"Circumferential Highway" in Nashua?

[Rich Carreiro]

At Exit 2 off of US3 there is a 4 (or is it 6?) lane
divided highway that goes over the top of the DW Highway
and terminates at Lowell Rd (NH3A). On Google Maps, at
least, it is labelled "Circumferential Highway".

As that's a pretty odd name for a short spur, I was
wondering if it is the remnant of some larger but
cancelled highway scheme?

[Michael Moroney]

Post by Rich Carreiro
At Exit 2 off of US3 there is a 4 (or is it 6?) lane
divided highway that goes over the top of the DW Highway
and terminates at Lowell Rd (NH3A). On Google Maps, at
least, it is labelled "Circumferential Highway".
As that's a pretty odd name for a short spur, I was
wondering if it is the remnant of some larger but
cancelled highway scheme?

The Nashua-Hudson Circumferential Highway has been planned in some form
since the 1950s. In most proposals it would extend east of NH 3A, then
north and then west to cross the Merrimack River again to reconnect to the
Everett Turnpike at currently-missing Exit 9. Interchanges would be at
NH 111, NH 102, NH 3A and US 3/DW Highway, mostly in Hudson with some in
Litchfield and Merrimack. The EPA pretty much nixed the Everett/Merrimack
River crossing segment due to wetlands issues. The middle segment
probably has an even less of a chance of being built.