Highway Congestion

Increases in population and vehicle travel have placed additional stress on the state’s highway transportation system, resulting in growing traffic congestion.  Congestion in New Hampshire is likely to worsen in the future, as the state’s population and rate of vehicle travel are both expected to increase.

• New Hampshire ’s population reached approximately 1.1 million in 2003, an increase of approximately 17 percent since 1990. New Hampshire ’s population is projected to increase another 27 percent by 2025, climbing to 1.4 million residents. 
• Vehicle travel on New Hampshire ’s major highways increased by 34 percent from 1990 to 2004 – rising from 9.8 billion vehicle miles traveled in 1990 to 13.2 billion vehicle miles traveled in 2004.
• TRIP estimates that vehicle travel in New Hampshire will increase by approximately 40 percent by the year 2025 to 18.5 billion miles annually.
• Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of New Hampshire’s urban Interstates and other highways or freeways are considered congested, because they carry a level of traffic that is likely to result in delays during peak travel hours.