YORK (AP) – Colorful foliage, sunny skies and lower gas prices were credited for a big jump in traffic on the Maine Turnpike over the Columbus Day weekend.
The number of motorists passing through the York toll plaza grew 13.6 percent compared to the same period last year, said Dan Paradee, spokesman for the turnpike authority.
All told, more than 228,000 vehicles passed through the tolls over the three-day weekend.
The Columbus Day holiday weekend has surpassed Labor Day to become the toll highway’s second-busiest holiday weekend of the year. The Fourth of July remains the busiest.
Motorists seeking out foliage for the coming weekend will find the brightest colors along the coast, according to the Maine Department of Conservation.
Forest rangers and state park workers are reporting near peak to peak color change stretching from Kittery to Eastport on the coast. Foliage across central and eastern Maine is also being reported to be at its peak color, the agency said.
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