Origin
Scarborough, ME
Morning in Scarborough on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Scarborough, ME to 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
14m
Distance
8.5 mi
14 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Scarborough, ME
David Roberts
Portland, ME
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 8.5-mile drive from Scarborough to Portland, Maine, is easily manageable in just 14 minutes, making it perfect for a quick hop within the Northeast region. With a modest fuel cost of around $1, you won't need to worry about breaking the bank on gas for this trip. The route is a mixed drive, offering a blend of highway and local road experiences, so you won't be stuck on one type of terrain for too long. Given its brevity, this trip doesn't require an overnight stay; it's ideal for a day trip or as part of a larger itinerary in Maine. Plan for a straightforward journey with minimal planning needed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 295 | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| Scarborough Connector | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Black Point Road | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Route 1 | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Portland Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Forest Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Preble Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Highland Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 3.2 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Scarborough, ME and 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
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
I 295
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6A
Toward ME 100 South
7
Keep slight left at fork
156 ft
·
7 sec
8
Continue on ME 100
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Forest Avenue
9
Turn left onto Portland Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Portland Street
10
At end of road, turn right onto Preble Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Preble Street
11
At end of road, turn left onto Congress Street
156 ft
·
5 sec
·
Congress Street
12
Arrive at destination
Congress Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 8.5 — 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
5
7.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward ME 100 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 6A
Toward ME 100 South
5
7.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
8.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Preble Street
At end of road, turn right onto Preble Street
Navigation decision point
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Congress Street
At end of road, turn left onto Congress Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.37 one way
$2.74 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $1.51 | $3.01 |
| premium | $4.86 | $1.63 | $3.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.88 | $3.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.89 | $0.41 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.74 | $0.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.19 | $0.54 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Portland, ME
Morning in Portland on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
14m 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?
The drive between Scarborough and Portland presents a mixed profile, with about 50% of the journey on highways. You'll navigate on main roads like I-295, the Scarborough Connector, and Black Point Road, offering variety in your driving experience. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 3.2 miles on I-295, providing a chance to maintain a steady speed. Expect a dynamic drive that shifts from potentially faster highway sections to more localized road conditions as you approach your destination.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.2 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
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 0.1 miles in near ME 207 / Black Point Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 8.5 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 0.1 miles (ME 207 / Black Point Road): Navigation decision point; at 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 14m. Total distance: 8.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.2 miles on I 295. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Portland, ME before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 7.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 7.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at 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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