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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2016
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Turnpike Officials Predicting Busiest 4th of July Weekend Ever
--2016 on pace to be another banner year for Turnpike traffic--
PORTLAND, Maine – More than 1.1 million vehicles are anticipated to travel the Maine Turnpike over this Independence Day weekend, an increase of 3% from the weekend of the 4th last year. Beginning as early as 10:00 AM on Friday, traffic northbound is expected to be heavy, with the peak hours between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Monday is expected to be the busiest day, with traffic heaviest headed southbound between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. More than 325,000 vehicles are expected to travel the turnpike on Monday.
From January through May 2016, the turnpike has seen a 7.4% growth in traffic compared to the same period in 2015. 2015 marked the busiest year in Maine Turnpike history and current traffic levels are on pace for 2016 to be another banner year. With heavy traffic expected on the road, the MTA is urging motorists to be aware of peak times, plan accordingly, and drive safely over the holiday weekend.
Motorists traveling through the York Toll Plaza over the Holiday weekend can also pick up their copy of the Maine Public Radio “Guide to Road Trip Games” booklet. The guide is filled with fun games to play in the car as well as safe driving tips provided by its sponsors, AAA Northern New England, Goodwin’s Volvo, Maine Turnpike Authority and Maine Public Broadcasting Network. The guides will be distributed at York Toll Plaza northbound on Friday afternoon and will be available in both directions on Saturday between 10 AM and 2 PM.
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