Highway across Maine

Portland Rep. Michael Saxl recently pointed out at a meeting on Maine’s economy what representatives from the northern half of the state have been saying all year: this is a uniquely favorable time for Maine to act seriously toward building an east-west highway. Rep. Saxl, a former Bangor resident, knows that unless Maine acts soon, it could be condemning this region to further job and population losses that will hurt the entire state.

Maine has traditionally looked south for trade and jobs, but the state’s strong cultural and economic ties to Canada make a highway cutting across the state and linking this region to its northern neighbor vital. The markets are there: Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton and Halifax to the east, Montreal and Quebec to the west. Rather than apologizing to Boston for being so far away, this region can look to Canadian cities that do not view everything this side of Portland as the Great White North.

A well-maintained highway that ran from Calais, through Brewer and Bangor, to Skowhegan and to Maine’s western border would make that happen. The attraction of the highway for Canadian businesses is the chance to avoid taking the long route around the border of Maine. So where, precisely, the route would begin and end ought to be based on Canadian highway development and population centers. Calais makes sense as the eastern terminus because of the improvements to Route 1 between St. Stephen and Saint John. On the western side, Maine should look to make the most direct connection with Montreal.

This is a long-term, billion-dollar project that could take decades to complete, but now is the time to begin. Rep. Saxl observed that state bonds currently are at a desirable 4.9 percent interest rate, and that the project could be funded by a 3-cent-per-gallon hike in the gasoline tax. The specific funding mechanism is important and finding it will make for a lively debate in the Legislature; the crucial thing now is to make a commitment to building this development tool before the economic health of the region is sapped away.

Maine’s economy has picked up steam in the last year, but the state continues to be led by the activity of Southern New England and New York. If it is to have greater independence, it needs to expand its economic relationship with Canada. The highway is the road that will take the state there.