West Scarborough, ME to Howland, ME is 170.8 miles and takes about 3h 13m via Maine Turnpike and I-295, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Maine, taking you from the southern part of the state northeastward. With 98% of the drive on highways, expect a straightforward trip focused on covering distance. It's a manageable drive, making it a good option for a single-day trip where you want to get to your destination efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
85.4 miles from West Scarborough, ME
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 40m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Maine Turnpike
113.3 mi
2h 1m
I 295
50.4 mi
58m
US 1
4.1 mi
8m
Scarborough Connector
2.1 mi
2m
LaGrange Road
0.5 mi
<1m
Route 1
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Maine Turnpike
— 113.3 mi, about 2h 1m
Traffic on I-295
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 39 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,557 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,064
Quietest
2 AM
~87 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
29.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 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 West Scarborough, ME and Howland, ME.
1
Start on this road
25 ft·6 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto US 1
0.2 mi·29 sec·Route 1
3
Continue on US 1; ME 9
4.1 mi·8 min·US 1; ME 9
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto Scarborough Connector
2.1 mi·2 min·Scarborough Connector
5
Merge onto I 295
50 mi·58 min·I 295
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 95
113 mi·2 hr 1 min·Maine Turnpike
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Exit 217Toward ME 6, ME 155: Howland, Lagrange
8
Keep slight right at fork
284 ft·7 sec
9
Turn straight onto ME 6; ME 155
0.5 mi·57 sec·LaGrange Road
10
Arrive at destination
ME 6; ME 155
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 13m drive time, leaving in the morning will allow you to reach Howland with plenty of daylight to spare. The route is efficient, so you can afford to be flexible with your departure time. Since it's a relatively short drive with a fuel cost around $31, you won't need to worry too much about breaking it up. The longest stretch without a significant change in road type is 113.3 miles on the Maine Turnpike, so plan your stop before or after that segment if you prefer shorter driving periods.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 85.4 miles from West Scarborough, ME, or about 1h 40m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 113.3 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 38 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 85.4 miles or 1h 40m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 39m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Howland, ME than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving West Scarborough, 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 West Scarborough, ME
This is one driving day of about 170.8 miles and 3h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 38 miles from West Scarborough, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Maine Turnpike for about 113.3 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 170.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 1 / Route 1
Turn left onto US 1 / Route 1
Navigation decision point
4
4.2 mi into trip|~8m in|Scarborough Connector
Keep slight left at fork onto Scarborough Connector
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
6.3 mi into trip|~11m in|I 295
Merge onto I 295
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
170 mi into trip|~3h 11m in
Take the exit toward ME 6, ME 155: Howland, Lagrange
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 217
Toward ME 6, ME 155: Howland, Lagrange
5
170.2 mi into trip|~3h 12m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.19 one way
$60.39 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg60 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$33.07
$66.14
premium
$5.29
$35.57
$71.13
diesel
$5.35
$35.98
$71.95
Estimated Tolls: $6.80
Maine Turnpike
(113.3 mi)$6.80
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
$30
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 59.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
51.2
0
$17.93
$8.20
Efficient EV
42.7
0
$14.95
$6.83
EV Truck/SUV
68.3
0
$23.91
$10.93
Gas CO2
60 kg
EV CO2
20 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.
Forecast as of Jun 1, 2026
Origin
West Scarborough, ME
Afternoon
in West Scarborough on Wednesday
Local time
3:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Chance Rain Showers
NE 5 mph68% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Howland, ME
Afternoon
in Howland on Wednesday
Local time
3:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
36°F
Patchy Frost
N 3 mph1% chanceLive forecast
51°F
Richmond, ME
85 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
9 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
3h 13m 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...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 47.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is almost entirely highway driving, with 98% of the 170.8 miles on high-speed roads. You'll spend the bulk of your time on the Maine Turnpike, including one stretch of 113.3 miles. After the highway portion concludes, you'll transition to surface roads for the final segment of your drive. Expect plenty of exits and merges as you navigate through various parts of Maine.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 113.3 mi on Maine Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Maine Turnpike and I 295. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 1 / Route 1.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 13m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 1 / Route 1): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (Scarborough Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.3 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 113.3 miles on Maine Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $6.80 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.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 (US 1 / Route 1): Navigation decision point; at 4.2 miles (Scarborough Connector): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 6.3 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Frances Perkins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Howland, ME, but most travelers stay overnight.
