Gas Up First: Maine Turnpike To Close Gray Service Plazas For Renovations

If you plan on hitting the turnpike for a long distance, better gas up and fill your belly before hitting the road because the service plazas that exist in Gray and Cumberland are set to be closed down for renovations. According to the Portland Press Herald, those service plazas are set to be closed down for 9 weeks starting Monday, so that a new tenant can be put in place.

That tenant is Burger King, once a longtime resident of all of the Maine Turnpike's service plazas. Burger King's return will mean an exit for Starbucks, which hasn't found popularity at the Gray/Cumberland service plazas. The Burger King will also be a 24-hour operation. During the 9 week stretch of renovations, all gas pumps and bathrooms will be closed down to accommodate the construction crews as well as the safety of motorists.

That leaves turnpike drivers will a 77 mile stretch where there will be no opportunity to gas up or fill up on food without exiting the turnpike all together. The service plazas in West Gardiner and Kennebunk have no plans to shut down. The turnpike hopes to complete all renovations to the Gray/Cumberland service plazas by Memorial Day to best accommodate tourists.