Driving across s. NH and VT - what should I know about road conditions?

August 23, 2023 5:19 AM

We'll be returning from vacation in Maine to upstate NY in a couple weeks. We'll plan to take the non-Interstate route (Rt 202 to Rt 9) home, across southern NH and VT. Is there anything we should know about major detours and bad road conditions (from last month's flooding) that would be an obstacle to doing this? Google maps and the New England 511 website don't show any issues but I wanted to make sure what to expect. Thanks!
posted by aught to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

Best answer: Route 9 is open and relatively undamaged. Please keep in mind that there is ongoing construction and paving on Route 9 that may cause delays. An alternative Route is to take I-91 down to Massachusetts and head west on Route 2.
posted by Xurando at 5:38 AM on August 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I'm not aware of any issues with Route 9 in NH. We didn't get the flooding that Vermont did, though.

Agree about Route 2, although it's pretty scenic east of 91 and if I were going from Maine to NY, I'd take the 95 down into Mass, go around the 495, and get on Route 2 from there. This shouldn't take much more time than your 202-to-9 plan.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:59 AM on August 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Since you will be traveling through areas with little/no cell service, figure out how to download the map data on your iphone/android device so you can still use your map app if you need to detour unexpectedly.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 8:20 AM on August 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I appreciate the feedback! Interesting - one of the reasons I am asking, and also why Rt 9, is that a friend took Rt 2 several weeks ago and had a number of lengthy delays. I guess that was just usual summer construction season rather than NE flood repair (as he thought). Anyhow, I've got a GPS in the car and we have taken both Rts. 9 and 2 in the past, so not really worried about getting lost. It might not hurt to have a chunk of that area downloaded in my phone though, I guess. (Haven't had to do that for a while.)
Thanks, all.
posted by aught at 8:29 AM on August 23, 2023

I suggest checking out NewEngland511 for all your road closure needs.
posted by terrapin at 9:24 AM on August 23, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Yep, see my post above. I was just double-checking what locals might think. I appreciate the mention though.
posted by aught at 10:44 AM on August 23, 2023

Best answer: Not sure where you’ll be coming from in Maine, but 202 isn’t the most scenic route until you get to around Concord, NH. Routes 25 or 302, a bit to the North, would be a prettier drive (and if you enter NH on 302, you could drive across NH on 112, the Kankamagus Highway). For more southern routes, 9 (as you mentioned) or 4 would also both get you to Concord but would be prettier drives. From Concord, 202 takes a more southern route into MA, and it’s fine. Continuing on 9 into Vermont is probably more scenic, but I was last there pre-flooding so can’t speak to that aspect of your question.
posted by eviemath at 1:30 PM on August 23, 2023

I am a local (east central Vermont) and while there are plenty of backroads that are still washed out AND not on the 511 map, without a specific route I am not sure how to help more.

If you are in east Brookfield you will find that Halfway Brook Rd where it meets Macredey Rd is washed out. Had to turn around trying to use a shortcut from East Brookfield to Tunbridge. This closure is not on the NE511 site.

Good luck!
posted by terrapin at 6:00 AM on August 25, 2023

Response by poster: There were no issues driving across NH and VT on 202/9. Thanks for the reassurances.
posted by aught at 6:21 PM on September 7, 2023