Biddeford to Howland is 178.2 miles and takes about 3h 19m via Maine Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $28 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within Maine, moving from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on major highways, making it a practical choice for a single-day trip. Plan for a quick transition from busy interstates to more local roads as you approach your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
89.1 miles from Biddeford, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 42m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Maine Turnpike
122 mi
2h 11m
I 295
52.5 mi
1h 1m
North Street
1.4 mi
2m
Main Street
0.9 mi
1m
LaGrange Road
0.5 mi
<1m
Beach Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 122 mi, about 2h 11m
Traffic on I-295
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 39 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,557 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,064
Quietest
2 AM
~87 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
29.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Biddeford, ME and Howland, ME.
1
Start on US 1 Alternate
0.9 mi·1 min·Main Street
2
Turn left onto ME 112
162 ft·5 sec·Beach Street
3
Continue on ME 5; ME 112
1.4 mi·2 min·North Street
4
Take the ramp
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 95 North: Portland
5
Merge onto I 95
8.8 mi·9 min·Maine Turnpike
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
52 mi·1 hr 1 min·I 295
Exit 44Toward Downtown PortlandUse the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 95
113 mi·2 hr 1 min·Maine Turnpike
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Exit 217Toward ME 6, ME 155: Howland, Lagrange
9
Keep slight right at fork
284 ft·7 sec
10
Turn straight onto ME 6; ME 155
0.5 mi·57 sec·LaGrange Road
11
Arrive at destination
ME 6; ME 155
Trip Plan
For this 178.2-mile drive, leaving in the morning is your best bet to maximize daylight and arrive with ample time. Since it's a relatively short drive at just over 3 hours, you won't need to split it, offering flexibility. You'll have only one recommended stop, so consider making it a substantial break. Keep an eye on your fuel, with an estimated cost of $28, and plan your fill-up before hitting any extended stretches without services.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 89.1 miles from Biddeford, ME, or about 1h 42m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 122 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 39 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 89.1 miles or 1h 42m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Howland, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Biddeford, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Biddeford, ME
This is one driving day of about 178.2 miles and 3h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 39 miles from Biddeford, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Maine Turnpike for about 122 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 177.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in|ME 112 / Beach Street
Turn left onto ME 112 / Beach Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 95 North: Portland
Navigation decision point
Toward I 95 North: Portland
8
11.6 mi into trip|~14m in|I 295
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 toward Downtown Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 44
Toward Downtown Portland
6
177.4 mi into trip|~3h 17m in
Take the exit toward ME 6, ME 155: Howland, Lagrange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 217
Toward ME 6, ME 155: Howland, Lagrange
5
177.6 mi into trip|~3h 18m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.96 one way
$55.93 round trip
$3.99/gal25.4 MPG avg62 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$31.40
$62.80
premium
$4.81
$33.76
$67.52
diesel
$4.80
$33.65
$67.30
Estimated Tolls: $7.33
Maine Turnpike
(122 mi)$7.33
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 62.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $19 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
53.5
0
$18.71
$8.55
Efficient EV
44.6
0
$15.59
$7.13
EV Truck/SUV
71.3
0
$24.95
$11.40
Gas CO2
62 kg
EV CO2
21 kg (66% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 15, 2026
Origin
Biddeford, ME
Late night
in Biddeford on Sunday
Local time
4:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
89°F
Haze
NW 15 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Howland, ME
Late night
in Howland on Sunday
Local time
4:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
82°F
Patchy Smoke then Isolated Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 12 to 16 mph19% chanceLive forecast
84°F
Richmond, ME
89 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 19m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Frances Perkins National Monument
National Monument
Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standard...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 55.3
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 98% of this 178.2-mile drive on highways, with the longest continuous stretch covering 122 miles on the Maine Turnpike. Expect the highway portion to conclude as you transition onto North Street near Howland. The high highway percentage means you'll likely encounter frequent exits and merging traffic for much of the trip before reaching more rural cruising.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 122 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and I 295. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near ME 112 / Beach Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 19m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (ME 112 / Beach Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
439 ft59 ft
Total Climb
693 ft
Total Descent
592 ft
Highest Point
439 ft
~127.3 mi in
Elevation Range
380 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Biddeford, ME to Howland, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Portland along the way.
Biddeford is a city located in southern Maine. It was once a booming town full of textile mills, the service and manufacturing industries are the major city employers. Approximately 33% of the population speaks French, due to the influx of French-Canadian immigrants to the city's mills in the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Top landmarks
•Biddeford City Hall — rathaus in Biddeford, United States of America
•Biddeford Main Street Historic District — historic district in Maine, United States
•St. Andre's Parish — historic church in Maine, United States
The longest stretch is about 122 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $7.33 in tolls one way, starting with Maine Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ME can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (ME 112 / Beach Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles: Navigation decision point; at 11.6 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Frances Perkins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Howland, ME, but most travelers stay overnight.
