________ Is it "Common Sense" isn't.

04-07-2005, 09:24 AM	#3
PROPELLER Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 340 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	28 Bypass Hooksett As APS mentioned that is another alternative to taking exit 9N if you take 93 to 28. However you do not do any better as you still have to go through the worst part of 28 in Hooksett(K-Mart, Merchants, etc) especially bad on Friday afternoons. Once you get through the light at Shaws & Wendys though, its smooth sailing. The Epsom circle is not bad at all even on Friday afternoons & the Circle Restaurant is a great place to eat.

04-07-2005, 07:06 PM	#4
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,354 Thanks: 18 Thanked 564 Times in 180 Posts	Exit 20 My favorite route on Thursday nights is 495N, Rt4N to Rt 3N, all the way to exit 20, Rt 3 to 3/11 bypass..While longer in miles, it actually takes less time due to rush hour on those other roads mentioned. The route home is almost always 28S to 93S to 101W, 293S to 3S to 4S to 495S ... On Sundays there is just not that much traffic on 28. I found that the time of day I would get to exit 9 on 93, through the rush hour traffic on 101E takes longer than going up and around. The round about route is not the way to go back... too much traffic at the Hooksett tolls. __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

04-08-2005, 12:18 PM	#6
ghfromaltonbay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clifton, NJ, Alton Bay Posts: 832 Thanks: 257 Thanked 225 Times in 131 Posts	Agree with PMJ [QUOTE=pmj] We live in Alton but we have LOTS of family and friends in Massachusetts (North shore to Boston). When we are in Ma. we always come and go home via Rt 95 to the Spaulding Trnpk(16) to Rt 11 into Alton. We have timed all the routes and the one I mentioned may not be much quicker but it seems quicker because there is more highway and we are less apt to get behind a tractor or some other piece of slower machinery. That said, if we were coming from Lowell/Nashua Area, we would come up 3-93-393-4-28. You're right about getting stuck behind a slow moving vehicle. HOWEVER, my pet peeve is those drivers who can't keep a steady speed on roads like Rte. 11 or 28 with limited passing zones. I wouldn't mind if they did a steady 50 mph in the 55 mph zones, at least you wouldn't have to constantly step on the brakes to keep from tailgating. I'm referring to the noodniks who go 55, then slow to 45 and then remember they're behind the wheel and go 50 then back to 45. When you do get to a passing zone and try to pass them when they're doing 45, they wake up again and then try to go 55 as you're passing them. Last edited by ghfromaltonbay; 04-08-2005 at 12:20 PM.

04-09-2005, 07:18 AM	#7
ApS Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Florida (Sebring & Keys), Wolfeboro Posts: 5,957 Thanks: 2,234 Thanked 783 Times in 559 Posts	Just when I'm ready to pay the tolls on Everett (and avoid some traffic), there's a plan afoot to eliminate some tolls! http://www.theunionleader.com/articl...?article=53111 It would help some of us here.

04-09-2005, 12:25 PM	#8
ghfromaltonbay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clifton, NJ, Alton Bay Posts: 832 Thanks: 257 Thanked 225 Times in 131 Posts	No difference for most of us The tolls that would be eliminated would only help those who enter and exit in Merrimack. The Bedford and Hooksett tolls which you pass thru while traveling from Nashua to Hooksett are not affected. Right now these are 75 cents each or 37.5 cents with the token discount. I always thought it was pricey if you wanted to take Exit 11 to stop at the Burger King or Papa Gino's on the way home which are visible from the highway, you needed to pay 50 cents to get back on the Everett heading south.