Interstate 295 South - Gardiner to Falmouth

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Interstate 295 South
Interstate 295 leaves Interstate 95 (Maine Turnpike) via a wye interchange and approaches Exit 51 with Maine 9 & 126 (Lewiston Road). The initial mile of the freeway is tolled due to the connection with the Maine Turnpike. Maine 9 & 126 share pavement between Sabattus and Downtown Gardiner.
This older style guide sign was replaced by 2011. 06/28/05
Approaching the Gardiner Main Toll Plaza of I-295 south ahead of Exit 51. A single E-ZPass lane allows motorists to pass through the toll barrier at 10 MPH or less. 06/28/05
A seven-lane toll plaza sits under the former ramp overpass that directly joined I-295 north with I-95 south. The direct ramps were dismantled and replaced with movements using adjacent SR 9 & 126 by the Gardiner Service Plaza. 06/28/05
Exiting the toll barrier, Interstate 295 enters the diamond interchange (Exit 51) with Maine 9 & 126 (Lewiston Road). The pair venture west from Gardiner to Litchfield, accessible by Hallowell Road north. The 2008-opened Gardiner Main Toll Plaza resides just to the west.
This set of overheads was replaced by 2011. 06/28/05
The first southbound shield for Interstate 295 appears at the SR 9 & 126 (Lewiston Road) over crossing. 06/28/05
U.S. 201 crosses paths with Interstate 295 near Libby Hill in south Gardiner. Traveling in a southwest fashion, U.S. 201 travels to Peacock Beach State Park, Richmond Corner and Topsham on a parallel alignment to Interstate 295. 06/28/05
Interstate 295 spans Cobbosseecontee Stream ahead of the diamond interchange (Exit 49) with U.S. 201. U.S. 201 continues south alongside the waterway to Pleasant Pond in Sagadahoc County. 06/28/05
Roadways of Interstate 295 diverge to allow tree stands on the drive in northern Sagadahoc County. This is a typical configuration for rural Maine freeways. 06/28/05
Continuing south, Interstate 295 nears the diamond interchange (Exit 43) with Maine 197, an east-west state route between Sabattus and Dresden. 06/28/05
Exit 43 leaves Interstate 295 southbound; Maine 197 travels west one mile to Maine 138 (Post Road) at Richmond Corner and 3.7 miles east to Maine 24 (Front Street) in Richmond. 06/28/05
Maine 197 shield posted at the end of the Exit 43 ramp from Interstate 295 south. Maine 197 continues west from U.S. 201 into the town of Litchfield at Hallowell Road and Litchfield Corners. 06/28/05
Southbound scene between Exits 43 and 37. A wide tree lined median again separates the roadways of Interstate 295. 06/28/05
Maine 125 & 138 combine and meet Interstate 295 at Exit 37. Maine 125 follows Main Street east from Bowdoin Center; Maine 138 branches northeast from its beginning at U.S. 201 to Maine 125. 06/28/05
Heading east from Interstate 295, Maine 125 & 138 continue another three quarters of a mile before splitting. Maine 125 ends a short distance east of the partition at Maine 24 in Bowdoinham. Maine 138 meanwhile turns northward via Post Road to Richmond Corner. 06/28/05
The next town of interest along Interstate 295 is Topsham. Topsham lies along the Androscoggin River opposite of Brunswick. 06/28/05
Interstate 295 splits over the hills north of Topsham in this scene near Powers Mountain. U.S. 201 (Augusta Road) parallels nearby before passing east of the freeway at Topsham. 06/28/05
Exit 31 serves Topsham at the I-295 junction with Maine 196 (New Lewiston Road). Maine 196 travels overall between U.S. 1 at Brunswick and U.S. 202 & Maine 100 at Lewiston. The state route parallels the Androscoggin River northwest from Topsham to Lisbon Center. 06/28/05
Exit 31 consists of a parclo interchange with Maine 196 (New Lewiston Road). Exit 31B serves interests along Maine 196 northwest to Lisbon and Lewiston. Lisbon Falls lies northwest six miles along the state route. 06/28/05
One mile north of Exit 31A for Maine 196 south into Topsham on I-295. Maine 196 arcs southeast along a commercialized stretch from Topsham Fair Mall Road to U.S. 201 (Main Street) nearby. East of U.S. 201, the state route follows the Coastal Connector, a 1997-constructed1 roadway leading southeast to the U.S. 1 freeway at Brunswick. 06/28/05
The aforementioned Coastal Connector provides a bypass of Topsham between U.S. 201 and U.S. 1. Maine 196 crosses the Androscoggin River on a twin span before ending at a tri-level stack interchange with the U.S. 1 freeway east of Downtown Brunswick. U.S. 1 continues as a freeway east to Cooks Corner and Bath. 06/28/05
Exit 31B leaves Interstate 295 south for Maine 196 (New Lewiston Road) west. Maine 196 reaches Lisbon in 9.5 miles and Lewiston in 14.5 miles. 06/28/05
Exit 31A follows quickly as a loop ramp onto Maine 196 eastbound. Maine 196 intersects U.S. 201 in 0.75 miles, the access road to Maine 24 in 2.1 miles and U.S. 1 in 2.4 miles. 06/28/05
Interstate 295 spans the Androscoggin River into Cumberland County and the town of Brunswick. The Androscoggin River flows east into Merrymeeting Bay. 06/28/05
Exit 28 joins Interstate 295 with U.S. 1 via an expressway connector with the US highway at Brunswick. The connector joins U.S. 1 (Pleasant Street) on the western reaches of town, three miles west of Maine 24 (Maine Street) and Downtown. 06/28/05
U.S. 1 enters Brunswick from Bath and points east including Wiscasset, Rockland, Belfast and Ellsworth. A freeway carries the highway west from Bath to Cooks Corner and Downtown Brunswick; Pleasant Street continues U.S. 1 away from Downtown to the connector. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College. 06/28/05
Exit 28 consists of a trumpet interchange with the U.S. 1 connector. U.S. 1 turns southward parallel to Interstate 295 via Old Portland Road from the connector to Freeport. 06/28/05
Small rock outcroppings line the sides of Interstate 295 near the reassurance marker posted south of Exit 28. 06/28/05
Interstate 295 and parallel U.S. 1 wind southward toward Freeport. Northbound side ramps join I-295 with U.S. 1 at Exit 24. Southbound motorists must continue to Exit 22 for Freeport. 06/28/05
Maine 125 & 136 (Mallet Drive) meet Interstate 295 inside Freeport. The pair begin at a common intersection with U.S. 1 (Main Street) near the town center and venture west to nearby Durham Road. 06/30/11
Maine 125 ventures north from Freeport to Bradbury Mountain State Park and Lisbon Falls. Maine 136 joins Freeport with Durham to the north.
Durham Road stems west from the state routes adjacent to Exit 22 to become Elmwood Road through Pownal. 06/30/11
I-295 south travels to within one mile of the parclo interchange (Exit 22) with Maine 125 & 136. Maine 125 follows a convoluted path 16 miles north to Lisbon Falls and east to its end at Bowdoinham. Maine 136 totals 19 miles between Freeport, Durham and Auburn. 06/30/11
Maine 125 & 136 (Mallet Road) pass overhead as Exit 22 loops away from I-295 south. Pownal resides 4.5 miles west at the junction of Elmwood Road and SR 9 (Hallowell Road); Durham is an eight mile drive north at the SR 136 merge with SR 9. Downtown Freeport is just a short 0.75 mile drive to the southeast. 06/30/11
Interstate 295 next approaches the diamond interchange (Exit 20) with Desert Road. Desert Road serves south reaches of Freeport via its end at U.S. 1 nearby. 06/28/05
Signage at Exit 20 includes a reference to U.S. 1 for the parallel highway. U.S. 1 follows Interstate 295 closely from Freeport into Yarmouth. Desert Road meanders northwest into rural areas. 06/28/05
State-named shield posted after the Desert Road on-ramp. Construction of the freeway mainline along this stretch replaced the original southbound roadway of U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway) to Cousins River. 06/28/05
Nearing the Cousins River on Interstate 295 south, one mile north of the diamond interchange (Exit 17) with U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway). U.S. 1 loops west of the freeway into the town of Yarmouth between Exits 15 and 17. 07/08/12
A rest area and visitor information center lies along U.S. 1 adjacent to Exit 17 and the headquarters for DeLorme maps. 06/28/05
Drivers bound for U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway) leave Interstate 295 southbound via Exit 17. U.S. 1 enters Yarmouth and intersects Maine 115 (Main Street), a north-south route linking the town with North Yarmouth and Gray. Maine 88 also splits from U.S. 1 at Yarmouth, constituting a coastal loop through Cumberland Foreside and Falmouth Foreside. 07/08/12
U.S. 1 exits Yarmouth and crosses Interstate 295 again at a parclo interchange (Exit 15) near York Hill. Travelers destined for Cumberland are directed onto U.S. 1 south to Tuttle Road west. Tuttle Road east meets Maine 88 at Cumberland Foreside on Broad Cove. 06/28/05
Waters from the Royal River flow through Yarmouth from Auburn southward into Casco Bay. Interstate 295 spans the river east of the town center. 06/28/05
Exit 15 carries motorists onto U.S. 1 south of its intersection with Portland Street in Yarmouth. U.S. 1 north intersects Maine 115 (Main Street) in 1.1 miles. Southbound travelers reach Cumberland Foreside in 1.3 miles with Cumberland a five mile drive to the west. 06/28/05
All that separates Interstate 295 from the city of Portland is the town of Falmouth, four miles south of Yarmouth. 06/28/05
Diagrammatic overhead advising motorists of the upcoming ramps onto the Falmouth Spur (unsigned Interstate 495) west and Bucknam Road to Falmouth. I-495 represents the 4.2 mile connector between I-295 and the Maine Turnpike main line (I-95). Exit 10 with Bucknam Road serves the local Falmouth area via connections with parallel Maine 9 (Middle Road) and U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway). 07/08/12
Exit 11 comprises the westbound beginning of Interstate 495 to Interstate 95. Interstate 295 began here until 2004, when the Falmouth Spur was the original through route of I-95. 07/08/12
The upcoming Falmouth Spur is part of the Maine Turnpike system and is tolled at a collection point midway between Interstates 295 and 95. There are no exits along I-495 otherwise. 07/08/12
Exit 10 guide sign highlighting the Bucknam Road connections with Maine 9 (Middle Road) and U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway). Maine 9 enters the scene from Cumberland to the northwest to travel alongside Interstate 295 southward into Portland. U.S. 1 remains eastward toward Mackworth Point and the Martin Point Bridge over the Presumpscot River. 07/08/12
Long distance interests to Kittery, Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Boston, Massachusetts are advised to take unsigned Interstate 495 west onto Interstate 95 south in lieu of Interstate 295 through Downtown Portland. 07/08/12
Exit 11 veers away from I-295 south for Interstate 495 (Falmouth Spur) west. I-495 ends at Interstate 95 south of West Falmouth (Exit 53) and north of Westbrook (Exit 48).
Until 2004, Interstate 495 consisted of a signed route along the Maine Turnpike main line between the Falmouth Spur and Gardiner. 07/08/12
A sign change made by 2011 replaced both the pull through panel for I-295 south and referenced Next Right for Exit 10 in place of 1/3rd mile. 06/28/05


 


Photo Credits:

  • 06/28/05 by AARoads and Carter Buchanan.
  • 06/30/11 by I.C. Ligget.
  • 07/08/12 by I.C. Ligget.

Connect with:
Interstate 495 - Falmouth Spur
U.S. 1
State Route 196
State Route 197

Page Updated 02-05-2015.

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