With NASCAR’s top series heading to Loudon this weekend, race fans are converging on New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where they’re eager to mingle with other devotees, cheer on their favorite drivers and devour outdoor barbeque in the summer sun.
The semiannual arrival of thousands of spectators provides a welcome economic boost to the state, and merchants in the Concord area are already cashing in.
But for non-race fans, it’s all about avoiding the traffic nightmare that could hit the Concord area.
State officials have implemented a new traffic control plan for Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race, which includes a significant change to 5 miles of Interstate 93 with hopes of easing vehicle congestion.
Thanks to the recent widening of I-93, officials will add a third southbound travel lane in the shoulder from Exit 15 to south of Exit 12 from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., according to Bill Boynton, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.
“For upwards of 20 years, we’ve not had the width to be able to do that,” he said.
And as a result, previous traffic control plans included borrowing a northbound lane of I-93 and converting it into a southbound lane. That plan was successful for many years, but the new one is preferable, in large part because it’s safer, Boynton said.
“Even though we never had a major incident, you still had opposing traffic on the northbound lane separated by only cones,” Boynton said. “In the past, it’s worked, but if you had any kind of extension of the race into the late evening hours or weather issues, it always made us concerned to use a borrowed lane.”
Because a portion of I-93 south will be temporarily converted into three lanes, all motorists destined for Interstate 89 or exists 12 and 13 should drive in the shoulder, Boynton said.
“There’ll be no restrictions in terms of cones, but it’ll be difficult to merge and switch lanes,” he said.
About 100,000 spectators and 37,000 vehicles are expected to flood the region for the Sprint Cup Series race, which starts at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Peak traffic congestion will occur late afternoon and early evening.
That influx of people is great news for businesses, which in Concord fare “very, very well” during the annual event, said Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce President Tim Sink.
“It’s a boom to the New Hampshire economy,” Sink said. “The hotels in our region are pretty much at capacity; there are vacancies, but you have to look.”
He also noted that the city’s restaurants have been especially busy this week because of race fans who chose to arrive early.
The chamber hasn’t participated in a recent economic impact study, but when the races first started, it did, and the results were substantial, Sink said.
For visitors who aren’t up to negotiating the state highways, the chamber is offering a shuttle service to the track from NHTI. Those interested can register with the chamber until Friday at noon. The bus departs at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
DOT officials, as well as state and local police, will be stationed along the I-93 and Route 106 corridors ready to assist motorists, Boynton said.
As in years past, the I-93 south off ramp at Exit 14 and the ramp at exit 15E to I-393 east will be closed from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The I-393 eastbound off ramp to I-93 south will also be closed during that time, in addition to others in the area.
The traffic control plan for Route 106 is the same as in previous years. That will include two northbound lanes and one southbound lane from I-393 to the intersection of Shaker Road.