|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 02, 2022
|
|
Maine Turnpike Reflects on its 75-year History in 2022
An anniversary website tells the history of the turnpike and pays homage to the venerable toll road
PORTLAND - Celebrating its 75th year as Maine and New England’s first--and the nation’s second superhighway, Maine Turnpike recently unveiled a special addition to its website. Maineturnpike75.com presents the history and the economic impact of Maine’s most heavily traveled roadway together with a number of videotaped inside perspectives from the people who keep the Turnpike running smoothly.
The Maine Turnpike welcomed its first travelers in 1947 and today is squarely in its seventy-fifth year. It will officially hit the third quarter-century mark on December 13. Milestones such as this have traditionally called for publicizing the achievement in print ads and brochures. But given the advanced technology that plays a daily role in the superhighway realm, the decision to share the Turnpike’s dramatic story in the digital medium came very easily.
“This website takes the viewer through history, from the creation of the Turnpike to thoughts of what the future might hold (think flying cars) with captivating archival film and photography, and a gallery of dozens of images from the Turnpike’s extensive archives.” Described Erin Courtney, MTA’s Public Outreach Manager. The “In Our Own Words” section gives the perspectives of Turnpike employees from executive director to long time toll collectors to plow drivers. It really highlights how people are the backbone of the turnpike.
“Our digital presentation also touches on the impact that the highway has had on shaping Maine’s history,” Courtney continued. “Many Maine brands are much older, but few have had the widespread impact that the Maine Turnpike has had on the state’s economic health, and in the many ways it has provided incremental changes in the quality of life enjoyed by the vast majority of Mainers.”
Included in the story of the Turnpike are milestones like the spark that resulted in the formation of Maine Turnpike Authority, the story of why the tolls were kept and MaineDOT did not take over the road, and why and how the road was widened in the late 1990’s. There is also a timeline that travels nearly eight decades of Maine and transportation history with a lot of trivia and fun facts.
And clearly, the people who have worked for the Maine Turnpike over the decades are a major thread of the story.
“From the beginning of the project, we wanted to focus on the thousands of people who have been involved in developing and building the Maine Turnpike and keeping it running safely and efficiently now for generations,” Courtney added. “There are so many human stories associated with this one roadway, there is no shortage of tales to tell.”
Maine Turnpike Authority’s Executive Director Peter Mills said, “The people who have been involved with the Turnpike have shaped it, maintained it, improved it, built and rebuilt it, and rebuilt it again — all of it paid for by the millions of people who pay the tolls, two thirds of whom are from out-of-state.”
“It’s important to realize that caring for this highway — its safety and reliability — means anticipating the repairs and improvements that are coming and being ready to manage those responsibilities and be financially prepared to pay for them. When you think of how many people over the years have done the due diligence to stay on top of that challenge, it’s amazing,” said Mills.
Now in its seventy-fifth year, Maine Turnpike Authority takes an online look back on its history and its contribution to the state and shares those reflections in a technological way few could imagine back in 1947.
# # #