New England Interstate Route 26

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Route 26
Length:	128 mi (206 km) Maine: 97 mi (156 km) New Hampshire: 30.84 mi (49.62 km) Vermont: 0.013 mi (0.021 km)
Formed:	1922
South end:	Portland, ME
Major junctions:	I-295 in Portland, ME I-95 in Falmouth, ME US 2 in Bethel, ME US 3 in Colebrook, NH
North end:	Route 102 in Lemington, VT

Route 26 is a multi-state state highway in the New England region of the United States. It runs from Portland, Maine north and northwest via Errol, New Hampshire to Lemington, Vermont. The number was assigned in 1922 as part of the New England Interstate Routes (also known as the Dixville Notch Way), and the route has changed little since then.

1 Route description
2 See also

[edit] Route description

New England Interstate Route 26 shield

[edit] Maine

Route 26 begins in Portland, Maine. At one time it began at State Route 77 in the western end of the city center at the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and State Street (southbound SR 77). From there it formerly headed northeast along Cumberland Avenue and then turned north onto Washington Avenue. Today Route 26 begins at the intersection of Congress Street, Washington Avenue, and Mountfort Street in the eastern end of the city center one block south of the Cumberland Avenue intersection with Washington Avenue. From its current start, it follows Washington Avenue northward and joins with Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 1A over Tukey's Bridge, splitting off from that Interstate immediately on the other side of the bridge to continue northwest on Washington Avenue. Route 100 joins at Allen Avenue, and the combined Routes 26 and 100 immediately angle northward onto Auburn Street and continue together as far as the town of Gray.

From Portland, Route 26 generally parallels Interstate 95 (the Maine Turnpike) as far as Gray where it intersects with State Routes 115, 4, and US Route 202 and State Route 100 again splits off. The Turnpike begins to turn northeast at Gray, as does Route 100, but Route 26 continues north and then northwest. It crosses into New Hampshire near Upton. In Maine, Route 26 passes through Cumberland, Androscoggin and Oxford Counties.

On November 16, 2006, a new bypass, Route 26A, was completed and put into service to alleviate congestion in the center of Gray village where State Routes 26, 100, 115, 4, and US Route 202 intersect. Much of the traffic congestion at this village center intersection was due to traffic on Route 26 being forced to pass through this central intersection when accessing and leaving the nearby I-95 Maine Turnpike Exit 63. One end of Route 26A begins at this intersection when it branches from Route 26 and runs west along U.S. Route 202 past the nearby turnpike exit before making a right-hand turn northward and running parallel to the turnpike on its opposite side until its other end where it rejoins Route 26 just south of the Gray-New Gloucester High School. In recognition of the heavy traffic flow of turnpike access, it is Route 26 which must come to a complete stop at this junction, while traffic flow onto and from the new bypass Route 26A continues smoothly and unimpeded here.

[edit] New Hampshire

After crossing into New Hampshire, Route 26 continues to head northwest, then turns more east-west. It runs through the mountainous area of northern New Hampshire and is entirely within Coos County. It meets Route 16 in Errol and crosses into Vermont at the bridge over the Connecticut River in Colebrook, just after crossing U.S. Route 3.

In Errol the road provides access to Lake Umbagog and Umbagog Lake State Park. It also passes through Dixville and Dixville Notch, a popular skiing area and home of Dixville Notch State Park and The Balsams.

[edit] Vermont

In Vermont, Route 26 runs only 0.013 miles (about 69 feet or 21 meters), and is the shortest state highway in Vermont. It runs from the west bank of the Connecticut River to Route 102, which runs along the riverbank, in Lemington.