NH Drops Speed Limit to 45 mph Due to Snow, Crashes

CONCORD, NH - State officials in New Hampshire have lowered the speed limit on I-93, I-95, I-89, the Spaulding Turnpike, the Everett Turnpike, and other highways to 45 miles per hour, according to alerts online.

During the last hour or so, numerous crashes, accidents, and difficult road conditions have been reported on numerous roadways from Tilton south through Concord to Salem, Bedford to Nashua, and all along the Seacoast and Rockingham County, as the snow has accumulated and roads started to freeze.

I-93 was shut down for about 45 minutes after a truck rolled over near Exit 2 in Salem. Other crashes have been reported in Londonderry and Derry on both I-93 and secondary roads; Merrimack and Nashua have reported driving conditions on the Everett Turnpike. On Route 1 in Hampton, two accidents were reported in the same location within 10 minutes of each other, according to alerts. Accidents have also been reported on Route 121A in Plaistow, Barnstead, and Tilton.

At just before 2:30 p.m., Portsmouth Police reported that a tractor trailer crash closed Banfield Road between Peverly Hill Road and Constitution Avenue.

At around 3:45 p.m., state troopers were sent to a crash on I-89 with a seriously injured individual that police and firefighters couldn't get out of the vehicle.

"Due to the bad location of the crash, the road conditions and drivers failing to drive safely, troopers were forced to shut the interstate so fire and EMS crews can safely extricate the operator of the vehicle," according to Sgt. Ron Taylor of the NHSP.

As of 5 p.m., the highway was still closed. Another accident was also reported near Exit 2 in Concord on the northbound side of the highway.

The winter advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. tonight when the storm is expected to taper off, according to forecasters.

NH Patch will follow-up this report as more information becomes available.

Photos courtesy of the Salem and Newton fire departments.