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Interstate 89
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Interstate 89 (abbreviated I-89) is an interstate highway in the New England region of the United States travelling between Concord, New Hampshire and Highgate Springs, Vermont. As with all odd-numbered primary interstates, I-89 is signed as a north-south highway. However, the northwest-to-southeast path the road actually takes serves in two capacities: as an east-west interstate highway north of Interstate 90 in New England, and as the main connection between the major cities of Montreal and Boston.
Interstate 89 connects smaller cities and rural areas within New Hampshire and Vermont, and maintains two lanes of traffic in each direction throughout the route.
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Encyclopedia
Interstate 89 (abbreviated I-89) is an interstate highway in the New England region of the United States travelling between Concord, New Hampshire and Highgate Springs, Vermont. As with all odd-numbered primary interstates, I-89 is signed as a north-south highway. However, the northwest-to-southeast path the road actually takes serves in two capacities: as an east-west interstate highway north of Interstate 90 in New England, and as the main connection between the major cities of Montreal and Boston.
Interstate 89 connects smaller cities and rural areas within New Hampshire and Vermont, and maintains two lanes of traffic in each direction throughout the route. Unlike its neighboring Interstates (91 and 93), it does not intersect any even-numbered Interstates along its route. It does, however, parallel (and interchange multiple times with) portions of three U.S. routes: U.S. Route 4 from Enfield to White River Junction; U.S. Route 2 from Montpelier to Colchester, and U.S. Route 7 from Burlington to the Canadian border.
Route description
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|NH || 60.80 || 97.89
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|VT || 130.25 || 209.70
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|Total || 191.05 || 307.59
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Major cities
Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs |
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New Hampshire
Interstate 89 runs for about in the state of New Hampshire, and is the major freeway corridor through the western part of the state. Despite being signed as a north-south freeway, its first actually run east-west before shifting to the northwest. The two major population centers along I-89's length in New Hampshire are Concord, at its southern terminus, and Lebanon, on the Vermont border. Mileage signs along I-89 in each direction consistently list one of the two cities. Also located along I-89 in New Hampshire are the towns of Grantham, New London and Warner.
Starting at an intersection with Interstate 93 and New Hampshire Route 3A in the town of Bow, just south of the New Hampshire capital city of Concord, the highway runs a northwest path through the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region. One exit directly serves Concord (Exit 2) before the highway enters the neighboring town of Hopkinton. East-west New Hampshire Route 11 joins I-89 at Exit 11 and runs concurrently with it for about before departing at Exit 12. At Exit 13 in Grantham, New Hampshire Route 10 enters I-89, and the pair of highways form another concurrency, this one for about . Guide signs for exit 16 southeast of Lebanon display the name "Purmort", a made-up name taken from the name of an early settler in order to meet naming conventions for interstate exits. However, a community by that name has now taken root around the exit.
The highway continues northwest, passing through Lebanon, in which the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is located. A few miles north of this point is Dartmouth College. U.S. Route 4 parallels I-89 through Lebanon. Exits 17-20 serve the city of Lebanon and are passed in quick succession. At Exit 19, northbound New Hampshire Route 10 separates from I-89 and joins westbound U.S. Route 4 to pass through West Lebanon. The final exit in New Hampshire is Exit 20, providing access to West Lebanon's large retail district along New Hampshire Route 12A. Just after this interchange, the highway crosses the Connecticut River and enters Vermont, where it remains for the rest of its run northwest to the Canadian border.
Vermont
Interstate 89 is arguably one of Vermont's most important roads, as it is the only Interstate highway to directly serve both Vermont's capital city (Montpelier) and largest city (Burlington). Other important cities and towns located along I-89 are Barre, Waterbury, and St. Albans. Williston, which has become Burlington's "big-box" retail center (and one of the fastest-growing towns in the state) over the past decade, also has an interchange along I-89.
Crossing the Connecticut River into Vermont, I-89 continues the northwesterly direction it carried in New Hampshire. The Interstate intersects I-91 at an unnumbered interchange immediately upon entering Vermont. Shortly afterward, another interchange with U.S. 4 occurs. The highway begins to enter the scenic rolling hills of Vermont, turning almost due northward about 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the New Hampshire state line, and continues through the high country of central Vermont. The Interstate passes through the towns of Sharon, Royalton, Bethel, Randolph, Brookfield, and Williamstown before reaching the "twin cities" of Barre and Montpelier in the middle of Vermont. The interstate's highest point was said to be in the town of Brookfield, although the sign stating this was taken down in the late 1990s.
Another directional shift, again to the northwest, occurs while passing the interchange for Montpelier. For the next 40 miles (64 km), I-89's path isn't so much chosen as it is logical: paralleling the Winooski River and U.S. Route 2, the highway cuts through the section of the Appalachians known as the Green Mountains, and is surrounded by peaks of over 4,000 feet (1,219 m), such as Camel's Hump. U.S. 2 crosses the Interstate frequently, and has several interchanges with it, en route to Burlington.
Interstate 89 is unique due to one instance of its signage. Just beyond (Vermont) Exit 9 on both sides of the highway, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Montpelier, signs showing the distance to the next control cities are completely in metric. While there are many instances of signs being in both miles and kilometres, this is the only case of solely metric in the entire Interstate System. (Interstate 19 in Arizona used to be the other "only signed in metric" interstate in the U.S., but has been changed over in recent years as the last 2 km have been changed.) Speed limit signs have always been posted in mph.
After Exit 11 in Richmond, I-89 leaves the Green Mountains to enter the Champlain Valley and a notable shift in the landscape is visible. Here, just outside of Burlington, the highway turns northward once again. Also, at this turn is where the only official auxiliary highway starts, Interstate 189. A second highway, Interstate 289, was proposed as a beltway through Burlington's northeastern suburbs in the 1980s; amidst controversy, the highway has only been partially completed as Vermont Route 289, a Super two roadway. It has yet to directly meet its parent.
Passing I-189, I-89 sees the busiest freeway interchange in the entire state, Exit 14. A full cloverleaf interchange at this exit provides access to downtown Burlington, the University of Vermont, and the retail-heavy Dorset Street, via U.S. 2. Heading north from Burlington, the landscape quickly fades from suburban development into rolling hills more characteristic of northern New England, providing a vista overlooking Lake Champlain. I-89 passes through Milton, Georgia, St. Albans, Swanton, and finally the border town of Highgate Springs. The highway ends at the Canadian border in Highgate Springs. Its final exit, which northbound motorists can use to reverse direction onto I-89 south without crossing the border, is Exit 22 - the highest exit number along the route. U.S. Route 7 has its northern terminus at this interchange as well.
Although the divided highway continues about 5 miles (8 km) into Phillipsburg, Quebec as Route 133, this changes back to a two-lane road, until Autoroute 35 starts outside of St. Jean, Quebec, and continues to Montreal. The I-89 border crossing is the only instance where an Interstate entering Quebec does not become an Autoroute upon entry. However, Autoroute 35 will be extended in the next few years, creating a freeway-to-freeway connection.
Exit list
| County | Location | Mile | # | Destinations | Notes |
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New Hampshire |
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| Merrimack | Bow | | | NH Route 3A | At-grade intersection. | | Southern terminus of I-89 designation. |
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| 0.0 | |
I-93 North to I-393/US-4 - Concord, Seacoast
Interstate 93 South - Manchester, Boston | | | 0.2 | 1 | Logging Hill Road - Bow | Signed "Local traffic only." | | Concord | 2.1 | 2 | NH Route 13 (Clinton Street) - Concord | | | 3.8 | 3 | Stickney Hill Road | Northbound exit/southbound entrance only. | | Hopkinton | 6.6 | 4 |
US-202/NH-9 to NH-103 - Hopkinton | Northbound exit, southbound entrance only. | | 8.5 | 5 | US 202/NH 9 - Henniker, Keene (north); Hopkinton (south) | Left exit northbound.
Access to US-202/NH-9 West only from I-89 North.
Access to I-89 North only from US-202/NH-9 West.
Access to I-89 South only from US-202/NH-9 East. | | 10.4 | 6 | NH Route 127 - Contoocook, West Hopkinton | | | Warner | 14.2 | 7 | NH Route 103 - Davisville, Contoocook | To NH Route 127. | | 17.4 | 8 | NH Route 103 - Warner | Northbound exit/southbound entrance only. | | 20.0 | 9 | NH Route 103 - Warner, Bradford | | | Sutton | 27.2 | 10 | North Road | To Sutton via NH 114. | | New London | 31.2 | 11 |
NH Route 11 East (King Hill Road) - New London | To NH Route 114. | | I-89 and NH 11 form a long concurrency. |
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| 34.9 | 12 |
NH-11 West to NH-103A - New London, Sunapee | | | Sullivan | Sunapee | 37.0 | 12A |
To NH Route 114 - Georges Mills, Springfield | To NH Route 11. | | Grantham | 43.0 | 13 |
NH Route 10 South - Grantham, Croydon | | | Southern terminus of I-89/ NH 10 concurrency. |
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| 48.2 | 14 | North Grantham | Northbound entrance, southbound exit only.
Old Route 10. | | Grafton | Enfield | 50.2 | 15 | Smith Pond Road/Old Route 10 | | | 52.0 | 16 | Eastman Hill Road - Purmort | To Whaleback Ski Area. | | Lebanon | 54.1 | 17 |
US-4 To NH-4A - Enfield, Canaan | | | 56.2 | 18 | NH 120 - Lebanon, Hanover | To Dartmouth College.
To U.S. Route 4. | | Northern terminus of I-89/ NH 10 concurrency. |
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| 58.2 | 19
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US-4/NH-10 North - Lebanon, West Lebanon | | | 60.3 | 20 | NH Route 12A - West Lebanon, Claremont | |
Vermont |
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| Windsor | Hartford | 0.6 | |
Interstate 91 North - White River Junction
Interstate 91 South - Brattleboro |
To U.S. Route 5
Norwich: use US-5 North. North Hartland: use US-5 South. | | Hartford (Quechee) | 3.9 | 1 | U.S. Route 4 - Woodstock, Rutland][, [[Quechee, Vermont|Quechee]] (south) | Artery road to [[Quechee, Vermont|Quechee]], [[Woodstock, Vermont|Woodstock]], [[Rutland (city), Vermont|Rutland]], and [[Killington Ski Resort]]. | | [[Sharon, Vermont|Sharon]] | 13.4 | 2 |
[[Vermont Route 132|VT-132]] to [[Vermont Route 14|VT-14]] - [[Sharon, Vermont|Sharon]], [[Royalton, Vermont|South Royalton]] (north) | | | [[Royalton, Vermont|Royalton]] | 22.1 | 3 |
[[Vermont Route 107|VT-107]] to [[Vermont Route 14|VT-14]] - [[Bethel, Vermont|Bethel]], [[Royalton, Vermont|Royalton]] (north); [[Rutland (city), Vermont|Rutland]] (south) |
To [[Vermont Route 100|VT Route 100]]. | | [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange]] | [[Randolph, Vermont|Randolph]] | 30.9 | 4 |
[[Vermont Route 66|VT-66]] to [[Vermont Route 12|VT-12]] - [[Randolph, Vermont|Randolph]] |
To [[Vermont Route 14|VT Route 14]].
To [[Vermont Technical College]]. | | [[Williamstown, Vermont|Willamstown]] | 43.0 | 5 |
[[Vermont Route 64|VT-64]] to [[Vermont Route 12|VT-12]]/[[Vermont Route 14|VT-14]] - [[Northfield, Vermont|Northfield]], [[Williamstown, Vermont|Williamstown]] | To [[Norwich University]] from points south. | | [[Washington County, Vermont|Washington]] | [[Berlin, Vermont|Berlin]] | 46.9 | 6 |
[[Vermont Route 63|VT-63]] to [[Vermont Route 14|VT-14]] - [[South Barre, Vermont|South Barre]], [[Barre (city), Vermont|Barre]] | Western terminus of VT Route 63. | | 50.3 | 7 |
[[Vermont Route 62|VT-62]] to [[US-302]] - [[Berlin, Vermont|Berlin]], Barre | Western terminus of VT Route 62. | | [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]] | 52.9 | 8 |
[[U.S. Route 2|US-2]] to [[Vermont Route 12|VT-12]] - [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]], [[St. Johnsbury, Vermont|St. Johnsbury]] | Northeastern Vermont via [[U.S. Route 2]] East.
To [[Norwich University]] from points north. | | [[Middlesex, Vermont|Middlesex]] | 58.7 | 9 |
[[U.S. Route 2|US-2]] to [[Vermont Route 100B|VT-100B]] - [[Middlesex, Vermont|Middlesex]], [[Moretown, Vermont|Moretown]] | parallels I-89 here.
Access to [[Sugarbush Resort]] and [[Mad River Glen]] via [[Vermont Route 100B|VT Route 100B]] from points south. | | [[Waterbury, Vermont|Waterbury]] | 63.8 | 10 |
[[Vermont Route 100|VT-100]] to [[U.S. Route 2|US-2]] - [[Waterbury, Vermont|Waterbury]], [[Stowe, Vermont|Stowe]] | Access to Sugarbush and Mad River Glen from points north.
[[Bolton Valley]] ski resort from points south.
To [[Ben & Jerry's]] Factory Headquarters. | | [[Chittenden County, Vermont|Chittenden]] | [[Richmond, Vermont|Richmond]] | 78.4 | 11 |
[[U.S. Route 2|US-2]] to [[Vermont Route 117|VT-117]] - [[Richmond, Vermont|Richmond]], [[Williston, Vermont|Williston]] (north), [[Bolton, Vermont|Bolton]] (south) |
To [[Vermont Route 289|VT Route 289]].
To Bolton Valley from points north. | | [[Williston, Vermont|Williston]] | 84.0 | 12 |
[[Vermont Route 2A|VT-2A]] to [[U.S. Route 2|US-2]] - Williston, [[Essex Junction, Vermont|Essex Junction]] | To [[Burlington International Airport]] from points south. | | [[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]] | 87.5 | 13 |
[[Interstate 189|I-189]] to [[U.S. Route 7|US-7]] - [[Shelburne, Vermont|Shelburne]], [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] (north), [[Middlebury, Vermont|Middlebury]] (south) | Eastern terminus of Interstate 189. | | 88.7 | 14E-W | U.S. Route 2 - [[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]], Burlington | To [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]], [[Champlain College]], [[University of Vermont]].
Access to Burlington International. | | [[Winooski, Vermont|Winooski]] | 90.5 | 15 | [[Vermont Route 15|VT Route 15]] - [[Essex Junction, Vermont|Essex Junction]], [[Winooski, Vermont|Winooski]] | To [[Saint Michael's College]].
Northbound exit/southbound entrance only. | | [[Colchester, Vermont|Colchester]] | 91.5 | 16 |
US-2/[[U.S. Route 7|US-7]] to [[Vermont Route 15|VT-15]] - Winooski, [[Colchester, Vermont|Colchester]] | | | 97.9 | 17 | US-2/US-7 - [[Lake Champlain]] Islands, [[Milton, Vermont|Milton]] (north); Colchester (south) | | | [[Franklin County, Vermont|Franklin]] | [[Georgia, Vermont|Georgia]] | 106.6 | 18 | US-7/[[Vermont Route 104A|VT-104A]] - [[Fairfax, Vermont|Fairfax]], [[Georgia, Vermont|Georgia Center]] (north); Milton (south) | | | [[St. Albans (town), Vermont|St. Albans]] | 113.8 | 19 | US-7/[[Vermont Route 36|VT-36]]/[[Vermont Route 104|VT-104]] - [[St. Albans (city), Vermont|St. Albans]] | | | 117.6 | 20 |
US-7 to [[Vermont Route 207|VT-207]] - St. Albans | | | [[Swanton (town), Vermont|Swanton]] | 123.4 | 21 | US-7/[[Vermont Route 78|VT-78]] - [[Swanton, Vermont|Swanton]] | | | [[Highgate, Vermont|Highgate]] | 129.8 | 22 |
U.S. Route 7 South - [[Highgate Springs, Vermont|Highgate Springs]] | Northern terminus of US 7.
Northbound: last exit before Canada. | | 130.3 | [[United States]]/[[Canada]] border.
Northern terminus of I-89.
I-89 north becomes [[Quebec Route 133]]. |
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Auxiliary routes
- Interstate 289 was originally slated to go around Burlington, but it was never completed. The lone completed section of the highway is signed as Vermont Route 289.
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