PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Memorial Day weekend travel on the Maine Turnpike was lower than expected, falling short of the previous record.
Memorial Day weekend toll transactions were about 7% lower than in 2019, a record-setting year for the turnpike with over 1 million toll transactions, the Portland Press Herald reported.
The Maine Turnpike Authority had projected more than 1.4 million transactions over the most recent holiday weekend.
Record-high gas prices and unsettled weather in some areas likely played a role in lighter-than-expected travel, said Doug Davidson, chief financial officer of the Maine Turnpike Authority.
Memorial Day is the traditional start of Maine’s summer tourism season, but traffic is heavier on weekends in August and on Labor Day.
