A brand new exit in Saco could be open by next week.

Last week, the Maine Turnpike Authority, Maine Department of Transportation and the city of Saco celebrated the completion of Exit 35, which was built to help traffic coming from west of Saco get onto the turnpike more efficiently.

Contractors, legislators, and officials from Saco attended a ribbon cutting to thank partners and neighbors involved in the $42 million project, MTA Director of Communications Rebecca Grover said.

“That went great,” Grover said. “That was a good opportunity to thank everyone.”

The exit is the product of a study done in 2019, and was funded by the MTA, with all money coming from tolls. The project began in 2023, and the exit is scheduled to be open as early as Monday, Nov. 3.

“The plan right now is for the Monday morning commute next week,” Grover said. “They’re still finishing things like striping, but hopefully, the exit will be open next week.”

Although the exit will look very similar to other exits on the turnpike, there will be a few differences.

The most prominent difference is a road that separates traffic from the exit to eliminate dangerous weaving, a feature that the MTA has never implemented before.

“That road is built there to take away the danger, even though Exit 35 and Exit 36 are very close together,” Grover said. “It’s most similar to the jetport exit, which is Exit 46.”

With a new traffic pattern and new signals at Exit 35, Grover asks drivers to be cautious when using the interchange next week.

“Take it slow,” Grover said. “Read the signs as you get used to the new exit.”