Scenic Roads, Road Classes & Names in Jackson
Scenic Roads
Roads can be designated as “scenic roads” through RSA 231:157. This designation creates some restrictions on cutting trees or removing stonewalls in connection with highway work. Routes 16, 16A, and 16B do not qualify under the Act, as they are Class I or II roads. The following roads were voted for scenic designation:
- Dundee Road – from Black Mt. Road to Jackson/Bartlett line
- Black Mt. Road – from Dundee Road to terminus
- Thorn Hill Road – from town line to Route 16A
- Switchback Rd. (previously Thorn Mtn Rd.) – 16A to terminus
- Iron Mt. Road (Green Hill Road) – from Route 16 to terminus
- Tin Mine Road – from 16B to terminus
- Wilson Road – the entire length
To date, no other roads have been proposed for scenic road designation.
Highway Classification
New Hampshire’s classification system can be divided into two broad categories – state highway definitions and municipal highway definitions. Class I, II, and III highways are those highways controlled and maintained by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. Class IV, V, and VI highways are those highways for which municipalities must bear the responsibilities.
Class I (Trunk Line Highways) consist of all existing or proposed highways on the primary state highway system, excepting all portions of such highways within the compact section of towns and cities of 5,000 or more inhabitants.
Class II (State Aid Highways) consist of all existing or proposed highways on the secondary state highway system, except portions of such highways within the compact sections of towns and cities of 5,000 or more inhabitants which are classified as Class IV highways.
Class III (Recreational Roads) consist of all such roads leading to, and within state reservations designated by the legislature.
Class IV (Town & City Streets or Compact Section Highways) consist of all highways within the compact sections of towns and cities of 5,000 or more inhabitants. Extensions of Class I and Class II highways through these areas are included in this classification.
Class V (Town Roads or Rural Highways) consist of all other traveled highways which the town or city has the duty to maintain regularly.
Class VI (Unmaintained or Discontinued Highways) consist of all other existing public ways including, 1) highways discontinued as open highways by formal vote of the town, 2) highways closed subject to gates and bars, 3) highways not maintained for five years or more. No state aid is available for such roads and a municipality is not required to maintain a Class VI highway. The Town maintains Class VI roads for emergency use only and feels that guidelines should be developed to handle development on these less than adequate roads.
Route 16 is the only state (Class I) road in Jackson. Route 16A (formerly Jackson Village Road, now known as Main Street) and Route 16B (formerly the Five-Mile Circuit Road, now consisting of a portion of Black Mountain Road, a portion of Carter Notch Road, and the road connecting them, now called Moody Road) are maintained in winter by the town and in summer by the state. Forest roads exist off Iron Mtn. Road and beyond the ends of Carter Notch Road, Black Mtn. Road and Town Hall Road. All other roads are either Class V town roads, Class VI roads or private roads.
Detailed maps of the road system in Jackson were prepared by the N.H. Bureau of Emergency Communications in September 2002 for the Enhanced 9-1-1 addressing system. All roads were named, including short access roadways to buildings that might be considered by some to be driveways. Because of the close similarity of some road names, a few roads in town were given new names. Former names are shown crossed out. All of the roads named by the 9-1-1 system are included in the chart below. Lengths were measured on the maps to the nearest .05 mile.