Getting serious

It’s good that the New England governors and the Eastern Canada premiers at their 24th annual meeting in Rockport this week agreed to get serious about the region’s transportation network and its role in shaping the region’s economy. The late start, the slow approach and the clear signs of jealosy raise the question of just how serious they’re getting.

Maps, population numbers and economic data confirm the same thing — the northeast corner of this continent is a macrocosm of Maine. There are two of them and the essential difference between growth and decline is modern transportation.

What should be of great concern even to those enjoying growth is that the region’s prosperity is based primarily upon its long excellence in higher education and the intellectual products — especially of the digital variety — that result. Other regions of this country and Canada are catching up academically (Cal Tech just usurped Harvard as the nation’s top university) and seem more aware that at some point ideas get turned into products and products must get to market.

Five years into NAFTA, the only major international highway and rail route taking shape to make the concept of freer trade a reality is from central Canada through the U.S. Midwest to Mexico. A new generation of supersized cargo ships is coming and they need a place to dock. A discussion by the conferees was marred by worries that Halifax or Providence might get something Portsmouth won’t. It’s always nice to hear Gov. King tout the deep water at Eastport, but it would be nicer to hear a definite, bold and, above all, speedy plan to develop the necessary land links. By the time the task force formed by the governors and premiers to explore this vital issue reaches any conclusions, the megaships will already be tied up at Baltimore and New York/New Jersey. Just imagine the squabbling when the region gets around to talking about improving its small, crowded airports.

Even attempts to compensate for the northern Northeast’s lack of east-west highways are foundering. Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal reported on the breakdown in Maine’s plans to reopen a section of Guilford Rail System track to speed deliveries westward. Whether Maine is correct in its claim that Guilford is stalling to get a better deal or Guilford is correct that Maine changed its plans and is hung up on the historic value of railway bridges is unimportant. What is important to Journal readers is the appearance that the crucial issue of modern transportation just isn’t being taken seriously.

It is increasingly clear that the rural regions of northern New England and the Maritimes are becoming irrelevant — actually, a burden — to the region’s academic and economic centers. It is less obvious but no less true that the entire Northeast, including its academic and economic centers, are in danger of becoming irrelevant to the world. Twenty-four years of conferences haven’t helped. By giving the appearance of action, it’s not even clear that they haven’t done some harm.