‘The gap is gone!’ New stretch of Eastern Trail opens 15 months early

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 7, 2026

Finally, the gap is closed. After over a decade of planning, setbacks, fundraising and permitting, the “Close the Gap” project opening a key segment of the Eastern Trail is finished, 15 months ahead of schedule. The 1.6-mile section of the Eastern Trail connecting Scarborough and South Portland opened Thursday. Closing the gap — between the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland and the Nonesuch River in Scarborough — created a continuous 16-mile trail without on-road gaps from Bug Light Park to downtown Saco. It was a long-awaited step to fully connecting the Eastern Trail, a 65-mile off-road trail from South Portland to Kittery.