U.S. Route 1 Bypass

U.S. Route 1 Bypass is a 4.3-mile (6.9 km) long bypass of U.S. Route 1 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine. Most of its north section, northeast of the Portsmouth Circle where it meets the Blue Star Turnpike (Interstate 95) and Spaulding Turnpike, is built to rudimentary freeway standards, with no cross traffic but driveway access. The southern portion is similarly constructed, although there are two four-way intersections with traffic lights just south of the circle and a third at its south end, just before intersecting with US-1.

Route description

New Hampshire

US-1 Bypass begins in the south as a left exit off of Lafayette Road (US-1) in Portsmouth. It is a partial interchange: the bypass can only be accessed from US-1 northbound, and traffic headed southbound on the bypass merges directly onto US-1 southbound. Opposing directions can be accessed via the connecting local roads near the interchange. US-1 Bypass heads northwest, with Route 33 passing over without an interchange, and continues to the west of the city. US-1 Bypass has two at-grade intersections, with Borthwick Avenue and Coakley Road/Cottage Street before it comes to a large rotary, the Portsmouth Traffic Circle, where it interchanges with I-95 and the southern end of the Spaulding Turnpike/Route 16 (which is also the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 4). US-1 Bypass enters the circle from the southeast and leaves via the first exit, turning to the northeast towards Maine.

Upon leaving the rotary, US-1 Bypass immediately interchanges with Woodbury Avenue, which provides access to downtown and directly serves the retail district of Newington. The highway continues to the northeast, interchanging with Maplewood Avenue, and crossing over Market Street (no interchange) before reaching the Piscataqua River and crossing the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge into Kittery, Maine. This bridge, built in 1940, is a lift bridge maintained by the Maine-New Hampshire Interstate Bridge Authority.

Maine

Upon crossing into Maine, US-1 Bypass interchanges with Bridge Street (northbound) and Oak Terrace (southbound), local roads which provide a connection to Route 103. US-1 Bypass crosses over Route 103, but does not directly interchange with the highway. The remaining stretch of highway up to the junction with US-1 ceases to be limited-access, with local businesses and parking lots straddling the roadway. The final exit on the bypass connects to US-1 and Route 236. This ramp best serves Route 236 northbound, which connects to I-95, and US-1 southbound for drivers destined for southern Kittery, Badgers Island, or returning to Portsmouth. US-1 Bypass north merges directly onto US-1 northbound, which provides a direct connection to I-95 North.

Major intersections

References

1. ^ Mapquest Driving Directions