WINDHAM – Thanks to the Maine Legislature’s recent overhaul of rules governing signage along Interstate 95, the town of Windham will soon be listed on the large, green “Gray-New Gloucester” signs approaching Exit 63 of the Maine Turnpike.

In response to requests from the Legislature’s Transportation Committee and the federal government, the Legislature passed a statute, L.D. 1831, on April 16 that generally aligns Maine’s interstate signage statute with Federal Highway Administration standards. It is unclear when the sign will be updated, officials said.

The statute changed the rules for interchange guide signs, which primarily display “the municipality in which the exit is located or the street name or route adjacent to the exit, or both.” Exit 63 of the Maine Turnpike is located in downtown Gray. The signs, located about a mile from the exit, now list Gray, New Gloucester, and routes 202, 115, 4 and 26.

The new rules also changed the standards for how the Maine Turnpike Authority, which maintains Interstate 95 from York to Gardiner, selects the “secondary destination” that is placed on the sign. The rules give preference to “major destinations” with large populations within 10 miles of the exit.

According to Rep. Wayne Parry, R-Arundel, the minority leader on the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, Windham will soon appear on the Exit 63 interchange guide sign on I-95 North and I-95 South. It is unclear what will happen to New Gloucester, Parry said. On I-95 South, New Gloucester’s name could either remain on the sign, be moved to a supplemental guide sign, or join Auburn at Exit 75.

“I’m guessing that New Gloucester will probably go on the Auburn sign coming south, because you basically get off the Auburn exit, and you take a right, and you’re in New Gloucester,” Parry said.

On I-95 North, Parry said, the interchange guide sign will likely feature the names of Gray, Windham and New Gloucester.

Windham town officials applauded the development.

“Windham is consistently the 12th to 13th most populous community in the state, and we occupy a position as an important sub-regional service center in Greater Portland and the Lakes Region area,” said Town Manager Tony Plante. “I think it’s about time people started recognizing that.”

According to Tom Bartell, the executive director of the Windham Economic Development Corporation, town officials have been lobbying the turnpike authority to include Windham on interstate signage for a long time.

“I think we’ve been trying for decades to do that,” Bartell said. “As the gateway to the Lakes Region we need to let people know how to get to us. It’s good news.”

In a press release from Maine Senate Republicans, Gary Plummer (R-Cumberland) and Tom Tyler (R-Windham) are given a measure of credit for the sign change.

“The two Windham legislators have worked closely with the Legislature’s transportation committee to assure that this change will happen,” the press release reads. “They participated behind the scenes with Rep. Wayne Parry, R-Arundel, who serves on the transportation committee and grew up in Windham.”

In an interview, Plummer said that Parry had driven the sign change onto the agenda.

“I had heard that they were going to be removing some names and adding some others so I talked with Wayne and then eventually Tom Tyler,” Plummer said. “Wayne was the driving force behind it.”

“I’d guess you could say there was a little nudging behind the scenes,” Plummer added. “But it really did seem to make sense.”

According to Peter Mills, the executive director of the Turnpike Authority, placing Windham on a turnpike sign was sensible, given the new rules.

“Windham is a major destination,” Mills said. “This wasn’t done for political reasons. This was done because they’re a huge destination.”

Parry, who said he likes to look out for his hometown’s interests, said that he had lobbied for the change.

“As soon as we started talking about it, I mentioned about Windham, and they said, ‘Yeah that’s one we have to look at it,’ ” Parry said. “The turnpike agreed that that was one that should go on the pike because of the population, because they qualify under the new formula.”

According to Plante, the new sign could be a benefit to the town.

“People make a point of saying it’s nice to be a well-kept secret, but in this case we think it’s better for Windham’s name to be out there,” Plante said. “I think it’s about time.”