File Photo / Jim Neuger
Paul Bradbury
Updated: August 30, 2024
Maine braces for travel boom over long Labor Day weekend
Photo / Courtesy, Maine Turnpike Authority
Continuing a tradition that goes back more than two decades, Maine Turnpike mascot Miles the Moose will be greeting travelers at the Kennebunk northbound service plaza on Friday.
The next few days will be busy for planes, trains and automobiles coming in and out of Maine as travelers make the most of the long Labor Day weekend.
After setting all-time passenger records for May, June and July, the Portland International Jetport expects record travel this holiday weekend, Airport Director Paul Bradbury told Mainebiz.
Outbound seat capacity from Friday through Tuesday is up to 28,814, he said. That’s 22% higher than last year.
“It has been an exceptional summer for PWM,” Bradbury said.
Bangor International Airport is also expecting a high volume over the holiday weekend.
"We have been seeing increased passenger numbers throughout the summer and anticipate that this Labor Day weekend will continue to be busy as well," said Aimee Thibodeau, a spokeswoiman for the airport.
Nationwide, the Transportation Security Administration said it is prepared to screen more than 17 million people during what is expected to be the busiest Labor Day weekend on record.
Friday is projected as the peak travel day, when the agency expects to screen 2.86 million people.
Peak travel hours
On the ground, the Maine Turnpike Authority is expecting a more modest increase this year, reaching more than 1.1 million toll transactions from Friday through Monday.
Projections are for a 0.9% increase in turnpike traffic compared to last year. Friday is expected to be the busiest of all four days system-wide, with the heaviest traffic volume expected to be northbound that day between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
On Saturday, the turnpike's busiest hours are expected to be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for travel in both directions, while Monday’s heaviest volume will be southbound between noon and 7 p.m. as many visitors leave Vacationland, according to the Maine Turnpike Authority.
For visitors coming into Maine from the south, the agency’s Miles the Moose mascot will do his annual meet-and-greet on Friday at the Kennebunk northbound service plaza between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
While all construction and maintenance activities on the turnpike will be suspended over the long weekend, the agency notes that there are still many construction areas with narrowed lanes and reduced speed zones.
The Maine Department of Transportation did not have any numbers to report on Friday.
The Amtrak Downeaster train service, which operates between Boston and Brunswick and is managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, is also bracing for a busy weekend.
Jason Abrams, a New York-based Amtrak spokesman, told Mainebiz that more than 3,700 passengers are booked on the Downeaster from Friday through Monday.
US forecast
Across the United States, AAA expects domestic travel over Labor Day weekend to be 9% higher than last year, with the cost of travel down 2%.
“Americans see the extended Labor Day weekend as an opportunity to say farewell to summer with one final trip,” said Debbie Haas, AAA vice president for travel.
“Since many kids are already back in school, regional road trips tend to be the most popular option for families. Because of that, others see this as an opportunity to travel the world, with the expectation of smaller crowds at popular sites.”
The prediction comes as gas prices continue to fall, albeit at a slower pace than recently, dipping just two cents to $3.36 since last week, the travel assistance organization said Thursday. A storm system forming in the Atlantic Ocean may pose a threat to falling gas prices as well, it warned.
But rising prices are putting a damper in international travel, which is down 4% this Labor Day weekend compared to last year, according to AAA. In addition, many people already traveled abroad over this summer. Among international trips booked via AAA, eight out of 10 are to European cities.
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