Submitted by IAcadianI t3_11bwdus in newhampshire
IAcadianI OP t1_ja09iwm wrote
Reply to comment by RickyDaytonaJr in Is driving on 89 in the winter really that bad? by IAcadianI
Ok, I'll be traveling from exit 11 to exit 20 and back. So it looks like I'll have the pleasure of experiencing both of those.
RickyDaytonaJr t1_ja0bhur wrote
If you drive prudently for the conditions, you’ll be fine. A few tips: 1) Heading northbound, there is a long downhill section between Exit 11 and Exit 12. Cops are always waiting at the bottom to bust northbound drivers coming down that hill. 2) Heading northbound, there is a steep downhill section into a curve immediately after the Springfield Rest Area. Be very careful in this section in the winter. 3) Heading southbound, there is a steep climb to Exit 16. This section is prone to icing winter conditions. Don’t follow any trucks in this section in the winter, because they often can’t make the climb and they don’t realize it until it’s too late.
sterlingbrooks t1_ja17d7t wrote
To add to this - the state police will use aircraft to enforce speed between exits 10 and 12a, usually southbound. I watch and listen to them do laps for a couple hours on nice days...
Bulky-Point-3062 t1_ja4fyaa wrote
To add to this, in general going slower than you think you need to in Enfield, heading northbound right before the rest stop is a good time to prepare to coast and NOT use your brakes. I've seen many accidents coming down that hill from people who try to brake to control their speed going down, and wind up on the guardrail or in the ditch.
EmeraldMoose12 t1_ja0ubp7 wrote
My daily commute is exit 11 to exit 18. 89 can be treacherous in the winter just like any any highway. If you’re a cautious winter driver you will be fine. Take and slow and increase following distance. Watch out for the tractor trailers, most of them will be drive too fast for conditions. NHDOT usually does a pretty good job, but they’re dealing with driver shortage this year. You might drive through 3 or 4 different kinds of weather all on your way into work. Also, you’ll noticed your gas mileage will go down by few MPG communing that stretch of 89. You go up and down, up and down, and up and then finally down into the valley. This is also part of the reason why 89 can be dangerous in the winter as well. Careful on that S curve at Exit 15. That’s probably the spot where I’ve seen the most accidents and I have almost gone off the road there too. The other night it took me over an hour to get home and usually my commute is 25/30 minutes. Just plan for longer commutes on days with shitty weather. Good luck!!
IHaventGotOneYet t1_ja0q5bi wrote
I've only seen two tractor trailers in the ditch there between 12 and 13 this year. Normally way more. Just take it slow in that section and use snow tires!
kamikaziboarder t1_ja4bw4f wrote
I have been commuting from 12 to 18 for over three years. Currently at work now. There is a definitely a microclimate by the rest stop. There are a lot of unexpected snows that I came across. The most different part is the speed of other vehicles on 89. They are consistently 15-20mph over the speed limit even in shitty conditions. I feel like 89 is worse than 93 when it comes to shitty drivers. 93 just comes to crawl a lot. So maybe that’s why you don’t notice the shittiness.
RiverGreen7535 t1_ja3oiye wrote
Be careful once you start approaching the I-89 rest stop north bound. The way the weather acts and the road is designed in that area make it treacherous with snow-
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