$42 million for an exit to saco.

lol.

So is this going to be, what exit 33 or 32b or something like that? Or are we going to waste money making all new signs to rename all exits after this?

(My numbers could be off. To be quite honest, when I'm on the highway I'm just searching for my spot to get off so I can not be so damn anxious. I hate the highway, hate it 100x more between Portland and kennebunk)

All interstate exits correspond to mile markers now, so whatever this will be will not waste any older signage.

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I know right? That's like the cost of 43 condos on The East End.

Roads are expensive. So much digging and fill and I think there needs to be a bridge there too

Yeeeeah...speaking as someone that was in a heavy traffic jam going onto this highway, this is definitely needed. That line going to the light that connects the off-ramp to Industrial Park Road can get pretty insane.

35

Is it going to be close to where there was one before that they removed and a hotel was built?

https://www.maineturnpike.com/cmstemplates/showAttachment.ashx?url=/Projects/Planning/Exit-36-Interchange-Area-Saco-Route-112/Saco-Interchange-PDR-1-15-21.jpg

Yup. That was changed 20 years ago for this reason. Remember two Exit 2s? Mile marker is the general standard

You'd be lucky to buy the land alone for a rail line of any useful size for $42 million.

I don't get why people complain about this stuff. They're not just going to build an exit on a whim, I'm pretty sure if they're building it's needed. Other states do this all the time as needed. And saying that the money should be invested into rail is asinine.

Part of it uses the same ramps.

Except the Maine turnpike actually pays for itself.

Did you see how much people complained about the Maine mall traffic plaza redesign? You'd think someone stole their childhood binky the way people acted. I can't wait until the Gorham connector is added and everyone goes "Oooooh that's why they did it like this!"

Tell me you don't know what is involved in a highway infrastructure project without telling me you don't know what is involved in a highway infrastructure project...

We need more public transportation before we even think about expanding roads.

And better public transportation.

Awful take. We need both, public transport and easier access to towns lying west of Portland. The housing crisis in the Greater Portland can be solved by edging west which will never be a feasible area for public transport, these people will need to get near Portland easily, then an efficient public transit system could bring them into town to solve the parking issue. Simply saying EVERYTHING IS BAD EXCEPT TRAINS!! is so a non-nuanced opinion that screams "if the solution isn't perfect we shouldn't do it" and surprise surprise: No solution is ever perfect.

Did you just time travel here from 20+ years ago?

They already renumbered all the exits to be mile based and not sequential. They don’t have to change any of the other exit numbers.

Waaaay overdue. The intersection at 112 and industrial park rd has become a major clusterfuck. I'm so glad I don't live in that area anymore.

It was never an exit, only a hotel access as I recall. I’ve been saying this was necessary for 20 years.

So if you’re coming from Buxton, you have to stop at Industrial Park Road, turn left, stop again at the spur off ramp, slowly turn right to the spurn on ramp, and then hope to blend into spur traffic. It never made any sense when you literally drive over the highway 2 miles prior.

I think I did 🤣

Right... At least I'm aware that I'm an idiot 😂 I deserve each and every one of those down votes 😂

Holy shit it literally says

"Construction is underway on a new exit 35, which will connect drivers onto Route 112."

what the fuck dude

I remember when there was a bridge crossing from the southbound side. They would speed trap on that thing.

Bless the Gorham connector, I anxiously await the day there is no longer bumper to traffic on my commute on County Road anymore 😄

So are they getting rid of the weird Ramada half exit?

It's gonna get pushed out to Standish. :(

Tell that to Vermont. They’re doing both, for as long as they can 😂. They just added smaller milepoint signs in 2020. They do have a point, in regards to business names. Heck, there’s still even a Exit 5 Motel in Saco. And we’ve had mile marker exits for a loooong time.

https://vtdigger.org/2020/07/07/vermont-buys-time-with-new-smaller-highway-exit-signs-%EF%BB%BF/ https://vtrans.vermont.gov/projects/exit-numbering

Never an exit? It was exit 5. You can still see the old ramps. The survey from the turnpike even uses the words "reconnect"

Yes but it only went to the hotel I believe. It wasn’t a true exit to 112.