Origin
Waterboro, ME
Late night in Waterboro on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waterboro, 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
1h 10m
Distance
38 mi
61 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 5m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 15m
5 PM
1h 21m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waterboro, ME
Corwin Melvin
City of Portland, ME
Brett Sayles
Trip Overview
This 38-mile drive from Waterboro, ME, to the City of Portland, ME, is a straightforward, manageable trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 10 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, so no overnight stays are necessary. The route primarily utilizes the Maine Turnpike and I-295, with a smaller portion on Alfred Road, suggesting a mix of highway speeds and local access. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this is an economical journey within the Northeast region. The 'Mixed drive' profile indicates you'll experience varied road conditions, making it a practical and efficient drive for anyone heading to Portland.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maine Turnpike | 12.2 mi | 13m |
| Alfred Road | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| I 295 | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Portland - Peaks Island | 2.5 mi | 20m |
| Waterboro Road | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| West Commercial Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Main Street | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Biddeford Road | 1.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 12.2 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterboro, ME and City of Portland, ME.
1
Start on US 202; ME 4
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on US 202; ME 4
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Waterboro Road
3
Turn left onto Kennebunk Road
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Kennebunk Road
4
Turn left onto ME 111
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Biddeford Road
5
Continue on ME 111
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Alfred Road
6
Continue on ME 111
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alfred Street
7
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
1 min
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
9
Merge onto I 95
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maine Turnpike
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
I 295
Exit 44
Toward Downtown Portland
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 4
Toward Casco Bay Bridge, Portland, Waterfront
12
Turn straight onto Blue Star Memorial Highway
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
13
Continue on Veterans Memorial Bridge
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Veterans Memorial Bridge
14
Continue on US 1A
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Fore River Parkway
15
Continue on US 1A
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Commercial Street
16
Turn right onto Maine State Pier
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Maine State Pier
17
Turn slight right
187 ft
·
13 sec
18
Turn straight onto Portland - Peaks Island
2.5 mi
·
20 min
·
Portland - Peaks Island
19
Continue
213 ft
·
15 sec
20
Continue on Welch Street
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Welch Street
21
Turn right onto Oakland Avenue
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Oakland Avenue
22
Turn slight left onto Whitehead Street
351 ft
·
15 sec
·
Whitehead Street
23
Continue on Seashore Avenue
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Seashore Avenue
24
Continue on Seashore Avenue
0.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Seashore Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Seashore Avenue
Where to Stop
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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 miles from Waterboro, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 15.5 and 37.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
15.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
15.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 95 North Toll: Portland, Augusta
8
28 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 295
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 toward Downtown Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 44
Toward Downtown Portland
6
30.9 mi into trip
|
~38m 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
37.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
Oakland Avenue
Turn right onto Oakland Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.12 one way
$12.23 round trip
$4.09/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.50 | $6.73 | $13.46 |
| premium | $4.86 | $7.28 | $14.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.39 | $16.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.73
Maine Turnpike
(12.2 mi)
$0.73
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: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.32 | $2.43 |
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.
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
8 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
1h 10m 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 "Mixed drive" experience on this 38-mile route, with about 40% of your journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 12.2 miles on the Maine Turnpike, offering a period of consistent speed. As you progress, you'll transition from the Maine Turnpike onto Alfred Road before merging with I-295 towards Portland. This change in road type means you'll likely experience shifts in traffic patterns and speed limits, moving from faster, limited-access sections to potentially more varied conditions as you approach the city.
40% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.2 mi on Maine Turnpike.
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 15.5 miles in.
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 38 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 15.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Waterboro, ME and City of Portland, ME, road signs point toward Augusta, Portland and Waterfront.
Augusta
15.6 mi in
|
~21m
Portland
28 mi in
|
~35m
|
via I 295
Waterfront
30.9 mi in
|
~38m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 10m. Total distance: 38 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 10m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.2 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.73 in tolls one way, starting with Maine Turnpike. 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.
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 City of 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 15.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 28 miles (I 295): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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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