Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
26.2 mi
42 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
City of Portland, ME
Brett Sayles
West Pownal, ME
SHOX ART
City of Portland, ME to West Pownal, ME is 26.2 miles and takes about 1h 1m via I 295 and New Gloucester Road, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Northeast region, entirely within Maine. It's a straightforward connection, ideal for a quick local excursion or as the final leg of a longer journey. Given the short distance and duration, it’s designed for a single day, allowing for plenty of time at your destination. You'll find it a practical route with minimal time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 295 | 9 mi | 10m |
| New Gloucester Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Walnut Hill Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| Portland - Peaks Island | 2.5 mi | 20m |
| Main Street | 2 mi | 3m |
| Route 1 | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Seashore Avenue | 0.8 mi | 3m |
| Franklin Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 38 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,815 veh/hr typical · worst 3,343
Quietest
2 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
29.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 105 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between City of Portland, ME and West Pownal, ME.
Start on Seashore Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Continue on Whitehead Street
Continue on Oakland Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Continue on Portland - Peaks Island
Continue
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
Continue on Maine State Pier
Continue on US 1A
Take the ramp onto US 1A
Merge onto I 295; US 1
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto US 1
Turn slight right
Turn straight onto York Street
Turn right onto Main Street
Continue on ME 115
Continue on ME 211; ME 231
Continue on ME 211; ME 231
Turn right onto Freeport Road
Continue on Allen Road
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 14.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn left onto Seashore Avenue
Navigation decision point
At end of road, turn left onto Welch Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
Navigation decision point
Take the exit toward US 1: Yarmouth, Cumberland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Regular Gas
$3.56 one way
$7.12 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $3.97 | $7.94 |
| premium | $4.15 | $4.28 | $8.56 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $3.87 | $7.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.29 | $1.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in City of Portland on Sunday
Local time
6:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Evening in West Pownal on Sunday
Local time
6:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Mostly Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
About 40% of this 26.2-mile drive is on the highway, specifically I 295. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 9 miles. The remaining portion will transition to surface roads like New Gloucester Road and Walnut Hill Road. You'll notice the shift from higher-speed highway cruising to a more local road feel as you exit I 295.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near Seashore Avenue.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 26.2 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (Seashore Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (Welch Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.8 miles (Maine State Pier): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
421 ft
Total Descent
303 ft
Highest Point
274 ft
~24.3 mi in
Elevation Range
279 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from City of Portland, ME to West Pownal, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Cumberland along the way.
Cumberland
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 26.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (40%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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