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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 04, 2025 |
PORTLAND, Maine – Data from Maine Turnpike Authority shows that traffic from Canada is down significantly on the 109 miles of Interstate 95 from Kittery to Augusta. While MTA traffic year-to-date has held steady when compared to 2024 (0.3% increase – 64.2 million transactions vs 63.9 million transactions in 2024), the breakdown of Canadian traffic shows a significant decrease, both among cash-paying customers and among Canadians who are Maine E-ZPass account holders.
Data sampled from MTA license plates of cash-paying customers, who likely represent the more infrequent Canadian tourists, shows summer travel has decreased by 45% compared to the same time period in 2024. In 2024, between May through August, the average daily volume for Canadians using the pike was 2,377. In 2025, the average dropped to 1,339 a day.
The more frequent Canadian travelers to our state, who are Maine E-ZPass account holders, are also coming in reduced numbers. When reviewing E-ZPass transactions for June and July of 2025, there is roughly a 20% decrease. In 2024, there were 17,284 transactions and during that same period in 2025, there were 14,037.
“Turnpike data provides a valuable snapshot of travel trends this summer. While Canadian traffic is down compared to last year, the overall strength of travel on Maine’s busiest highway shows that our state remains a top destination,” said Andre Briere, executive director of the Maine Turnpike Authority. “We will continue to monitor these numbers and work with stakeholders to ensure Maine’s economy and communities continue to benefit from strong tourism and travel.”
This drop-off represents only a very small percentage of overall traffic on the Maine Turnpike, and does not significantly affect overall operation or revenue.