In summer of 2024, the Maine Turnpike Authority hired Peak Insights, a marketing company, to conduct an opinion poll regarding local public attitudes toward the planned Gorham Connector project. The Turnpike Authority released the results of the poll to the public in late January.

350 people were interviewed by phone over a three-day period in mid-August. All were residents of the cities and towns in York and Cumberland Counties which were believed to be the most affected by the turnpike expansion.

The marketing firm divided the cities and towns that it polled into three groups.

“Tier One” communities are those which the Connector route would directly pass through. These are: Gorham, Scarborough, South Portland, and Westbrook.

“Tier Two” communities are those whose residents are most likely to see their commute times improved by the completion of the Connector project. These are: Buxton, Dayton, Hollis, Limington, Standish, and Windham.

“Tier Three” communities also have a certain number of residents whose commute times would be improved, but not as high a percentage as Tier Two. These are: Limerick, Lyman, Portland, Saco, Sebago, and Waterboro.

Here are some of the top findings from the poll:

A majority of overall respondents expressed opposition to the Connector project (44%), while 40% supported it at some level.

Residents of the four core communities of Gorham, Westbrook, Scarborough, and South Portland opposed the project by 48% to 40%.

Respondents from more rural Tier Two opposed the project, by 54% to 32%. Respondents from Tier Three favored building the Connector, by 44% to 37%.

Regarding their general opinions about the Maine Department of Transportation, 52% of respondents said they had a favorable opinion, 14% had a negative opinion, and 34% did not express an opinion.

Regarding their general opinions about the Maine Turnpike Authority, 49% of respondents said they had a favorable opinion, 18% had a negative opinion, and 33 % did not express an opinion.

68% of respondents rated roads in their local area as fair to poor, while 31% rated the roads as good or excellent.

34% of respondents said they commute by car to work or school somewhere in Greater Portland three or four days per week; 16% commute one to three times per week, and 50% do not commute weekly.

49% of respondents described the commuter traffic conditions that they typically experience as “moderate and tolerable”; 35% described conditions as “heavy and frustrating”; and 11% described traffic as “light and easy”.

49% of Respondents in Tier One described commuter traffic as “heavy and frustrating”, compared with 35% in Tier Two, and 29% in Tier Three.

61% of respondents agreed with the statement “We might need to build new roads to improve traffic flow, but we also need to find alternative ways for commuters to travel.”

19% agreed with “We need to build new roads to improve traffic flow.”

16% agreed with the statement that “We need to stop building roads.”

When respondents were presented with the statement and question “Traffic engineers estimate that commuters could save at least 10 minutes one-way on the Gorham Connector. Does that change your opinion?”

86% agreed with “No, that doesn’t matter to me”

6% agreed with “Yes, saving 10 minutes each way a day is a benefit worth having”

3% agreed with “Maybe, but I’d need more information.”

By a margin of 63% to 28% respondents said they would not be more likely to support the Connector proposal if the project included investments in transit, bike lanes, and other alternative modes of transportation.