Calais / Saint Stephen – International Avenue, Route 1, Maine Route 9 / New Brunswick Route 1
This new bridge was opened in 2010 to relieve the heavy traffic and extensive delays that existed at the nearby border crossings at Milltown and Ferry Point. These crossings combined to form the 8th busiest commercial crossing along the U.S and Canadian border, with delays of up to 2 hours.
In Maine, the bridge connects to Maine State Route 9, which in turn links to Interstate 95 in Bangor. On the New Brunswick side, the bridge connects to a four-lane segment of New Brunswick Route 1. All commercial traffic is required to use this new crossing, and any commercial vehicle that arrives at either the Ferry Point or Milltown will be turned around. The older border crossings remain open for passenger vehicles. The Canadian CBSA calls this port the “St. Stephen 3rd Bridge” while U.S. Customs calls it the “International Avenue” crossing.
Before heading to the border, be sure to review our pages on preparing for customs and prohibited items.
International Avenue Port Information
- Hours of operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round for both autos and commercial traffic.
- FAST equipped.
- This port has NEXUS lanes for entering the U.S. or Canada. Nexus lanes are not typically open 24/7, so we have a separate page showing their hours of operation.
- From New Brunswick, you access the new port via a four-lane highway through St. Stephen. Heading towards Canada from the United States, you access the Canadian facility via a roundabout on US Route 1.
- On the U.S. side, there are three lanes to process commercial trucks with drive-through cargo-scanning technology, as well as six bays, allowing cargo to be unloaded, examined and reloaded quickly. Private vehicles can choose one of six lanes.
Current Traffic at the Calais Border Crossing
Always check our page with current traffic, road conditions, and border wait times to see what’s happening right now at the Calais / International Avenue border crossing.
Travel Tips – International Avenue Border Crossing
- Be careful when entering the roundabout on the U.S. side of the border on Hwy 1. Cars already in the roundabout have the right of way, and motorists have been cited for failure to respect this.
- RV travelers should note that this newer crossing has a lot more room than the older ports.
- There are nearby gas stations on the U.S. side of the border.
- Road condition and traffic updates
- You can get Maine road advisories and construction information 24/7 by calling 5-1-1 or 866-282-7578.
- New Brunswick is also part of the 511 system, so you can obtain similar information by calling 511 from within the province, or 800-561-4063 from anywhere else in North America.
- Remember to check this page for real-time traffic and weather information.
- There is a Duty Free Americas shop at 40 Main Street Suite 2, Calais, Maine. Telephone: (207) 454-3476
- Calais / International Avenue Port GPS coordinates – Latitude & Longitude: 45.161111, -67.302222
Map of the Calais Border Crossing Area
Telephone Numbers for the Border Customs Offices at International Avenue Border Crossing
- International Avenue U.S. customs office telephone number: (207) 904-3000
- To contact Canadian customs or other border patrol services at the Calais International Avenue port, call the Canadian Border Information Service (BIS), which can answer your questions or transfer you directly to the Canadian port.