From FirstPark, you can get anywhere. With direct interstate access, nearby rail and air freight, and convenient connections north to Canada and throughout New England make it easy for your team to get where it needs to go — and your products to reach customers quickly and efficiently.
Highway
Interstate 95 borders FirstPark directly to the east, with the park entrance just off Exit 127 on Kennedy Memorial Drive — only 0.2 miles from the interstate. I-95 connects north to Canada and south to Portland, Boston, Providence, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington. FirstPark is among the first areas of development accessible from I-95 entering the U.S. from Canada, making it a natural gateway location for cross-border commerce.
| Destination | Miles | Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta, ME | 15 | 20 min |
| Waterville, ME | 5 | 10 min |
| Bangor, ME | 60 | 1 hr |
| Portland, ME | 75 | 1 hr 15 min |
| Canadian border (Houlton) | 170 | 2 hr 40 min |
| Boston, MA | 180 | 3 hr |
| New York, NY | 390 | 6 hr 15 min |
Mid-Maine region transportation overview. View interactive map with transportation pins ↗
Air Freight
DHL, FedEx, and UPS all provide air freight service to the region. Three airports serve air cargo needs at different scales:
Bangor International Airport (BGR)
Bangor International Airport specializes in cargo origination and receipt and is capable of handling any commercial cargo carrier currently operating. BGR offers:
- 24-hour federal inspection services as a U.S. Port of Entry
- All-weather access via a CAT III, 11,440 ft. runway
- 12 million sq. ft. of ramp space and 20,000 sq. ft. of heated cargo storage
- Low-cost all-inclusive ground and cargo handling with no hidden fees or surcharges
- Immediate access to the eastern seaboard highway network
- Foreign Trade Zone designation
- 60 miles, about 1 hour from FirstPark
- Passenger airlines: Allegiant, American, Delta, United
Portland International Jetport (PWM)
Portland International Jetport handles more than 20 million pounds of air cargo annually. Air freight providers at PWM include Portland Air Freight and Telford Group. PWM is approximately 75 miles (about 1 hour 15 minutes) from FirstPark, with passenger service from American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Breeze Airways, and Sun Country Airlines.
Waterville Robert LaFleur Airport (WVL)
Waterville Robert LaFleur Airport is the local general aviation facility, minutes from FirstPark. Services include flight instruction, charter, aircraft maintenance, deicing, and fuel (100LL and Jet-A). Runway: 5,500 x 100 ft. There is no scheduled passenger airline service at WVL.
Foreign Trade Zone 186
FirstPark is located within Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) 186 — a federal designation that gives businesses operating here the ability to defer, reduce, or eliminate U.S. Customs duties on imported and exported goods. This status is built into the park’s location; no separate zone application is required.
Benefits include:
- Deferral of duties until goods enter U.S. commerce
- Duty reduction on goods manufactured or processed within the zone
- Elimination of duties on goods re-exported without entering U.S. commerce
- Reduced customs processing time and administrative costs via weekly entry procedures
- Access to Maine’s deep-water ports and European markets
FTZ 186 is administered by the Maine Port Authority.
Commercial Air Service
Commercial air service is available via Portland International Jetport and Bangor International Airport.
Portland (PWM) set an all-time passenger record in 2025, with nine airlines serving 27 non-stop destinations. Current carriers include American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Breeze Airways, and Sun Country Airlines. Non-stop destinations include New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta, and Fort Lauderdale, with non-stop service to San Francisco and Los Angeles launching summer 2026.
Bangor (BGR) offers up to 20 flights per day via Allegiant, American, Delta, and United, with non-stop service to New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Boston, and Florida.
Ports and Maritime
The Maine Port Authority operates the International Marine Terminal in Portland — Maine’s primary deep-water container and bulk cargo facility, with intermodal connections to rail, maritime, and truck services. The terminal handles international container and Ro/Ro traffic and is served by Eimskip, providing direct liner service to Iceland and Northern Europe.
The Port of Searsport, one of the deepest natural harbors on the East Coast, handles bulk cargo including forest products, salt, and petroleum.
Rail Freight
The Waterville rail yard at 55 College Ave. — just minutes from FirstPark — is now part of the CSX network following CSX’s acquisition of Pan Am Railways in June 2022. CSX operates nearly 20,000 route-miles across 26 states, with connections to CN, CP, Norfolk Southern, and other Class I systems serving every major eastern U.S. market.
Since the acquisition, CSX has invested more than $100 million in upgrading infrastructure across the former Pan Am network in New England, including a $35 million+ mainline improvement project covering 75 miles between Yarmouth and Waterville. Businesses interested in rail freight access should contact CSX customer service.