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Trip from Mexico, ME to South Portland Gardens, ME

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 42m

Distance

78.4 mi

126 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$13

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 35m ★
6 AM
1h 43m
8 AM
1h 58m
10 AM
1h 48m
12 PM
1h 46m
3 PM
1h 49m
5 PM
1h 57m
8 PM
1h 38m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Mexico, ME, ME

Mexico, ME

Osvaldo Samuel Rendon

Downtown South Portland Gardens, ME, ME

South Portland Gardens, ME

Brett Sayles

Trip Overview

The drive from Mexico, ME to South Portland Gardens, ME covers 78.4 miles and takes about 1h 42m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Maine Turnpike, Auburn Road, Washington Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.2 miles on Maine Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.62 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

39.2 miles from Mexico, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 54m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Mexico, ME to South Portland Gardens, ME covers 78.4 miles and takes about 1h 42m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Maine Turnpike is the longest continuous segment at about 28.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near ME 108 / State Route 108.

Route Complexity 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (ME 108 / State Route 108): Navigation decision point; at 41.8 miles (ME 4 / Union Street Bypass): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 75.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
1.3 mi into trip | ~3m in | ME 108 / State Route 108

At end of road, turn left onto ME 108 / State Route 108

Navigation decision point

6
41.8 mi into trip | ~57m in | ME 4 / Union Street Bypass

Keep slight right at fork onto ME 4 / Union Street Bypass

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
75.8 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in

Take the exit toward Jetport

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 46 Toward Jetport
6
76.2 mi into trip | ~1h 37m in | Skyway Drive

Turn right onto Skyway Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
76.6 mi into trip | ~1h 38m in | ME 9 / Johnson Road

Turn right onto ME 9 / Johnson Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Maine Turnpike 28.2 mi 31m
Auburn Road 19.4 mi 24m
Washington Street 4.1 mi 5m
Pleasant Street 4 mi 5m
State Route 108 3.1 mi 4m
Turner Road 3.1 mi 3m
Turner Street 3 mi 4m
Center Street 2.9 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Maine Turnpike — 28.2 mi, about 31m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mexico, ME and South Portland Gardens, ME.

1

Start on ME 17

0.3 mi · 55 sec · Roxbury Road
2

At end of road, turn left onto US 2; ME 17

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
3

Turn straight onto US 2; ME 17

0.2 mi · 31 sec · River Road
4

Turn right onto Veterans Street

0.3 mi · 32 sec · Veterans Street
5

At end of road, turn left onto ME 108

3.1 mi · 4 min · State Route 108
6

Continue on ME 108

1.2 mi · 1 min · Oxford Road
7

Continue on ME 108

6.7 mi · 9 min · Auburn Road
8

Continue on ME 108

4.0 mi · 5 min · Pleasant Street
9

Continue on ME 108

3.0 mi · 4 min · Turner Street
10

Continue on Turner Road

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Turner Road
11

Continue on ME 108

2.6 mi · 3 min · Canton Road
12

Merge onto ME 4

1.2 mi · 1 min · Federal Road
13

Continue on ME 4

13 mi · 14 min · Auburn Road
14

Continue on ME 4

2.9 mi · 3 min · Turner Road
15

Continue on ME 4

2.9 mi · 3 min · Center Street
16

Keep slight right at fork onto ME 4

0.4 mi · 30 sec · Union Street Bypass
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Continue on US 202; ME 4; ME 11; ME 100

0.7 mi · 50 sec · Minot Avenue
18

Turn slight left onto US 202; ME 4; ME 100

4.1 mi · 5 min · Washington Street
19

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
20

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
21

Merge onto I 95

7.7 mi · 8 min · Maine Turnpike
22

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95

20 mi · 22 min · Maine Turnpike
23

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 59 sec
Exit 46 Toward Jetport Use the slight right lane.
24

Turn right onto Skyway Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Skyway Drive
Use the right lane.
25

Turn right onto ME 9

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Johnson Road
Use the right lane.
26

Continue on ME 9

1.1 mi · 1 min · Western Avenue
27

Turn left onto ME 9

0.2 mi · 45 sec · Western Avenue
28

Turn left onto Westbrook Street

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Westbrook Street
29

Turn left onto Devereaux Circle

0.2 mi · 50 sec · Devereaux Circle
30

Arrive at destination

Devereaux Circle

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.2 miles from Mexico, ME, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 17 miles or 27m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 39.2 miles or 54m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Portland Gardens, ME than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Mexico, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Mexico, ME

This is one driving day of about 78.4 miles and 1h 42m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Mexico, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Maine Turnpike for about 28.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 39.2 mi from Mexico, ME · 54m into the drive

city in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lewiston, ME

39 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Canton, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lewiston, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 39.2 miles from Mexico, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in South Portland Gardens, ME

The final approach into South Portland Gardens, ME usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$12.62 one way

$25.24 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 27 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $13.89 $27.77
premium $4.86 $15.01 $30.03
diesel $5.61 $17.31 $34.62

Estimated Tolls: $1.69

Maine Turnpike (28.2 mi) $1.69

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$13

Tolls

$2

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 27.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 23.5 0 $8.23 $3.76
Efficient EV 19.6 0 $6.86 $3.14
EV Truck/SUV 31.4 0 $10.98 $5.02

Gas CO2

27 kg

EV CO2

9 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Mexico, ME

Evening in Mexico on Wednesday

Local time

8:42 PM

EDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

South Portland Gardens, ME

Evening in South Portland Gardens on Wednesday

Local time

8:42 PM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 42m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Mexico, ME to South Portland Gardens, ME covers 78.4 miles and takes about 1h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Maine Turnpike, Auburn Road, Washington Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 39.2 miles from Mexico, ME. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.62 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 78.4 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (ME 108 / State Route 108): Navigation decision point; at 41.8 miles (ME 4 / Union Street Bypass): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 75.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Mexico, ME to South Portland Gardens, ME does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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