SABATTUS (AP) – A Sabattus fire engine with its siren wailing became the first vehicle to travel on a new Maine Turnpike interchange after it was formally opened Friday, officials for the toll highway said.

After two years of construction at a cost of $6.4 million, Exit 86 in Sabattus opened to traffic. It is located where Interstate 95 meets state Route 9.

Androscoggin and Kennebec County motorists who have endured long, winding commutes will now be able to get to Portland, Augusta and other destinations faster thanks to the new turnpike interchange.

The exit is six miles north of the Lewiston exit and will initially serve more than 4,200 vehicles a day, said chief planner Conrad Welzel of the turnpike authority. Officials said it will provide traffic relief for many local roadways between Lewiston and Gardiner.

The new interchange also places an exit along a 22-mile stretch of turnpike between Lewiston and Gardiner, adding a safety benefit for motorists who need to leave the highway.

An expected increase in the number of vehicles the interchange will generate on roads in Sabattus, Monmouth, Litchfield and Greene has caused some concern among officials in those towns.

But supporters of the project say having the interchange might shave 10 or 15 minutes from the current commuting time to Portland or Augusta. It could also promote growth in such towns as Lisbon, Wales and Greene.

Construction on the exit began in July 2002.

The turnpike’s last two exits to be added, at Portland Jetport and Rand Road in Westbrook, were designed to accommodate high traffic volumes.

The turnpike recently completed a major project that widened the highway from two to three lanes in each direction for 30 miles between York and Scarborough.

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