PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 4, 2025
Summer traffic counts by the Maine Turnpike Authority show that the number of Canadian travelers has decreased as much as 43% on the 109-mile toll highway from Kittery to Augusta. The drop corresponds with similar declines in Canadian border crossings into Maine that have followed President Donald Trump’s political insults and tariff threats made earlier this year. While visitor numbers are up this summer at Acadia National Park and some tourist-oriented businesses have reported a strong season, in part because of mostly sunny skies throughout July and August, some in the industry worry that the loss of Canadian tourists will hurt their bottom line.