Construction is now underway to connect Maine’s 65-mile Eastern Trail through Scarborough. 

Currently, the off-road route from South Portland to Kittery has a missing link in Scarborough. The town will add two bridges and an extended trail as part of the “Close the Gap” initiative. 

Funding for the $4.1 million project comes from the towns of Scarborough and South Portland, the Maine Department of Transportation, the Eastern Trail Alliance (via donors), the state of Maine, and the federal government, according to the Town of Scarborough. The town says the project is an accumulation of “several years of work to raise the necessary funds, complete the project design, align stakeholders, and acquire the necessary permits and land rights.” 

Phase I of the project will connect the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland across Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough. The estimated completion of this phase is October 2026. 

Phase II includes two bridges, one over the Nonesuch River and another over active railroad tracks. Completion of this phase is estimated for October 2027.