Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 6, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
37 mi
60 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Portland Gardens, ME
Brett Sayles
Mechanic Falls, ME
cottonbro studio
The drive from South Portland Gardens, ME to Mechanic Falls, ME covers 37 miles and takes about 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Maine Turnpike, Maine Street, Shaker Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.3 miles on Maine Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.16 one way before food or hotel costs.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 16.3 mi | 18m |
| Maine Street | 10.5 mi | 16m |
| Shaker Road | 3.2 mi | 5m |
| South Main Street | 2.8 mi | 4m |
| Western Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Maine Wildlife Park Way | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Gray Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Devereaux Circle | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between South Portland Gardens, ME and Mechanic Falls, ME.
Start on Devereaux Circle
Turn right onto Westbrook Street
Turn right onto ME 9
Continue on ME 9
Turn left onto Skyway Drive
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 95
Take the exit
Turn left onto US 202; ME 4; ME 26
Turn right onto ME 26
Continue on ME 26
Continue on ME 26
Turn right onto ME 11
Keep slight left at fork onto ME 11
Turn right onto Water Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 37 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.5 miles from South Portland Gardens, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 18.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Westbrook Street
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Skyway Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 202, ME 115, ME 4: Gray, New Gloucester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto US 202; ME 4; ME 26 / West Gray Road
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$6.16 one way
$12.33 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.70 | $6.84 | $13.68 |
| premium | $5.07 | $7.38 | $14.76 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $8.16 | $16.31 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.98
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.89 | $1.78 |
| Efficient EV | 9.3 | 0 | $3.24 | $1.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.18 | $2.37 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Late night in South Portland Gardens on Sunday
Local time
1:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Cloudy then Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Mechanic Falls on Sunday
Local time
1:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
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.
37 mi in 54m — 44% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Maine Turnpike.
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 0.2 miles in near Westbrook Street.
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 37 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 0.2 miles (Westbrook Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (Skyway Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
529 ft
Total Descent
311 ft
Highest Point
482 ft
~26.4 mi in
Elevation Range
449 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from South Portland Gardens, ME to Mechanic Falls, ME, road signs begin pointing toward New Gloucester along the way.
New Gloucester
Founded 1893
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 54m. Total distance: 37 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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