diff --git a/WebContent/OSRM.config.js b/WebContent/OSRM.config.js
index 2aff5eaba..22cbeae83 100644
--- a/WebContent/OSRM.config.js
+++ b/WebContent/OSRM.config.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ or see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.txt.
 // [has to be loaded directly after OSRM.base]
 
 OSRM.DEFAULTS = {
+	MAINTENANCE: true,
 	HOST_ROUTING_URL: 'http://router.project-osrm.org/viaroute',
 	HOST_SHORTENER_URL: 'http://map.project-osrm.org/shorten/',
 	HOST_TIMESTAMP_URL: 'http://router.project-osrm.org/timestamp',
diff --git a/WebContent/main.css b/WebContent/main.css
index e7ec3aed2..14f2317af 100644
--- a/WebContent/main.css
+++ b/WebContent/main.css
@@ -425,6 +425,32 @@ html, body {
 	width:390px;
 	height:80px;	
 }
+#notification-wrapper
+{
+	width:600px;
+	height:170px;
+	top: 50%;
+	left: 50%;
+	margin-top:-85px;
+	margin-left:-300px;
+}
+#notification-content
+{
+	width:580px;
+	height:150px;
+}
+#notification-blanket
+{
+	position:absolute;
+	top:0px;
+	left:0px;
+	width:100%;
+	height:100%;
+	background-color:#666666;
+	background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25);
+	z-index:100;
+	display:none;
+}
 
 
 /* styles for content of other gui boxes */
@@ -458,6 +484,10 @@ html, body {
 {
 	float: right;
 }
+#notification-box
+{
+	margin:5px 5px 5px 5px;
+}
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------ */
 
diff --git a/WebContent/main.html b/WebContent/main.html
index 11fc63f4b..ef75ec919 100644
--- a/WebContent/main.html
+++ b/WebContent/main.html
@@ -86,6 +86,31 @@ or see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.txt.
 <!-- map -->
 <div id="map"></div>
 
+<!-- notification -->
+<div id="notification-blanket">
+<div id="notification-wrapper" class="box-wrapper not-selectable">
+<div id="notification-content" class="box-content">
+	<!-- header -->
+	<div id="notification-toggle" class="iconic-button cancel-marker top-right-button"></div>
+	<div id="gui-notification-label" class="box-label">Scheduled Maintenance</div>
+
+	<!-- notification text -->
+	<div id="notification-box">
+	The OSRM Website is down for a scheduled maintenance. Please be patient while required updates are performed. 
+	The site will be back online shortly.
+	<br/>
+	<br/>
+	In the meantime you may want to go out an map a friendly neighborhood near you...
+	<br/>
+	<br/>	
+	<br/>
+	<br/>
+	[OSRM]
+	</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
 <!-- config gui -->
 <div id="config-wrapper" class="box-wrapper not-selectable">
 <div id="config-content" class="box-content">
diff --git a/WebContent/main.js b/WebContent/main.js
index 129d1de04..e2b75e1f8 100644
--- a/WebContent/main.js
+++ b/WebContent/main.js
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ OSRM.init = function() {
 	OSRM.Printing.init();
 	OSRM.Routing.init();
 	
+	// stop if in maintenance mode
+	if( OSRM.inMaintenance() == true )
+		return;
+	
  	// check if the URL contains some GET parameter, e.g. for showing a route
  	OSRM.parseParameters();
  
@@ -263,5 +267,15 @@ OSRM.parseParameters = function(){
 };
 
 
+// check whether to activate maintenance mode
+OSRM.inMaintenance = function(){
+	if( OSRM.DEFAULTS.MAINTENANCE == true ) {
+		document.getElementById('notification-blanket').style.display = "block";
+		document.getElementById('notification-toggle').style.display = "none";
+		return true;
+	}
+	return false;
+};
+
 // onload event
 OSRM.Browser.onLoadHandler( OSRM.init );
\ No newline at end of file