Maine

[Pete from Boston]

You're right in one sense, at least–if I were going to Fryeburg, Bridgton, or Sunday River, I'd probably go up the Spaulding Turnpike.

But I like something about the absoluteness of "All Maine Points."

[The Nature Boy]

You're right in one sense, at least–if I were going to Fryeburg, Bridgton, or Sunday River, I'd probably go up the Spaulding Turnpike.

But I like something about the absoluteness of "All Maine Points."

It does seem like a nifty way for NH to get all of the Maine bound tourists out of their state as quickly as possible.

[Pete from Boston]

You're right in one sense, at least–if I were going to Fryeburg, Bridgton, or Sunday River, I'd probably go up the Spaulding Turnpike.

But I like something about the absoluteness of "All Maine Points."

It does seem like a nifty way for NH to get all of the Maine bound tourists out of their state as quickly as possible.

And admittedly, that's a lot of us.

"Pay your toll, buy your booze, move along."

[PHLBOS]

It does seem odd to me that NH and MA refuse to sign Portland, Maine as a control city.

From Exit 58 (MA 110) northward; Portland, ME is indeed listed on some I-95 northbound ramp signage.

Entrance ramp from Main St. near MA 286 (Exit 60)

Intersection of Main St. and MA 286, the D6 panel uses KITTERY, ME

I-95 northbound on ramp signage from MA 110 westbound shows both Portland & Kittery on 2 separate BGS'

I believe that Kittery (actually Kittery, ME) is now listed on some distance BGS' along I-95 northbound in MA as well.  I don't believe that Portland was ever listed on any distance signs along I-95 in MA.

From what I've been told (mainly by Roadman); the reasoning for MassDOT using Kittery for a few I-95 northbound signs is due to the fact that many Bay Staters trek to the Maine Outlet stores (which are located in Kittery).

I-95 northbound entrance ramp signs south of Exit 58 (at least those that list 2 destinations) use Salisbury (the last town in MA) along with Portsmouth, NH.

[cl94]

You're right in one sense, at least–if I were going to Fryeburg, Bridgton, or Sunday River, I'd probably go up the Spaulding Turnpike.

But I like something about the absoluteness of "All Maine Points."

It does seem like a nifty way for NH to get all of the Maine bound tourists out of their state as quickly as possible.

And admittedly, that's a lot of us.

"Pay your toll, buy your booze, move along."

Yep. I love how New Hampshire has liquor stores in the rest areas and right near the borders. When living in Lake George, we took at least one trip a year to the liquor store in Lebanon to stock up. A lot cheaper, especially when gas was $1.20.

[yakra]

I've always wondered why BGSs for the Scarborough Connector leave out the BEACH in OLD ORCHARD BEACH, as seen here:
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.630853,-70.313356,3a,66.8y,222.13h,87.81t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sUcdN3d16nTht9Ut0hdhBEg!2e0

Pulling this response outta me bum here, but not wanting to have to use larger sign panels?

Also, it would make more sense, since US 1 has been rerouted in Portland onto I-295, to reroute US 1 onto the Scarborough Connector.  Then extend US 1A down to the southern end of the connector over present US 1.

I've thought about that. The snag here is that the local road name of U.S. Route 1 is... U.S. Route 1. So at least the segment north of the Connector would have to be renamed. (I rather like "First Cumberland Turnpike", but that may not be historically accurate this far north.) Considering all the businesses with U.S. Route 1 addresses, that's got to be a non-starter. Perhaps US 1 Bypass as a workable compromise...

The Maine Turnpike Access Road is also signed as a "secret route" of sorts... small mile markers along the route call it "703".  Google Maps calls the Scarborough Connector "701".

It's not just Google; the Connector has the small mile markers as well. Just those, and no other signage anywhere else. Not the best idea for Google to mark the route as such IMO.

Anywhere else in Maine have secret routes, or is it more of a turnpike authority thing?  Though I don't think the SC is part of the turnpike authority.

I believe the Scarborough Connector is not part of the MTA.
No other secret  routes that I'm aware of, though, did route 702 get skipped over, or is that one out there somewhere? I've wondered about the Brunswick (lower-case 'c'; it has no proper name AFAIK) connector from I-295 Exit 28 to US 1. No mile markers on it yet that I've seen though.

[The Nature Boy]

You're right in one sense, at least–if I were going to Fryeburg, Bridgton, or Sunday River, I'd probably go up the Spaulding Turnpike.

But I like something about the absoluteness of "All Maine Points."

It does seem like a nifty way for NH to get all of the Maine bound tourists out of their state as quickly as possible.

And admittedly, that's a lot of us.

"Pay your toll, buy your booze, move along."

As a former New Hampshire resident who now lives in Maine, it amazes me how much more tourist traffic Maine gets. I see so many cars with MA plates up here every weekend.

[KEVIN_224]

From what I saw on Monday afternoon, Portland was on NONE of the I-95 northbound mileage signs. Kittery? Yes.

New Hampshire's "rest area" is still there, close to MM 5 in Hampton.

[cl94]

From what I saw on Monday afternoon, Portland was on NONE of the I-95 northbound mileage signs. Kittery? Yes.

New Hampshire's "rest area" is still there, close to MM 5 in Hampton.
[Imgur](http://i.imgur.com/DTfiebx.jpg)

The rest area will always be there. Even if counted separately, the three I-95 "rest areas", the one just off US 3, and the one at I-93 Exit 1 likely make more than every other liquor store in New Hampshire combined and are probably five of the highest-grossing liquor stores in the country. Those things are a cash cow for New Hampshire.

[shadyjay]

Interesting to note the NB liquor store on I-95 in Hampton (NH) was only built during the 1990s, the SB facility was already there. 

I wonder if those liquor stores will eventually get converted to service plazas like the ones on I-93 in Hooksett got last year... conversion to full food and fuel services. 

Meanwhile....

Those are some interesting Google maps "streetview" clips of Portland ME" being used as a control point on I-95 approach ramps in that part of Mass.  As previously stated, there is no mention of anything other than "Kittery ME" on the mainline, and that being on mileage signs.  BGSs have only listed "Portsmouth NH", and before that, "NH-Maine".  I still think "NH-Maine" is a descent control destination for I-95 in that area of Mass, but the MUTCD doesn't like states as control points.  From a trip on that portion of I-95 last summer, up to Exit 57, only Portsmouth NH is listed on onramps, paired with Salisbury.  Didn't know Portland got mentioned as well, until now.

[Pete from Boston]

Interesting to note the NB liquor store on I-95 in Hampton (NH) was only built during the 1990s, the SB facility was already there. 

I wonder if those liquor stores will eventually get converted to service plazas like the ones on I-93 in Hooksett got last year... conversion to full food and fuel services. 

I'll bet they see how Hooksett does first.  At Hooksett they got very ambitious with the creativity, something that really bucks the trend in an industry dominated by the Host Marriott/McDonald's models of chain food courts.  Hooksett asks a little more from the customer as far as adjusting to what they don't already expect. 

That said, I think they did a nice job.  I hope people spend enough money there to validate the concept.

[froggie]

WCAX ran a piece last month about how New Hampshire had record liquor sales this past fiscal year, and they (and state officials) attributed some of it to the revamped Hooksett plazas.

[KEVIN_224]

I was on I-95/Maine Turnpike both yesterday and today (November 13/14) up to Exit 44 in Scarborough. Regular unleaded gas at the Kennebunk rest area was $2.429. Is it always higher there than on other routes for the sake of convenience? A couple of stations I passed on US Route 1 between Chelsea and Peabody, MA were between $2.059 and $2.109.

[PHLBOS]

Those are some interesting Google maps "streetview" clips of Portland ME" being used as a control point on I-95 approach ramps in that part of Mass.  As previously stated, there is no mention of anything other than "Kittery ME" on the mainline, and that being on mileage signs. 
...
From a trip on that portion of I-95 last summer, up to Exit 57, only Portsmouth NH is listed on onramps, paired with Salisbury.  Didn't know Portland got mentioned as well, until now.

Portland/Portland, ME only shows up on I-95 northbound entrance ramp signage from MA 110 (Exit 58) and northward.  Such was true even back in the NH-Maine listing era.

[The Nature Boy]

I was on I-95/Maine Turnpike both yesterday and today (November 13/14) up to Exit 44 in Scarborough. Regular unleaded gas at the Kennebunk rest area was $2.429. Is it always higher there than on other routes for the sake of convenience? A couple of stations I passed on US Route 1 between Chelsea and Peabody, MA were between $2.059 and $2.109.

I've passed through the Kennebunk and W. Gardiner stations in the past couple of days. The food and gas are always more expensive there. I hate it myself because Kennebunk is a frequent stop when coming back from Boston. I never get gas there but will eat there.

[KEVIN_224]

The new York toll plaza may finally get built!

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/19/turnpike-oks-controversial-york-plaza-location/

[The Nature Boy]

The new York toll plaza may finally get built!

http://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/19/turnpike-oks-controversial-york-plaza-location/

Yes!

Finally something to help with the summer traffic.

[KEVIN_224]

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/03/21/maine-turnpike-bets-on-fast-food-between-portland-and-lewiston/

Starbucks getting swapped out with Burger King for the Turnpike rest areas north of Portland, starting next week.

The rest stops at Mile 58 southbound in Cumberland and Mile 59 northbound in Gray will close Monday for nine weeks so the two Starbucks can be turned back into Burger Kings.

[yakra]

...turned back into Burger Kings.

...or, as we'd say in Maine, Burger King's.

[The Nature Boy]

...turned back into Burger Kings.

...or, as we'd say in Maine, Burger King's.

I think that that might just be a rural thing. I also heard people do the same thing in North Carolina.

[KEVIN_224]

I often wonder why Exit 25 in Kennebunk is at the service plaza. Were they ever planned to be further apart?

[Beeper1]

I believe the service plaza pre-dates the exit by a few years. 

The Kennebunk service plazas have existed at this location since the turnpike was first opened in 1947.  However, when the highway originally opened between Kittery and South Portland, interchanges were much farther apart, with intermediate interchanges only at Wells and Saco.   The interchanges at York, Kennebunk, Biddeford, and Scarboro were built a few years later (sometime early/mid 1950s).  The Kennebunk exit/entrance was built in its current arrangement around the service plazas at that time.

[billpa]

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/03/21/maine-turnpike-bets-on-fast-food-between-portland-and-lewiston/

Starbucks getting swapped out with Burger King for the Turnpike rest areas north of Portland, starting next week.

The rest stops at Mile 58 southbound in Cumberland and Mile 59 northbound in Gray will close Monday for nine weeks so the two Starbucks can be turned back into Burger Kings.

Why not have both?

SM-T230NU

[cl94]

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/03/21/maine-turnpike-bets-on-fast-food-between-portland-and-lewiston/

Starbucks getting swapped out with Burger King for the Turnpike rest areas north of Portland, starting next week.

The rest stops at Mile 58 southbound in Cumberland and Mile 59 northbound in Gray will close Monday for nine weeks so the two Starbucks can be turned back into Burger Kings.

Why not have both?

SM-T230NU

Space constraints. Service plazas only have room for one or the other. Much smaller than the typical plaza in other states. Take a look for yourself.

[Beeper1]

These two plazas are very small, as this part of the turnpike has very low AADT.  Before they were rebuilt in the mid-00s, these were some of the only service plazas I knew of that were not open 24 hours.  They would close from 11pm-5am.