Concord sits on the Merrimack River in the middle of New Hampshire, and three interstates meet at its edges. I-93 runs north-south along the east side of the river, heading north toward the Lakes Region and the White Mountains and south toward Manchester. I-89 begins just south of the city in Bow and heads northwest toward Lebanon and Vermont. I-393 runs east from I-93 toward Pembroke and Chichester, continuing as US 4 and US 202 toward the Seacoast. US 3 follows Main Street and North State Street through the city, and NH 106 heads northeast toward Loudon and Laconia.
Concord is small, and traffic is moderate most of the day. The busiest spots are the I-93 and I-393 interchange, Loudon Road on the Heights, where the main shopping centers sit, and Main Street at lunch. Breakdowns pile up on I-93 and I-89 in winter, when snow squalls drop visibility and slick the long hills. Many state workers drive in from the surrounding towns, often on rural roads.
Concord Municipal Airport on the east side serves small aircraft, and most travelers fly from Manchester-Boston Regional to the south. Local buses run a few routes, but nearly everyone drives. People from the surrounding towns come into Concord daily for work, shopping and medical care.
The motor speedway in nearby Loudon draws huge crowds on race weekends, and NH 106 and the I-393 corridor fill with traffic from Friday through Sunday.