An advisory committee says traffic on a busy highway in the Portland area could routinely grind to a standstill in coming years if the road is not expanded.
The Portland Press Herald reports that the committee examined 15 different options to reduce congestion on the 11-mile stretch of the Maine Turnpike between South Portland and Falmouth.
A draft of the committee's report says expanding the road from four lanes to six is the only way to fully address the issue. They also considered other options, like encouraging carpooling or making it more expensive to use the turnpike during peak traffic hours.
The committee estimated widening the road would cost more than $140 million. The group's final report is expected in July.