SE Mainers: Do you like the new 95/295/495 renumbering system?

[bbernardini]

Hmm? Easier, harder? Thoughts?

[Bluebear]

1. It makes sense....

If they want to build an exit between Kennebunk and Biddeford they don't have to do the foolish Exit 4B 4C 4D thing....the mile marker exits make sense long term.

[bbernardini]

2. I wasn't talking about the exit numbers...

I was talking about how they changed 495 to 95, and 95 to 295, etc.

[BurtWorm]

3. I wasn't aware there was a 495 in SE Maine.

Where is it?

As long as they didn't move the roads, I probably won't notice it. I've driven the 95 and the Maine Turnpike between Brunswick and Kittery a million and ten times.

[bbernardini]

4. I think this is how it works now...

95 went North into Portland. Off to the left was 495, aka the turnpike. To the right was 95. Up the middle was 295, which connected over to 95 at the Falmouth spur. Now, 495/Turnpike (went through Lewiston) is 95/Turnpike. What used to be 95 (through Portland, Yarmouth, Brunswick, Topsham) is now 295 straight up to Gardiner. At that point, they both meet and merge into 95/Turnpike.

Make sense? I hope so, as I'm still trying to figure it out. :)

[BurtWorm]

5. I get it. It was weird that the Turnpike changed numbers,

after Falmouth, now that I think about it. I guess that's why I didn't know it was 495, because I never drove that road. On the other hand, the reason 95 was called 95 all that way (Turnpike or not) is that it paralleled Route 1. It's kind of sad that that's changed. Everywhere you go up and down the East Coast, 95 and 1 are like a stone's throw from each other, aren't they? There's no good reason for that except the historical one, that 95 was designed to parallel 1. *sigh*

[MaineDem]

6. I'm not in SE but I like it

It makes it easier to understand but it takes a bit for us ol' timers to relearn the system. I never knew what the Portland-Brunswick- Augusta road was called anyhow.

The exit renumbering is wonderful! I wish the state had done this years ago. It will take me forever to learn the new numbers though.