Gorham Connector
Background video developed by Maine Turnpike Authority and narrated by Scarborough Town Manager Tom Hall
Officially announced in early 2024, the Gorham Connector is a multi-community supported effort to address the heavy traffic congestion along Routes 114/22. The roads are at capacity and creating traffic constraints on nearby neighborhood roads.
The proposed solution is a new toll road that would link the Maine Turnpike at Exit 45 to the Gorham Bypass off Route 114 in Gorham. The project is supported by the communities of Gorham, Scarborough, South Portland, and Westbrook. In 2007, the communities signed a joint resolution requesting Maine Turnpike Authority to assess the feasibility of a new Turnpike connector linking the Gorham Bypass with the Maine Turnpike. The Legislature pass a companion resolution and a major feasibility study was conducted in 2012.
Learn more about the project history and background on the Maine Turnpike Authority website.
October 2024: Scarborough Town Council Withdraws Support of Gorham Connector Project
In their October 2nd meeting, the Scarborough Town Council became the first of the four communities to publicly withdraw its support for the Maine Turnpike Authority’s Gorham Connector project.
The Maine Turnpike Authority has been working since 2012 to find a solution to address heavy traffic congestion along Routes 114 and 22. The communities of Gorham, Scarborough, South Portland, and Westbrook signed a joint resolution in 2007 requesting the MTA to assess the feasibility of a new Turnpike connector linking the Gorham Bypass with the Maine Turnpike, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was approved by a previous Scarborough Town Council to support the project.
The proposed plan was officially made public and presented to the Scarborough Town Council in February 2024. It outlined a specific route for the highway for the first time. Despite the MOU including considerations such as the protection of farmland, the proposed plan would have impacted numerous residential properties, wetlands, and most notably, Smiling Hill Farm.
The announcement of the highway’s path quickly garnered media and public attention, and the Council received steadily increasing comments from the community in opposition to the plan. The Council held a workshop to hear a presentation from the MTA on September 18, 2024, but no new information was given. In an extended public comment period, commenters cited the plan's environmental impact, concerns with urban sprawl, and skepticism of the plan’s overall efficacy. The largest concern was with the plan’s impact on Smiling Hill Farm and it being in direct conflict with the original intent of the MOU.
After public workshops, several months of ongoing public feedback including emails to the Town Council and public comments at meetings, and an organized social media campaign, the Scarborough Town Council wrote a resolution withdrawing its support for the project as it is currently defined. The Town Council meeting on October 2nd included on its agenda “Act on the request to approve Resolution No. 24-005 - Withdraw Town Of Scarborough’s Support From The Gorham Connector As Proposed By The Maine Turnpike Authority.” It passed with a 6-1 vote and makes Scarborough the first of the four communities to take action.
While the Council rescinded its support of the Gorham Connector project as proposed, it reiterated its desire to find a solution to the long standing traffic congestion concerns along the route 114/22 corridor. The Town of Scarborough will need to consider alternatives with the other communities, and the MTA is anticipated to provide its revised path forward.
Resources
Gorham Connector Project - Maine Turnpike Authority Website
"Gorham Connector Project Can Stamp Out Traffic Ills" - Op Ed by Ephrem Paraschak, Gorham Town Manager and Thomas Hall, Scarborough Town Manager (April 29, 2023)
"Gorham connector proposal announced by Maine Turnpike Authority" - News Center Maine (February 5, 2024)
Gorham Connector Project Summary Technical Memo - Maine Turnpike Authority (January 2024)
Gorham Connector: Scarborough Town Council Workshop Slides - Maine Turnpike Authority (February 21, 2024)
Gorham Connector: Scarborough Town Council Workshop - YouTube Recording (February 21, 2024)
Gorham Connector: Scarborough Town Council Workshop - YouTube Recording (September 18, 2024) | Agenda/Materials
Town Council Meeting (Gorham Connector Resolution) - YouTube Recording (October 2, 2024) | Agenda/Materials