Interstate 95 in Maine

This article is about the section of Interstate 95 in Maine. For the entire route, see Interstate 95.

Interstate 95 marker

Interstate 95

Maine Turnpike in green, the rest of I-95 in red
Route information
Maintained by MDOT and Maine Turnpike Authority
Length: 303.20 mi[1] (487.95 km)
Maine Turnpike: 101.43 miles (163.24 km)[2]
Existed: 1960 – present
Major junctions
South end: I95 in Portsmouth, NH
  I195 in Saco
I295 near Portland
I495 in Portland
US 202 / SR 4 / SR 100 in Gray and Auburn
I295 near Gardiner
US 202 / SR 11 / SR 17 / SR 100 in Augusta
US 201 in Fairfield
I395 / SR 15 in Bangor
US 2 / SR 100 in Bangor
US 1 in Houlton
North end: Route 95 / US 2 at the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing
Location
Counties: York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Somerset, Waldo, Penobscot, Aroostook
Highway system
SR 94SR 95

In the U.S. state of Maine, Interstate 95 (I-95) is a 303-mile-long (488 km) highway running from the New Hampshire border near Kittery, to the Canadian border near Houlton. It is the only two-digit Interstate Highway in Maine. In 2004, the highway's route between Portland and Gardiner was changed so that it encompasses the entire Maine Turnpike (including the former I-495 between Falmouth and Gardiner), which runs from Kittery to Augusta.

Route description

Northbound in Kittery, Maine

I-95 enters Maine from New Hampshire on the Piscataqua River Bridge, which connects Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Kittery. At mile 2 (Spruce Creek) in Kittery, the highway becomes the Maine Turnpike. The highway runs in a general northeasterly direction, parallel with U.S. 1, at this point. I-95 bypasses the Biddeford/Saco area, with a spur route (Interstate 195) connecting to Old Orchard Beach.

At Scarborough, Interstate 95 meets Interstate 295. The highway turns north, serving the Portland International Jetport and bypassing Portland to the west. At Falmouth, the highway meets unsigned Interstate 495, also called the Falmouth Spur. Until January 2004, I-95 followed the Falmouth Spur and I-295 between Falmouth and Gardiner.

The highway continues north along the Maine Turnpike (which was I-495 prior to 2004) through Gray to Auburn and Lewiston, which the Turnpike bypasses to the south. The highway then runs in an easterly direction to meet Interstate 295 at Gardiner. From there, I-95 parallels the Kennebec River past Augusta and Waterville, where a new interchange is being planned at Trafton Road. The highway then crosses the river at Fairfield and then turns northeast along the Sebasticook River past Pittsfield to Newport.

I-95 then continues east alongside U.S. Route 2 from Newport to Bangor, where Interstate 395 connects to the city of Brewer. The highway runs along the northern edge of Bangor's center, then turns northeast, following the Penobscot River past Orono and Old Town (Prior to the early 1980s, I-95 was a super two highway north of Old Town).

The highway continues north, still running near the river, towards Howland. Near Lincoln, Interstate 95 runs north through uninhabited forest land, crossing the Penobscot River at Medway. The highway goes northeast and east, passing a series of small Aroostook County farming towns before reaching Houlton, where it connects to New Brunswick Route 95 and U.S. Route 2 at the international border. North of Bangor, traffic levels drop noticeably, with AADT averaging only about 5,000 in northern Penobscot County and going down to as low as 2,000–4,000 in Houlton.[3]

Speed limits

The Maine Turnpike had a posted speed limit of 70 mph in the early 1970s, but as Maine then had no law against traveling less than 10 mph over the posted speed, the de facto speed limit was 79 mph. In 1974, as part of a federal mandate, the speed limit was reduced to 55 mph, with a new law including a "less than 10 over" violation. In 1987, Congress allowed states to post 65 mph on rural interstate highways. Following the relaxation, Maine increased its speed limit. In May 2011, a bill was introduced to raise the speed limit from Old Town to Houlton from 65 to 75 mph. It passed, with Maine the first state east of the Mississippi River since the 1970s to establish a 75 mph speed limit.[4][5]

A further law passed in 2013 by the Maine Legislature allowed the Maine Department of Transportation and the Turnpike Authority to change speed limits with the approval of the Maine State Police. Per that law, Maine DOT increased the 65 mph limit to 70 mph on several sections of Interstate 95 on May 27, 2014. These areas included the section from mile marker 114 just outside Augusta to mile 126 just before Waterville. In addition, the section from Fairfield (just above Waterville) to Bangor also saw an increase to 70.[6] Speed limits on sections controlled by the Turnpike Authority increased on August 11, 2014. The sections from mile marker 2.1 in Kittery to mile marker 44.1 in Scarborough, and the section from mile marker 52.3 in Falmouth to mile marker 109 in Augusta, increased from 65 mph to 70 mph. The section from mile marker 44.1 in Scarborough to mile marker 52.3 in Falmouth increased from 55 mph to 60 mph. The Falmouth Spur, outside the toll plaza area, increased from 50 mph to 60 mph.[7]

Exit list

Note: toll rates listed in this exit list are for Class 1 vehicles paying cash. They do not reflect lower rates for drivers using E-ZPass tags or higher rates for other vehicle classes.

CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
YorkKittery0.00.0 I95 south PortsmouthContinuation into New Hampshire
0.61.01 To SR 103 / Dennett Road Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, EliotNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
1.11.82
US 1 south / SR 236 south / US 1 Byp. south / Traffic Circle Downtown Kittery
1.32.13 US 1 north (Coastal Route) / SR 236 north Kittery, South BerwickSouthbound exit is via exit 2
York6.810.97 To SR 91 to US 1 The Yorks, Ogunquit, The Berwicks
7.211.6Maine Turnpike York Toll Barrier—Cars $3
Wells19.130.719 SR 9 / SR 109 Wells, SanfordEntrance toll $1.50 (northbound only)
Kennebunk25.240.625 SR 35 Kennebunk, KennebunkportEntrance toll $1
Biddeford31.150.132 SR 111 BiddefordEntrance toll $1
Saco35.256.636 I195 east Saco, Old Orchard BeachEntrance toll $1
CumberlandScarborough41.967.442 To US 1 ScarboroughEntrance toll $1
South Portland43.670.244 I295 north South Portland, Downtown PortlandNorthbound exit and southbound entrance; toll $1 both directions
44.371.345 To I295 / US 1 / SR 114 / Maine Mall Road, Payne RoadEntrance toll $1
Portland45.573.246 To SR 22 / SR 9 (Congress Street) Portland International JetportEntrance toll $1
46.775.247 To SR 25 / Rand Road, Westbrook ArterialEntrance toll $1
47.876.948 To SR 25 / US 302 / Riverside Street, Larrabee RoadEntrance toll $1
50.881.852 To I295 / US 1 Falmouth, FreeportToll $1 both directions on I-495 / Falmouth Spur
Falmouth51.683.053 SR 26 / SR 100 – West FalmouthEntrance toll $1
New Gloucester62.2100.163 US 202 / SR 115 / SR 4 to SR 26 Gray, New GloucesterEntrance toll $1.50 (southbound only)
66.1106.4Maine Turnpike New Gloucester Toll Barrier—Cars $2.25
AndroscogginAuburn74.2119.475 US 202 / SR 4 / SR 100 Auburn
Lewiston79.0127.180 To SR 196 Lewiston
Sabattus84.9136.686 SR 9 Sabattus, Lisbon
KennebecWest Gardiner99.7160.5Maine Turnpike West Gardiner Toll Barrier—Cars $1.75
Gardiner101.9164.0102 SR 9 / SR 126 to I295 south Gardiner, LitchfieldNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
103.0165.8103 I295 south to SR 9 / SR 126 Gardiner, BrunswickSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; toll $1 either direction
Augusta109.5176.2109 US 202 / SR 11 / SR 17 / SR 100 Augusta, WinthropSigned as exits 109A (west) and 109B (east) southbound
112.0180.2112 SR 8 / SR 11 / SR 27 Augusta, BelgradeSigned as exits 112A (south) and 112B (north) northbound
112.9181.7113 SR 3 Augusta, Belfast
Sidney120.5193.9120Lyons Road, Sidney
Waterville127.2204.7127 SR 11 / SR 137 Waterville, Oakland
130.2209.5130 SR 104 (Main Street) Waterville, Winslow
SomersetFairfield132.3212.9132 SR 139 Fairfield, Benton
133.3214.5133 US 201 Fairfield, Skowhegan
KennebecClinton137.9221.9138Hinckley Road—Clinton, Burnham
Waldo
No major junctions
SomersetPittsfield149.8241.1150Somerset Avenue—Pittsfield, Hartland, Burnham
Palmyra156.7252.2157 SR 11 / SR 100 to SR 7 / US 2 Newport, Dexter, Skowhegan
PenobscotNewport158.8255.6159Ridge Road—Newport, PlymouthSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Plymouth160.6258.5161 SR 7 East Newport, Plymouth
Etna166.9268.6167 SR 69 / SR 143 Etna, Dixmont
Newburgh173.6279.4174 SR 69 Carmel, Winterport
Hampden179.5288.9180Cold Brook Road—Hermon, Hampden
Bangor182.1293.1182A I395 / SR 15 south to US 1A / SR 9 Bangor, BrewerSouth end of SR 15 overlap; I-395 exits 1A-B
182.4293.5182B To US 2 west / SR 100 west Hermon, Bangor
183.1294.7183 US 2 / SR 100 (Hammond Street) Bangor International Airport
183.9296.0184 SR 222 (Union Street) / Ohio Street Bangor International Airport
185.3298.2185 SR 15 north (Broadway) Brewer, BangorNorth end of SR 15 overlap
186.3299.8186Stillwater AvenueNo northbound entrance
187.1301.1187Hogan Road—Bangor, Veazie
Orono190.5306.6191Kelly Road—Orono, Veazie
192.7310.1193Stillwater Avenue—Stillwater, Old Town, Orono
Old Town196.7316.6197 SR 43 Old Town, Hudson
Lagrange199.0320.3199 SR 16 Alton, Lagrange, MiloNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
Howland216.3348.1217 SR 6 / SR 155 Howland, Lagrange
Lincoln227.1365.5227 To US 2 / SR 6 / SR 116 Lincoln, Mattawamkeag
Medway244.0392.7244 SR 157 Medway, Millinocket, Mattawamkeag
Benedicta258.2415.5259Casey Rd – BenedictaNorthbound exit and southbound entrance. Northbound Interstate 95 enters Aroostook County for about ½ mile, including northbound exit.
AroostookSherman263.8424.5264 SR 158 to SR 11 Sherman, Patten
Island Falls275.4443.2276 SR 159 Island Falls, Patten
Oakfield285.3459.1286Oakfield Road—Oakfield, Smyrna Mills
Smyrna290.7467.8291 US 2 Smyrna
Houlton301.3484.9302 US 1 Houlton, Presque Isle
304.1489.4305 US 2 west Houlton International Airport, Industrial ParkEast end of US 2
304.4489.9 Route 95 east Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing, WoodstockNorthern end of I-95; Continuation into New Brunswick, Canada
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Maine Turnpike

Maine Turnpike shield

History

Early postard showing entrance at Kittery

The Maine Turnpike Authority was created by the Maine Legislature in 1941 to connect Kittery and Fort Kent. In 1947, the first section of highway, designated the Maine Turnpike, opened between Kittery and Portland. In 1953, the Turnpike Authority began construction on an extension to the state capital at Augusta using the former right-of-way of the Portland–Lewiston Interurban railway from Portland through Falmouth.[8] The original turnpike was the largest construction project in the state's history until the construction of the extension, which opened to the public on December 13, 1955.[9]

The Maine Turnpike was the first highway funded using revenue bonds. It remains self-financed, and does not receive funding from the state or federal government. When the first section opened in 1947, it was only the second superhighway in the United States following the October 1940 opening of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. For these reasons, the Maine Turnpike was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1999[10] .

In 1956, one year after the Portland-Augusta extension opened, Congress created the Interstate Highway System. The remaining sections to be built – from Augusta to Fort Kent – would be publicly funded freeways instead of toll roads under the Maine Turnpike Authority. Today this highway, which ends at Houlton instead of Fort Kent, is signed as Interstate 95 throughout and the Maine Turnpike between the New Hampshire line at Kittery and the junction with US 202 near Augusta.

The former head of the Maine Turnpike Authority served 19 months in prison for stealing as much as $230,000 from the toll revenue generated by the Maine Turnpike Authority for his personal use from 2003 to 2010.[11]

Tolls

Early postcard of tollbooths at Kittery

The segment of Interstate 95 from Kittery to Augusta runs along the Maine Turnpike. This is a toll road for all of its length except for sections near Kittery and Lewiston. Flat-fee tolls are paid upon entering the turnpike. There are also barrier tolls in York, New Gloucester, and West Gardiner. Drivers using exits 44 and 52 must also pay a toll upon exiting. The turnpike joined the E-ZPass electronic toll collection network in 2005, replacing the former Maine-only system designated Transpass that was implemented in 1997.[12]

The tollbooths on the Maine Turnpike were not supposed to be permanent. Toll collections were to stop once the Maine Turnpike Authority paid off the debt from the road's construction. In the 1980s the bonds were going to be paid off but the Maine Legislature authorized the Maine Turnpike Authority in 1982 to continue as a quasi-governmental agency and to continue to collect tolls in order to fund the maintenance of the section of highway controlled by the MTA.[13]

Service areas

There are five service areas on the turnpike. Two are accessible northbound, two southbound, and one is accessible from both directions. All are open 24 hours and provide food and fuel services. They also have ATMs. Some have small gift shops. The plazas are at the following locations:

There is a Rest Area / Tourist Welcome Center located on the turnpike Northbound at MP 3 in Kittery.

There are weigh stations located on the turnpike Northbound and Southbound in York at MP 4 (SB) and MP 6 (NB).

There are ramps to/from the northbound turnpike to the Saco Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in Saco at MP 35 (Old MP 33 before the southern extension).[16] The ramps are from the original exit 5 which was replaced when I-195 was opened just to the north. The hotel was built on the site of the old toll plaza. Ramps connecting the hotel to/from the southbound turnpike were removed as part of the widening project in the early 2000s, when hotel ownership opted not to pay nearly $1 million to build a new bridge.

Previous to the West Gardiner rest area opening, there were rest areas located in Lewiston (Southbound at MP 83) and Litchfield (Northbound at MP 98).

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 95 in Maine.

Route map: Bing / Google

Interstate 95
Previous state:
New Hampshire
Maine Next state:
Terminus
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