ME-9 — The Airline

The eastern section of Maine State Route 9 from Bangor to Calais — known since the 1850s as 'The Airline' for being the shortest overland route between the two cities, saving roughly 60 miles over coastal US-1. The road cuts through one of the most remote stretches of pavement in the Northeast: Hancock and Washington counties' unbroken boreal forest, with long sweeping curves, minimal services, and almost no traffic. The isolation is genuine — cell coverage disappears for extended stretches. Communities en route include Clifton, Aurora, Beddington, Wesley, Crawford, and Alexander. Fuel up before departing Bangor; the next reliable pump is well into Washington County.