Scarborough Connector

The Scarborough Connector, officially designated State Route 701, is a 1.77 mi freeway located in southern Maine which connects U.S. Route 1 and State Route 9 in Scarborough to Interstate 295 in South Portland. The Scarborough Connector functions as part of a bypass of South Portland and as part of a connecting route between downtown Scarborough, The Maine Mall, and the Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95).

The SR 701 designation and direction are only indicated on mileposts, which increase from north to south as opposed to the standard practice of increasing from south to north. All other signage refers only to the other routes to which it connects (I-95, I-295 and US 1). In lieu of exit numbers, SR 701 has lettered interchanges that are only indicated on gore signs and exit ramp signs.

Route description
The Scarborough Connector begins in the north as exit 2 from I-295 south in South Portland. Exit R, the only southbound exit, connects with the Maine Turnpike Approach Road (unsigned SR 703) eastbound, which provides a connection to US 1 north and downtown South Portland. The freeway crosses into Scarborough and continues south for 1.6 mi before merging directly onto US 1 south / SR 9 west towards downtown. Traffic may use the nearby intersection at Hillcrest Avenue to change direction.

In the south, the Connector begins as a left exit from US 1 north / SR 9 east and heads due north. There are two exits in the northbound direction: Exit W leads to the Maine Turnpike Approach Road (unsigned SR 703) westbound, which leads to The Maine Mall and the Maine Turnpike (I-95), and exit M connects to Broadway in downtown South Portland. The freeway then merges directly onto I-295 north towards Portland.

Except at the southern end approaching US 1 / SR 9, the Scarborough Connector has a posted speed limit of 60 mph.

History
The Scarborough Connector was originally designated as an Inventory Road, #072037, without a numeric designation. The SR 701 designation was added later and the number posted on mileposts along the highway. The SR 701 designation officially terminates northbound at the Broadway interchange, but the Inventory Road designation extends an additional 0.57 mi along the exit ramps connecting to I-295, bringing the road's overall length to 2.34 mi. However, SR 701 mileposts posted in the field include the mileage between I-295 and Broadway.

Exit list
Exits are listed in order from north to south as mileposts increase in that direction. Although the SR 701 designation does not officially extend north of the Broadway interchange, posted mileposts indicate mileage from I-295.