Origin
Scarborough, ME
Late night in Scarborough on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scarborough, ME to City of Portland, ME
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
40m
Distance
12.4 mi
20 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 47m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scarborough, ME
David Roberts
City of Portland, ME
Brett Sayles
Trip Overview
This short 13-mile trip from Scarborough to Portland is a straightforward journey through the Northeast that takes approximately 4 hours and 22 minutes to complete. Given the brief distance, you can easily manage this as a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. Your travel budget remains very manageable, with estimated fuel costs totaling around $2 for the entire trip. You will navigate via Black Point Road, Route 1, and the Scarborough Connector to reach your destination. Because the route consists entirely of local roads, you won't have to worry about highway tolls or heavy interstate traffic. It is a practical, low-stress transit option for travelers looking to move between these two Maine locations efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Portland - Peaks Island | 2.5 mi | 20m |
| Scarborough Connector | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| West Commercial Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Black Point Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Route 1 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| I 295 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Seashore Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Veterans Memorial Bridge | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Portland - Peaks Island
— 2.5 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scarborough, ME and City of Portland, ME.
1
Start on Highland Avenue
267 ft
·
10 sec
·
Highland Avenue
2
Turn right onto ME 207
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Black Point Road
3
Turn right onto US 1; ME 9
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Route 1
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Scarborough Connector
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Scarborough Connector
5
Merge onto I 295
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 295
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 4
Toward Casco Bay Bridge, Portland, Waterfront
7
Turn straight onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
8
Continue on Veterans Memorial Bridge
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Veterans Memorial Bridge
9
Continue on US 1A
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Fore River Parkway
10
Continue on US 1A
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Commercial Street
11
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Maine State Pier
12
Turn slight right
187 ft
·
13 sec
13
Turn straight onto Portland - Peaks Island
2.5 mi
·
20 min
·
Portland - Peaks Island
14
Continue
213 ft
·
15 sec
15
Continue on Welch Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Welch Street
16
Turn right onto Oakland Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Oakland Avenue
17
Turn slight left onto Whitehead Street
351 ft
·
15 sec
·
Whitehead Street
18
Continue on Seashore Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Seashore Avenue
19
Continue on Seashore Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Seashore Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
Seashore Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
ME 207 / Black Point Road
Turn right onto ME 207 / Black Point Road
Navigation decision point
3
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
US 1; ME 9 / Route 1
Turn right onto US 1; ME 9 / Route 1
Navigation decision point
4
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Scarborough Connector
Keep slight left at fork onto Scarborough Connector
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
5.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward Casco Bay Bridge, Portland, Waterfront
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 4
Toward Casco Bay Bridge, Portland, Waterfront
5
11.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
Oakland Avenue
Turn right onto Oakland Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.00 one way
$3.99 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $2.20 | $4.39 |
| premium | $4.86 | $2.37 | $4.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.74 | $5.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.30 | $0.60 |
| Efficient EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.09 | $0.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5 | 0 | $1.74 | $0.79 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Destination
City of Portland, ME
Late night in City of Portland on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
40m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you make your way from Scarborough toward Portland. Because this route has a 0% highway share, you will spend your entire time navigating surface streets rather than cruising on high-speed interstates. The personality of this drive is defined by frequent turns and varied local road conditions rather than a monotonous, long-distance haul. Without any extended uninterrupted stretches, you will stay engaged with the road throughout the duration of your trip. This transition from local Maine thoroughfares to the city environment requires your full attention at intersections and junctions.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.5 mi on Portland - Peaks Island.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near ME 207 / Black Point Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 40m 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 0.1 miles (ME 207 / Black Point Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (US 1; ME 9 / Route 1): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (Scarborough Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Scarborough, ME and City of Portland, ME, road signs point toward Portland and Waterfront.
Portland
5.3 mi in
|
~8m
Waterfront
5.3 mi in
|
~8m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 12.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (17%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 2.5 miles on Portland - Peaks Island. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
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 0.1 miles (ME 207 / Black Point Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (US 1; ME 9 / Route 1): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (Scarborough Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Portland, ME before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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