Traffic is expected to be very busy on the Maine Turnpike as the summer tourist season kicks off on Friday with the long Memorial Day holiday weekend. To see current traffic conditions on the Maine Turnpike, watch the Tracker 8 live feed in the video player above. Just before 3 p.m. on Friday, the Maine Turnpike Authority issued a warning that traffic was already very busy on the northbound side of the highway between the New Hampshire border and York Tors. The Maine Turnpike Authority said Wednesday that it expects traffic to increase by more than 2 percent compared to last year, when 1,008,927 transactions were recorded over the four-day weekend. As usual, Friday is expected to be the busiest day of this year’s four-day weekend, especially if you’re heading north between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. >> Click here to see real-time traffic conditions. Traffic is also expected to be heavy in both directions on Saturday midday, and heavy traffic on Monday afternoon and evening if you’re heading south.All construction and maintenance work on the toll roads is suspended during the long weekend, although there are some construction areas that include lane narrowing and speed-restricted zones. Toll road officials are also providing travelers with information about the new Dynamic Part-Time Shoulder Use (PTSU) system, which is now operational on I-95 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Kittery. The PTSU system is installed on approximately three miles of I-95 between Exit 5 in New Hampshire and Exit 3 in Maine, including the Piscataqua River Bridge. Designed to reduce congestion and improve safety, the PTSU system is used during peak traffic periods from May to October, when unscheduled accidents occur, and depending on traffic conditions. Based on real-time traffic conditions, staff at the Maine Toll Road Authority’s Traffic Management and Communications Center in Portland decide when to use the right shoulder of the southbound roadway as an open lane, while New Hampshire manages the northbound PTSU. When the PTSU system is activated, the system’s messaging components (beacons and lane occupancy signals) illuminate to notify drivers when the shoulder is clear. Additionally, flashing beacon warning signs are installed at ramps approaching the system to alert merging traffic when the shoulder lanes are cleared and to use extra caution when merging onto the highway. Traffic managers in both states close the shoulder when traffic congestion eases, when there are drivers in the breakdown lane, or when there is another emergency that requires the shoulder to be closed. Safety patrols are increased when the PTSU system is in use.
Traffic is expected to be very heavy on the Maine Turnpike as the summer tourist season kicks off on Friday and leads into the long Memorial Day weekend.
To see current traffic conditions on the Maine Turnpike, watch the live feed from Tracker 8 in the video player above.
Just before 3 p.m. Friday, the Maine Toll Road Administration issued a warning that traffic was already very heavy on the northbound side of the highway between the New Hampshire state line and the York Toll Road.
The Maine Toll Road Authority said Wednesday it expects traffic to be up more than 2 percent compared to last year, when 1,008,927 trips were recorded over the four-day weekend.
The busiest day of this year’s four-day holiday is expected to be Friday, as usual, with many people heading north between 2pm and 7pm.
>>Click here to see real-time traffic conditions
Additionally, traffic is expected to be heavy in both southbound and southbound directions midday Saturday and Monday afternoon and evening.
All construction and maintenance work on the toll road will be suspended over the long weekend, but some work areas will include narrowed lanes and speed restricted zones.
Turnpike officials are also providing travelers with information about the new dynamic Part-Time Shoulder Use (PTSU) system now operational for motorists on I-95 in Portsmouth and Kittery, New Hampshire. The PTSU system is installed on approximately three miles of I-95 from Exit 5 in New Hampshire to Exit 3 in Maine, including the Piscataqua River Bridge. Designed to reduce congestion and improve safety, the PTSU system is used during high traffic periods from May through October, when unexpected accidents occur, and depending on traffic conditions.
Workers at the Maine Toll Road Authority’s Traffic Management and Communications Center in Portland decide when to use the right shoulder of the southbound road as a clear lane based on real-time traffic conditions, while New Hampshire manages the northbound PTSU. When the PTSU system is activated, drivers see the system’s messaging components (beacons and lane occupancy signals) illuminated to let them know the shoulder is clear. Additionally, on ramps approaching the system, warning signs with flashing beacons alert merging traffic when the shoulder lane is clear and to use extra caution when merging onto the highway.
Traffic managers in both states will close the shoulder when traffic congestion eases, there are vehicles in the breakdown lane or any other emergency that requires a shoulder closure, and safety patrols will be increased while the PTSU system is in use.