Construction only small bump in exodus of Labor Day traffic

Tourists streamed out of Maine by the thousands Monday as the Labor Day holiday that marks the unofficial end of summer and the last weekend of freedom for many schoolchildren drew to an uneventful conclusion.

Motorists trying to leave the state faced a mile-long backup at the York Toll Plaza, then a three-mile backup at the New Hampshire border because of construction work on the bridge spanning the Piscataqua River.

But those backups were nothing out of the ordinary – they happen every Labor Day.

Altogether, the Maine Turnpike Authority expected 650,000 motorists to travel on the toll road over the holiday weekend, helping the turnpike to break travel records despite heavy construction during the widening project.

“Our engineers, contractors and state police deserve enormous credit for keeping traffic moving,” Executive Director Paul E. Violette said.

For the most part, the holiday weekend was a safe one. One exception was in Ellsworth, where a pedestrian was killed Saturday on U.S. Route 1.

Families gathered for cookouts, headed onto the water or engaged in other outdoor activities to take advantage of sunny skies.

Few people probably stopped to ponder the meaning of the holiday, which dates to 1884 when the Knights of Labor designated the first Monday in September as Labor Day during a celebration and parade honoring the working class.

Oregon, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey declared it a state holiday in 1887. Maine did so in 1891.

Several studies released just in time for Labor Day 2001 indicated Maine workers were in need of a raise after several years of stagnant wages. From 1997 to 1999, median household income in Maine was $36,459, up only 1.9 percent. Nationally, it was up 2.7 percent.

Also, the unemployment rate was inching upward. State figures show 5,689 workers in Maine have been laid off by 109 companies. Another 250 will lose their jobs by November, because of the announcement last week that Prime Tanning in Berwick is closing after 68 years there.

A bright spot was a survey by the Maine Department of Labor’s Labor Market Information Services. It showed the majority of full-time workers were getting more perks like paid holidays, vacation and sick leave than what many analysts thought they were getting.

The extra paid vacations will be important to some workers this fall, when many people come to Maine for the fall foliage.

Travel officials are already promoting fall foliage. On Thursday, Gov. Angus King will unveil the state’s fall foliage campaign designed to lure travelers north to see the kaleidoscopic colors.

“Mark your calendars and plan ahead,” said Mel Allen, Yankee magazine’s travel editor. Autumn officially begins 18 days from today. Yankee is predicting peak foliage about three weeks from now in northern Maine.