Although construction was still over 15 years away, the 1964 Maine Official Highway Map showed the Saco Industrial Spur under construction.
Interstate 195 comprises a 2.41 mile long freeway spur east from I-95 (Maine Turnpike) to State Route 5 (Saco Avenue) for Old Orchard Beach. The official FHWA Route Log and Finder lists just 1.55 miles of the freeway as I-195, but the limited access route extends another 0.8 miles from the ramps with U.S. 1 to SR 5. Completion of the Saco Industrial Spur occurred in 1983.1
Saco inset of the 1970 Maine Official Highway Map. Construction on Interstate 195 commenced ten years later. The projected alignment eventually shifted northward to include a new interchange with the Maine Turnpike. The trumpet interchange with I-195 replaced the original Saco exit at State Route 112.
 East |
 | Interstate 195 leaves the trumpet interchange with I-95, passing by the westbound toll booths. Exit 1 (Industrial Park Road) departs in one quarter mile. 06/27/05 |
 | Traffic lights are used along I-195 east to allow MTA employees to cross safely to the westbound toll booths. 06/27/05 |
 | Travelers pass over Industrial Park Road at its folded diamond interchange (Exit 1) with I-195. Industrial Park Road stems north from Maine 112 (North Street) to Spring Hill Road. Spring Hill Road leads east to U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway) near Slater Hill. Maine 112 heads west from U.S. 1 & Maine 5 (Main Street) in Downtown Saco to Bar Mills. 06/27/05 |
 | Signage ahead of Exit 2 directs motorists to Downtown Saco and the Saco Amtrak station to use Exit 2 and motorists bound for the coast and the Old Orchard Beach Amtrak station to remain on Interstate 195. Amtrak's Downeaster serves southern Maine on a line between Portland and Boston, Massachusetts. The Saco station is open all year round while Old Orchard Beach's platform is only open seasonally between May and October. 06/27/05 |
 | Interests to the Saco area Funtown Splashtown USA theme park should use U.S. 1 (Blue Star Memorial Highway) north from Interstate 195 at Exit 2A. Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach lies along the Atlantic Ocean near the junction of Maine 5 (Old Orchard Street) and Maine 9 (West Grand Avenue). Drivers bound for the park should use Interstate 195 to its merge with SR 5 (Ocean Park Road) and its turn onto Saco Avenue. 06/27/05 |
 | Interstate 195 eastbound, one quarter mile from the off-ramp (Exit 2) onto U.S. 1 (Main Street) south. U.S. 1 (Main Street) south merges with Maine 5 (Ocean Park Road) west to Downtown Saco and Maine 112 (North Street). 06/27/05 |
 | Entering the three-quarter cloverleaf interchange (Exit 2) with U.S. 1 (Main Street)on I-195 east. Exit 2A departs here for Main Street south at Maine 5 (Ocean Park Road) east. U.S. 1 travels south along Main Street to Elm Street through Downtown Saco. Elm Street carries the US route across the Saco River into Biddeford. 06/27/05 |
 | Exit 2B follows onto U.S. 1 (Portland Road) north through Saco. U.S. 1 meets Maine 98 (Cascade Road) before crossing the Cumberland County line into West Scarborough. 06/27/05 |
 | Interstate 195 continues a short distance east of U.S. 1 (Exit 2) to its end at Maine 5 (Ocean Park Road). 06/27/05 |
 | Nearing the freeway end, all traffic converges into one lane ahead of the merge with Maine 5 (Ocean Park Road). Maine 5 continues east of Interstate 195 as a two lane road to the five point intersection with Saco Avenue, Temple Avenue, Old Orchard road and Old Salt Road. 06/27/05 |
 | End Interstate 195 / Maine 5 sign posted at the freeway conclusion eastbound. Maine 5 enters the scene from parallel Ocean Park Road. 06/27/05 |
 | A set of flashers caution eastbound motorists of traffic turning southbound onto Maine 5 (Ocean Park Road) as I-195 transitions into Ocean Park Road east. SR 5 extends east from Ocean Park Road along Saco Avenue into Old Orchard Beach. Temple Avenue links the state route with SR 9 (West Grand Avenue) at the community of Ocean Park. 06/27/05 |
| West |
 | This assembly for the beginning of I-195 west is posted at the intersection of Reserve Street and SR 5 (Ocean Park Road) north. 06/27/05 |
 | The majority of traffic on SR 5 (Ocean Park Road) north is advised to continue west on Interstate 195 to Exit 2 for both U.S. 1 (Portland Road) and the SR 5 continuation along Main Street. Ocean Park Road carries the state route parallel to I-195 between here and U.S. 1 (Main Street). 06/27/05 |
 | The first shield for I-195 stands one half mile east of the three-quarter cloverleaf interchange (Exits 2B/A) with U.S. 1 (Main Street / Portland Road). 06/27/05 |
 | Exit 2 joins Interstate 195 with U.S. 1 (Main Street) north of its merge with Maine 5 (Ocean Park Road). Together the two route travel south to Downtown Saco and Maine 112 (North Street). 06/27/05 |
 | Exit 2B carries motorists onto U.S. 1 (Portland Road) north through northern reaches of Saco. Portland Road travels a short distance to Funtown Splashtown USA, one of the area theme parks. 06/27/05 |
 | Interstate 95 makes its first appearance at the Exit 2B ramp departure for U.S. 1 (Portland Road) north. U.S. 1 continues north from here to Maine 98 (Cascade Road) in north Saco and West Scarborough in Cumberland County. 06/27/05 |
 | Drivers bound for U.S. 1 south & Maine 5 north (Main Street) leave Interstate 195 west via Exit 2A. Maine 5 leaves U.S. 1 for a brief overlap along Maine 112 (North Street) before departing Saco en route to Limerick. U.S. 1 continues south along Elm Street otherwise into Biddeford. 06/27/05 |
 | Continuing west along Interstate 195, drivers next encounter a folded diamond interchange (Exit 1) with Industrial Park Road. Industrial Park Road serves businesses along its frontage between Maine 112 (North Street) and Spring Hill Road. Maine 112 travels north-south from Downtown to Buxton. 06/27/05 |
 | Motorists not departing Interstate 195 via Exit 1 enter the Maine Turnpike toll plaza before joining Interstate 95. All passenger vehicles are levied a $1.00 toll (2015 rates). 06/27/05 |
 | Westbound I-195 at Exit 1 to Industrial Park Road. Industrial Park Road, in conjunction with Spring Hill Road, provides a route between Maine 112 (North Street) and U.S. 1 (Portland Road) in north Saco. 06/27/05 |
  | Interstate 195 enters the Maine Turnpike toll barrier almost immediately west of the Industrial Park Road under crossing. 06/27/05 |
 | Interstate 195 ends at a trumpet interchange with Interstate 95 (Maine Turnpike). Long distance travelers bound for Montreal are directed onto I-95 northward to perhaps U.S. 302 west for the trip into Canada. I-95 north otherwise splits with Interstate 295 in eight miles at South Portland. 06/27/05 |
 | The Maine Turnpike south heads to Biddeford at its next exit in four miles. Interstate 95 reaches Kittery in 33 miles and Boston in 98 miles. 06/27/05 |
Sources:
- Maine Interstate turns 50! - Interstate Timeline.
http://www.maine.gov/mdot/interstate/timeline.php
Photo Credits:
06/27/05 by AARoads and Carter Buchanan
Connect with:
Interstate 95
U.S. 1
Page Updated 02-04-2015.