U.S. Route 4

U.S. Route 4

U.S. Route 4 is an east–west United States Numbered Highway traversing New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, connecting the Capital District with the Seacoast. The highway links Albany, Rutland, Montpelier, and Concord before terminating at Portsmouth, intersecting multiple federal and state corridors. Established in 1926, the route follows corridors once used by historic turnpikes and railroads and serves as a regional arterial for commerce, tourism, and interstate travel.

Route description

Beginning near East Greenbush and the Capital District, the route runs eastward, overlapping with sections of I-87 and connecting to US 9W and US 9 near Albany. Entering Vermont, the highway serves Bennington and parallels portions of the historic Bennington Battle Monument corridor before reaching Rutland, where it intersects I-89 and US 7. Continuing northeast, the road passes near Killington and the Green Mountain National Forest toward Middlebury and Burlington-area corridors, intersecting VT 100 and US 2. Approaching Montpelier, the route provides links to Vermont State House and I-91 connections. Crossing into New Hampshire, the alignment moves through Claremont and Lebanon regions, joins with I-89 and US 3 near Concord, and proceeds east across the Merrimack River basin. The final segment approaches Portsmouth, meeting US 1 and approaching the Piscataqua River waterfront.

History

Designated in the original 1926 U.S. Highway plan, the road incorporated alignments of earlier turnpikes such as the Connecticut RiverTurnpike-era corridors and followed paths near the Berkshires and Green Mountains. Early 20th-century improvements were influenced by federal initiatives like the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 and the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921, linking industrial centers such as Albany and Manchester to port facilities at Portsmouth. During the Great Depression and wartime mobilization in World War II, upgrades facilitated military logistics to Pease and naval operations around Portsmouth Naval Shipyard-adjacent areas. Postwar expansions paralleled the construction of the Interstate Highway System, resulting in concurrencies with I-89 and bypasses around urban centers like Rutland and Concord. Preservation efforts have referenced repositories such as the Vermont Historical Society and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation archives to document changes.

Major intersections

Notable intersections include junctions with I-87 and US 9 near Albany; connections with US 7 in Rutland; an interchange with I-89 serving Montpelier and Burlington corridors; concurrency with US 3 approaching Concord and links to I-93; and termini joining US 1 and state routes in Portsmouth. The route also intersects regional arterials such as VT 100, NH 9, and parkway connectors like the Merritt Parkway-era planning axes in the broader New England network.

Related routes

Several state and U.S. highways form spurs, alternates, and business loops connected with the corridor, including alignments of NY 2 and VT 14. Historic alignments produced business routes in Bennington and Claremont, while auxiliary corridors connect to US 302 toward Brattleboro and I-95 approaches near Portsmouth. Preservation and mapping projects by institutions like the AASHTO and state departments catalog these related routes and their re-designations over time.

Future developments

Planned projects monitored by the NYSDOT, VTrans, and the NHDOT include corridor safety improvements, bridge rehabilitation funded through federal programs such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and community access upgrades near Albany and Portsmouth. Regional planning organizations like the Capital District Transportation Committee and the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee RPC are coordinating multimodal integration with rail services like Amtrak and regional bus operators including Greyhound and local transit agencies. Environmental reviews reference NEPA processes and coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when projects affect wetlands near the Merrimack River and other sensitive areas.

Category:U.S. Highways