South Portland, ME to Cushing, ME is 80 miles and takes about 2 hours via I 295 and Route 1, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Maine, taking you from the urban edge of Portland up the coast. You'll transition from interstate cruising to more leisurely surface roads as you approach your destination. It's a straightforward drive perfect for a single day trip, with no need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.9 miles from South Portland, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 295
22.6 mi
26m
Route 1
19 mi
26m
Atlantic Highway
12.4 mi
16m
Mill Street
9.2 mi
13m
Bath Road
4 mi
7m
River Road
3.3 mi
8m
Main Street
1.5 mi
3m
Pleasant Street
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 22.6 mi, about 26m
Traffic on I-295
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 62 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,375 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,926
Quietest
2 AM
~84 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
28.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 105 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 South Portland, ME and Cushing, ME.
1
Start on Pine Street
60 ft·9 sec·Pine Street
2
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
1.0 mi·1 min·Broadway
3
Continue on ME 77
1.1 mi·1 min·Casco Bay Bridge
4
Turn straight onto ME 77
0.1 mi·18 sec·York Street
5
Turn left onto ME 77
0.9 mi·1 min·High Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
7
Merge onto I 295; US 1
23 mi·26 min·I 295; US 1
8
Take the exit
1.3 mi·2 min
Exit 28Toward US 1: Brunswick, Bath, Coastal RouteUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 1
1.2 mi·2 min·Pleasant Street
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto Mill Street
9.2 mi·13 min·Mill Street
Use the left lane.
11
Continue on US 1
1.0 mi·2 min·Main Street
12
Continue on US 1
4.9 mi·6 min·Route 1
13
Continue on US 1
4.0 mi·7 min·Bath Road
14
Continue on US 1; ME 27
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
15
Continue on US 1; ME 27
8.7 mi·12 min·Route 1
16
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1
5.4 mi·7 min·Route 1
17
Continue on US 1
12 mi·16 min·Atlantic Highway
18
Turn right onto ME 97
1.1 mi·2 min·Cushing Road
19
Turn slight left onto Spear Mill Road
0.9 mi·3 min·Spear Mill Road
20
Turn slight right onto River Road
3.3 mi·8 min·River Road
21
Turn right onto Killeran Road
45 ft·1 sec·Killeran Road
22
Arrive at destination
Killeran Road
Trip Plan
Given this is a relatively short 2-hour drive, you have flexibility in when you depart. Leaving South Portland mid-morning should allow you to avoid the worst of Portland's commuter traffic. With only 80 miles, you can easily complete this drive in one day, so no need to plan for an overnight. Keep an eye on your fuel as you approach Cushing, as services can become less frequent on the latter half of Route 1. The transition from I 295 to Route 1 is a key point where you'll want to be mindful of navigation.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.9 miles from South Portland, ME, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.6 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 18 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.9 miles or 54m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cushing, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving South Portland, 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 South Portland, ME
This is one driving day of about 79.9 miles and 2h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from South Portland, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 22.6 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 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 56.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Broadway
Turn sharp left onto Broadway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
3.1 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 295 North, US 1 North: Falmouth
8
26 mi into trip|~32m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Brunswick, Bath, Coastal Route
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 28
Toward US 1: Brunswick, Bath, Coastal Route
5
28.4 mi into trip|~37m in|Mill Street
Turn left onto Mill Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
56.8 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|US 1 / Route 1
Keep slight right at fork onto US 1 / Route 1
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.31 one way
$26.62 round trip
$4.23/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.70
$14.77
$29.54
premium
$5.07
$15.94
$31.87
diesel
$5.60
$17.61
$35.23
Estimated Tolls: $7.00
Bay Bridge
$7.00
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
$13
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24
0
$8.39
$3.84
Efficient EV
20
0
$6.99
$3.20
EV Truck/SUV
32
0
$11.19
$5.11
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (68% 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 Aug 29, 2026
Origin
South Portland, ME
Late night
in South Portland on Friday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Partly Cloudy
N 5 to 10 mph6% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 28 at 9:31PM EDT until August 29 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Caribou ME
Destination
Cushing, ME
Late night
in Cushing on Friday
Local time
3:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Partly Cloudy
N 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued August 28 at 9:31PM EDT until August 29 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Caribou ME
55°F
Bath, ME
40 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
1 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
2h 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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is a mix of highway and surface roads, with 52% of the 80 miles on highways. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 22.6 miles on I 295 before transitioning to Route 1 and the Atlantic Highway. Expect to encounter more frequent exits and merges as you leave the interstate environment for more local travel.
52% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.6 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
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 early in the drive near Broadway.
Driving Effort5/10
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 79.9 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: near the start (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
233 ft21 ft
Total Climb
430 ft
Total Descent
415 ft
Highest Point
233 ft
~22.8 mi in
Elevation Range
212 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between South Portland, ME and Cushing, ME, road signs point toward Bath and Coastal Route.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h. Total distance: 79.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (52%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.6 miles on I 295. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $7.00 in tolls one way, starting with Bay Bridge. 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.
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: near the start (Broadway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 3.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Frances Perkins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cushing, ME before heading back.
