Multiple Portland, Maine Streets Will Be Inaccessible Over the Next Few Days

Portland Traffic Patterns

It’s never an easy go when it comes to traffic it seems. Especially in Portland and surrounding areas. Especially with nonstop various construction projects happening.
Today (Wednesday, July 13, 2022), there are various road closures throughout Portland. Some last just the afternoon, some well into the evening, and some even last until this Friday.

Annual National Governors Association summer meeting

Every summer, a majority of U.S. Governors gather to discuss different policies to either ratify, continue, or end. This year’s summer meeting is happening here in Portland for the first time in almost 40 years, with the last meeting being held here in 1983, according to CBS 13.

Originally, the annual summer meeting was supposed to happen in Portland back in 2020, but, ya know, pandemic and such. It’ll last from today through Friday.

Multiple Portland road closures over the next couple days

Because of the annual summer meeting, Portland is going to see a slew of road closures today through Friday. Today from 3p-7p, Commercial Street will be closed off to vehicles between Pearl Street and Franklin Street. In addition, today from 4p-11p, the intersections of Fore Street and Hancock Street, India Street and Thames Street, and Fore Street and Freedom Way will be closed to vehicles.

However, all of those roads and intersections will be re-opened either later this evening or much later on tonight, with access remaining in place for the rest of the week and summer meeting.

Starting tomorrow morning at 5a (Thursday, July 14) and lasting through Friday at 3p, Spring Street will be closed to traffic. During the same time period, Oak Street will be closed between Free Street and Spring Street.

Thankfully, by early afternoon on Friday, all of the road closures will be finished, just in time for the influx of tourists for the weekend. It could be worse, though. At least this didn’t happen during the Fourth of July Weekend.