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RickyDaytonaJr t1_ja08qgn wrote

The stretch from Exit 10 in Sutton to the Springfield Rest Area is a microclimate. It snows there when it’s not snowing anywhere else. The section in the Enfield notch (Exit 15-16) can also be tricky. The section from Exit 9 in Warner to Concord is usually fine in the winter.

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IAcadianI OP t1_ja09iwm wrote

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.

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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.

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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...

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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.

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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!!

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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!

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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.

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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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Rolling_Beardo t1_ja0b40r wrote

The worst areas in my experience are from exits 11-14. It’s a very hilly area and when the wind it’s it right it can lead to a lot of ice. That being said if you go slow and drive carefully it’s not that big of an issue.

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DemonDuo t1_ja174fz wrote

99% of the time the danger isn't you but the other people on the road. All of the actually stupid people show themselves on 89 on a snowy day. You could have the best snow vehicle ever. A semi truck with Arizona plates going too fast will automatically target the people not struggling and will crash into them for literally braindead reasons. If there was nobody else on the road with you it wouldn't be as bad. It's like people change to drift tires the moment they hit the onramp.

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Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja1iya9 wrote

This is why I prefer the backroads. I don’t care if they don’t plow. The shittier the roads, the better as far as I’m concerned. It’s the worst when it’s just shitty enough for all the flatlanders with bald no season tires to come out and play.

Nothing you can do if some masshole with 4WD and zero-wheel-stop in an adjacent lane fishtails straight into you. You can be a defensive driver all you want. You can be the best winter driver in a car that’s unstoppable in snow and ice. Make your whole driving setup winterproof, and winter will build a better Masshole to put you in a ditch anyway.

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suefitz54 t1_ja35qqi wrote

Masshole here. I’m a cautious thoughtful driver who plans ahead while on the road. I’ve been rear ended twice while sitting at a red light. Both times the vehicle had NH plates. To say that all accidents are caused by MA drivers is a display of small minded ignorance. There are excellent and horrendous drivers in every state.

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Curious_Buffalo_1206 t1_ja36kds wrote

Of course, but let’s be real, statistically, most people driving recklessly in snowstorms on NH interstates have MA plates. If only because there’s ~6x as many MA plates as NH plates in existence.

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DemonDuo t1_ja3mavm wrote

Get out of my state please. Never come back.

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BIRDZdontBUZZ t1_ja0zwct wrote

Ah someone already brought up the stretch of 89 after exit 10 lol. Honestly, as long as you go slow and plan ahead you should be fine. Sounds stupid but I saw someone almost slide off the road at about exit 8ish not an hour ago because a whole line of us slowed down to like 45 (Roads got icey real fast) and they passed everyone at only like 65-70 and just started fishtailing. Luckily they get smart and slowed down and got back in line. The moral of the story, if someone is going real slow on 89 in bad weather, think twice about your speed.

89 is better off than the smaller back roads though! 89 is usually salted and plowed first, so that's something.

EDIT: I seemed to recall something about more rain fall in the center of 89 and I found an rainfall map: https://media.cocorahs.org/images/Composite-NH-1100w.png 89 starts in a lower rainfall zone and ends in one while passing right through a heavier section. So more rain/snow right in the middle where people coming from either end are unprepared for it.

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akmjolnir t1_ja0fh2k wrote

It can be a little windy between Grantham and Lebanon. Lots of deer as well.

The further south on I-89 you go the road conditions tend to get better, but the IQs and operating capabilities of the drivers drops at a logarithmic rate.

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ihaveatrophywife t1_ja4345j wrote

There are often arrests in Hopkinton and Accidents in Sutton. The out of state traffic has been especially heavy the past couple of years but getting worse for the past 15 years or so. Fridays and Sundays are especially brutal. This is worth noting because many are unfamiliar with the road and driving distracted on their way to/from leisure activities.

I’ve seen 89 shut down a few times different places but usually around New London give it take a couple towns in either direction.

For winter driving, the most important thing is actual winter tires, good driving skills, and having an emergency kit in your car. “Take it slow” is awful advice as oftentimes, slow drivers become a hazard to those who are properly equipped. AWD/4WD gets a lot of people in trouble but has its place. Good tires are the single most important piece of equipment in any season. Traction is what matters for driving, turning, and stopping.

The roads are not going to always be clear. DOT is stretched thin and can’t be everywhere at once. I see a lot of people who will drive between lanes or in the passing lane. Don’t do this. If it’s too deep or slippery between the lanes, stick to the right lane.

Yesterday I saw accidents due to the weather and the roads were not even bad. People are poorly equipped and bad drivers. There are going to be days you should stay home, I don’t know if your work will allow for that though.

I have tons of cold weather survival training, driving training and experience, and am extremely well versed on the subject of winter driving so feel free to reach out with specific questions. Be safe!

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blzac33 t1_ja0w009 wrote

It is. Especially if you need to get on the road early.

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AugustWest1982 t1_ja2zedw wrote

Drive for the conditions and you should be fine.

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MacaroonNo7932 t1_ja37rzw wrote

Nope, our highway crew is good. But some out of state ppl like to sit in the left

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RedRider1138 t1_ja4ptvj wrote

Best of good luck with your new job!

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11_Wolfie_11 t1_ja0kp14 wrote

If you’re capable of driving in the snow, you’ll be fine. The people who say that are the same people who say “the ticks are really bad this year,” every single June.

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Ok_Low_1287 t1_ja0uao7 wrote

Or the deer flies, or the black flies, or the mosquitoes, or the heat, or the cold….

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IAcadianI OP t1_ja0ofld wrote

I plan on getting snow tires next year. Basically, just the usual drive slow and watch out for the usual douche flying by.

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IAcadianI OP t1_ja11mpu wrote

Thanks everyone for the insight! I tend to drive on the slower side anyway, so I'm sure I'll be fine. If the weather is bad enough I'll just keep my ass at home!

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Excellent_Affect4658 t1_ja1if9z wrote

No, it’s not that bad. Yes you should have snow tires, and yes you’ll drive below the speed limit at times. But if you do that, it’s fine. It’s a highway and well-plowed and tens of thousands of people commute on it everyday.

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bassboat1 t1_ja1wtkj wrote

The southern section was pretty crummy this afternoon!

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SatanLordOfDarkness t1_ja20oc7 wrote

Get snow tires you'll be fine. Used to drive 89 all the time in my old beater car back in high school, totally bald summer tires in the winter, not smart but I was okay

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mvhcmaniac t1_ja28sla wrote

Just watch out for the first 2 storms of the year. Our first one in December last year, it was literally not plowed at all, ever. We got a foot of snow where I am and 8 hours after it stopped snowing there was still a foot of very chopped up snow on the highway.

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Round-Employ-9626 t1_ja35inl wrote

As someone who used to drive 89 regularly year round my opinion is one should always mind your momentum. Beware of the worst common denominator (other drivers). Knowledge of the microclimates and geographic peculiarities of the sections of 89 that can be counter to momentum management are key. I used to drive ships (US Navy). Imagine something that weighs 1000s of tons and has no brakes. This mind set is what kept us out of trouble 😊

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Dry_Ambition633 t1_jae2oa4 wrote

My son was killed on i89 in Grantham in 2014.

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