Maine State Route 11
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Termini and Mileage (2006)	Termini Main alignment: End of CARL BROGGI HWY, Lebanon to Int of RTE 1, RTE 11, BLOC, Fort Kent Mileage Main alignment: 401.2 miles (total over all segments)
Regional and National Route Information	History as Pole Highway (1919-1925) As designated after the Maine Great Renumbering, the portion between Naples and Poland was the Green Poland Springs-White Mountain Trail (formerly part of ME 116), and the portions cosigned with ME 100 between Fairfield and Pittsfield (later Newport after the realignment of US 2) were part of the White - Blue Aroostock Trail. History as New England Interstate (1925) ME 11 between the New Hampshire state line and downtown Sanford was part of NEI 11; the routing from there to Alfred became ME 4 (later ME 4A, now ME 4A/US 202), and from Alfred to Biddeford as ME 111. Also see ME 100 for ME 11's shared routing in Pittsfield, which was also part of NEI 15 (now mostly US 2).
Notes and History	ME 11 is Maine's longest non-US highway, running from New Hampshire almost all the way to Canada (terminating just shy of it at US 1/ME 161). As with ME 9, ME 11 started life as a relatively minor interstate arterial, entering Maine at Lebanon and terminating in Biddeford at NEI 1 (now US 1), corresponding to former lettered highway U (but see also ME 208). Within little under a decade, however, this minor routing would be expanded into the state's second major north-south arterial; in fact, particularly for "the county" (Aroostock) and points north, it is the only regional arterial for great distances in any direction. Running at an oblique trajectory from the southwestern region and the New Hampshire state line up to Fort Kent, it acts as an important vertical plumbline along which many small settlements are clustered. Again, as with ME 9, ME 11 only achieved its current length after the Maine Great Renumbering. Splitting its routing at Sanford (the remainder going to ME 4 and later ME 4A, with the portion east of Alfred becoming a reincarnated ME 111), it proceeded northwest with ME 109 to Emery Mills, up new routing to Shapleigh, along the old routing of ME 203 to West Newfield, then old ME 110 to ME 25 near Limington, new routing to ME 113 near Steep Falls, along ME 113 and then up new routing to ME 114 on the west side of Sebago Lake, up ME 114 to Naples, along the old routing of ME 116 to Mechanic Falls, along ME 121 into Auburn, and up almost all of the extended ME 100 to Augusta. North of Augusta, ME 11 followed the old ME 100 alignment (former lettered highway G) along a portion of modern ME 104 and what is now also signed Old Belgrade Rd to Waterville via Oakland and Belgrade, then to Corinna via Pittsfield, on new routing with new ME 43 to Corinth, then up new ME 15 to Charleston, new routing to LaGrange via Bradford, from there the extended ME 100 once again to US 2, and from there on the routing of former lettered highway K: up US 2 to Mattawamkeag, along ME 157 to Medway, the entirety of old ME 211 to near Sherman Station, and finally from there almost all of old ME 158 to Fort Kent. In this initial form, ME 11 served a more eastern population and left the older routes to service the central part of the state and only small changes altered the routing (most notably the adjustment of ME 11 and ME 27 off the Old Belgrade Rd north of Augusta to its present routing 1934-43; the remainder is no longer numbered highway except for the small ME 104 portion). However, after ME 16 was cut back in 1949, ME 11 was shifted off US 2 between West Enfield and Lincoln replaced with ME 6 and placed on the old ME 16 routing (itself partially ME 172) via Enfield, continuing north of Lincoln on US 2 as it did before. In 1955, this routing received its largest change when it was given another western shift, directly routing north through Milo on new alignment into Millinocket, taking over ME 221 north of Charleston in the process and leaving the former Enfield alignment to ME 155. Otherwise, it remained essentially unchanged since that point until the early 1980s when ME 11 was re-routed along a bypass alignment in Charleston (leaving the old road as ME 11A), finally leaving the old alignment that was cosigned with ME 15 during the days of ME 15A. This seems to have occurred around 1984-5. See ME 11A for the respective alignments. ME 11 and ME 100 are routed with US 202 for a significant distance between Auburn-Lewiston and Augusta; portions of this routing are realigned along expressway. See US 202 for more information. JP Kirby mentions a Business 11 in Millinocket south along Penobscot St to Poplar St, and thence to mainline ME 11. This does not appear on any of my maps nor in my MDOT route logs going back to the 1930s; it does not appear to be part of ME 11S. In Aroostock county, ME 11 is designated as the Aroostock Scenic Highway. ME 11 is a multi-state route with New Hampshire; see also ME 4, ME 9, ME 16, ME 25, ME 26, ME 109 and ME 110. See also ME 11A and ME 11S.
Archival Photographs
ME 11 and ME 121 in Mechanic Falls, westbound (the sign at right says "Lewiston, Auburn, Augusta, [unintelligible]" and a right arrow), in the 1940s. This is just west of the old truss bridge over the Little Androscoggin River. Compare this with the next photograph, in particular the Rexall Drug sign which we will use as a reference point. (Private photographer in author's collection.) ME 11 and ME 121 in Mechanic Falls, eastbound, in the 1940s. Note where the Rexall Drug sign is (at the Merrill & Denning drug store): in this view, we are looking at the other side. The old truss bridge over the Little Androscoggin River is visible here; it was replaced by the present-day 1949 concrete bridge which is itself structurally inadequate and scheduled for replacement yet again. (Private photographer in author's collection.) Enlargement showing US 302 and ME 11 in Naples, in the 1940s. Both shields can be seen on the left side of the road. (Private photographer in author's collection.) Old signage for ME 8, ME 11 and ME 27 along I-95 in Augusta (Highway News 9/60). Note that on the older guide signs there is no white background fill for the state shields. Part of the I-95 interchange for ME 11/ME 17/ME 100/US 202 along Western Avenue in Augusta (Highway News 9/60). This is just after exiting the Interstate on the approach road facing north.
Additional Photographs
ME 11A southern terminus at the ME 11 bend. This was also ME 15 until the completion of ME 15A. ME 11 at modern ME 15, former ME 15A. Previously, ME 15 was co-routed along ME 11 north (this picture faces south) into Charleston; ME 15A was built heading off to the right. ME 15 was subsequently transferred to ME 15A and the alternate designation was removed. ME 11, ME 15 and ME 43 co-signed in Corinth (the trunkline being SB ME 15). ME 8, ME 11 and ME 27 cosigned in Augusta. ME 11, ME 17, ME 100 and US 202 cosigned in Augusta.
Additional Resources	Maine Highway 11 (JP Kirby)

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