This Has to Be the Most Stressful On-Ramp in Portland, Maine

I take pride in my driving capabilities. Since I got behind the wheel, I have bragged about what a smart and defensive driver I am and I will die on that hill.

I don’t typically get stressed out driving but there is one section of Portland that drives me absolutely nuts.

Exit 5 Northbound On-Ramp in Portland, Maine

Nothing irks me more than people who don’t know how to merge. The other day as I was merging on the highway, a woman got mad at me for going in front of her when she was camped out in the right lane.

Um, excuse me, woman! You need to move over and let me on!

Anyway, that’s beside the main point I’m trying to make here. All I’m here to do is complain about the Exit 5 on-ramp going North on 295.

When heading North on 295 off of Congress Street, the merge on the highway is more stressful than it needs to be. Rather than merging directly onto the highway, you first have to merge into a different on-ramp that’s leading to Exit 5B and then eventually move over to the actual highway.

When looking over your shoulder to merge, it’s often difficult to decipher if a car coming up behind you is on the main highway portion or if they are about to gain speed up onto you on that weird side road. Can I merge? Can I go right now? I always overthink it.

We’ve got some great, simple infrastructure here in our little city but this on-ramp freaks me out.

Am I the only one?!