Maine State Route 26
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by MaineDOT | ||||
Length | 96.7 mi[1] (155.6 km) | |||
Existed | 1925, 1934 (current alignment)–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | Congress Street in Portland | |||
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North end | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Maine | |||
Counties | Cumberland, Androscoggin, Oxford | |||
Highway system | ||||
Maine State Highway System | ||||
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State Route 26 is a 96.7 mile-long state highway in southwestern Maine. It was first commissioned in 1925, as part of the New England road marking system. Route 26 in Maine, as well as New Hampshire and the short stub in Vermont, covers the route of the old New England Interstate Route 26. In the state of Maine, Route 26 runs from Portland in the southeast to the New Hampshire border near Upton, where it continues as New Hampshire Route 26.
Route description
Route 26 begins in Portland. State route logs show its southern terminus at State Route 77 in the western end of the city center at the intersection of Cumberland Avenue and State Street (southbound SR 77)[1]. From there it heads northeast along Cumberland Avenue, then turns north onto Washington Avenue.[2] In the field, Route 26's southern end is signed at the intersection of Congress Street, Washington Avenue, and Mountfort Street in the eastern end of the city center one block south of the Cumberland Avenue intersection with Washington Avenue. [3] From here, it follows Washington Avenue northward and joins with Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 1 over Tukey's Bridge, splitting off from that Interstate immediately on the other side of the bridge to continue northwest on Washington Avenue. Route 100 joins at Allen Avenue, and the combined Routes 26 and 100 immediately angle northward onto Auburn Street and continue together as far as the town of Gray.
From Portland, Route 26 generally parallels Interstate 95 (the Maine Turnpike) as far as Gray where it intersects with State Routes 115, 4, and US Route 202 and State Route 100 again splits off. The Turnpike begins to turn northeast at Gray, as does Route 100, but Route 26 continues north and then northwest. It crosses into New Hampshire near Upton. In Maine, Route 26 passes through Cumberland, Androscoggin and Oxford Counties.
History
On November 16, 2006[4], a new bypass, Route 26A, was completed and put into service to alleviate congestion in the center of Gray village where State Routes 26, 100, 115, 4, and U.S. Route 202 intersect. Much of the traffic congestion at this village center intersection was due to traffic on Route 26 being forced to pass through this central intersection when accessing and leaving the nearby I-95 Maine Turnpike Exit 63. One end of Route 26A begins at this intersection when it branches from Route 26 and runs west along U.S. Route 202 past the nearby turnpike exit before making a right-hand turn northward and running parallel to the turnpike on its opposite side until its other end where it rejoins Route 26 just south of the Gray-New Gloucester High School. In recognition of the heavy traffic flow of turnpike access, it is Route 26 which must yield at this junction, while traffic flow onto and from the new bypass Route 26A continues smoothly and unimpeded here.
References
- ^ a b Floodgap Roadgap's RoadsAroundME: Maine State Route 26
- ^ "medotpubrds". Maine Office of Geographic Information Systems (MEGIS). 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- ^ Kirby, J.P.; Bryant, E.D. (2005-09-10). "Maine State Route 26 Termini". Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- ^ "MaineDOT News Release: Gray Bypass Opening Ceremony Thursday, November 16th". Maine Department of Transportation. 2006-11-14. Retrieved 2009-03-11.