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Maine Turnpike's Rebounding Traffic Expected To Get Heavier Over Holiday Weekend

Robert F. Bukaty
/
Associated Press/file
In this Feb. 2011 file photo, traffic approaches Maine Turnpike toll booths in Gardiner, Maine.

Maine Turnpike traffic is on the rebound after falling by half this year during the earlier days of the pandemic. Turnpike Authority Executive Director Peter Mills says the upward trend started two weekends ago, under sunny skies."And then last weekend was rainy and predicted to be so - it was not a good weekend. And yet, even that traffic was up from the previous high weekend," Mills says. "So the trend lines are up."

Mills expects the uptick to continue for this Independence Day weekend as well. "They'll begin to come in late today. They'll be coming in during the day Friday, and probably during the morning Saturday," Mills says. He says the heaviest traffic will likely occur on the southbound side Sunday afternoon and evening.

Data from E-Z Pass transponders suggest that traffic from New York state has rebounded significantly since April, Mills says, with big increases coming from New Hampshire and Massachusetts as well.

Despite that, Mills says travel on the Maine Turnpike this July Fourth holiday weekend is expected to be about a third less than it was last year.  But he says that still translates to a lot of vehicles on the highway.