Franconia Notch Parkway

Possibly one of the most scenic stretch of Interstate highway along the East Coast, The Franconia Notch Parkway -- which carries Interstate 93 -- is one of the last stretches of two lane Interstate in the country. After over two decades of controversy, it was decided that the route would best remain a two lane parkway through Franconia Notch State Park. The highway itself is extremely scenic as it passes the former site of the 'Old Man in The Mountain', the unique granite formation that served as the symbol of New Hampshire for decades.

Just north of Exit 33 the Parkway begins.

Looking northbound along the two lane highway at the visitor's center.

Franconia Notch is formed by two converging mountain ranges; the Kinsman Ridge to the west and the Franconia Ridge to the east. The Parkway serves as the Gateway to the North Country and includes endless scenic views made accessible from numerous marked pullouts. Most access to the various outdoor activities within the Park is via the Parkway so traffic can be very heavy, especially on weekends.

The site of the collapsed 'Old Man' from one of the vista points along the Parkway.

In October 2003, I rode through the Notch not long after the Old Man rock formation collapse. In early May 2003, after a series of heavy rains, cold temperatures, and high winds, the 40 foot rock formation that poked out from Cannon Mountain collapsed and was no more.

Vista from the visitor center parking area - Exit 34A.

The Franconia Notch Parkway is an amazing drive and really showcases the ruggedness and beauty of New Hampshire.

Low clouds cover the peaks Cannon Mountain (elevation 4180')

All photos taken by post author - October 2003.

Comments

Paper Highways: The Unbuilt New Orleans Bypass (Proposed I-410)

There are many examples around the United States of proposed freeway corridors in urban areas that never saw the light of day for one reason or another. They all fall somewhere in between the little-known and the infamous and from the mundane to the spectacular. One of the more obscure and interesting examples of such a project is the short-lived idea to construct a southern beltway for the New Orleans metropolitan area in the 1960s and 70s. Greater New Orleans and its surrounding area grew rapidly in the years after World War II, as suburban sprawl encroached on the historically rural downriver parishes around the city. In response to the development of the region’s Westbank and the emergence of communities in St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes as viable suburban communities during this period, regional planners began to consider concepts for new infrastructure projects to serve this growing population. The idea for a circular freeway around the southern perimeter of t

Hernando de Soto Bridge (Memphis, TN)

The newest of the bridges that span the lower Mississippi River at Memphis, the Hernando de Soto Bridge was completed in 1973 and carries Interstate 40 between downtown Memphis and West Memphis, AR. The bridge’s signature M-shaped superstructure makes it an instantly recognizable landmark in the city and one of the most visually unique bridges on the Mississippi River. As early as 1953, Memphis city planners recommended the construction of a second highway bridge across the Mississippi River to connect the city with West Memphis, AR. The Memphis & Arkansas Bridge had been completed only four years earlier a couple miles downriver from downtown, however it was expected that long-term growth in the metro area would warrant the construction of an additional bridge, the fourth crossing of the Mississippi River to be built at Memphis, in the not-too-distant future. Unlike the previous three Mississippi River bridges to be built the city, the location chosen for this bridge was about two

Huey P. Long Bridge (New Orleans, LA)

Located on the lower Mississippi River a few miles west of New Orleans, the Huey P. Long Bridge is an enormous steel truss bridge that carries both road and rail traffic on an old-time structure that is a fascinating example of a bridge that has evolved in recent years to meet the traffic and safety demands of modern times. While officially located in suburban Jefferson Parish near the unincorporated community of Bridge City, this bridge’s location is most often associated with New Orleans, given that it’s the largest and most recognizable incorporated population center in the nearby vicinity. For this reason, this blog article considers the bridge’s location to be in New Orleans, even though this isn’t 100% geographically correct. Completed in 1935 as the first bridge across the Mississippi River in Louisiana and the first to be built in the New Orleans area, this bridge is one of two bridges on the Mississippi named for Huey P. Long, a Louisiana politician who served as the 40th Gove

Gribblenation

Search This Blog