The growing momentum for an east-west highway has found a strong supporter in Jim Longley, GOP candidate for governor and thorn in the side of the incumbent. Mr. Longley’s enthusiasm for the project is the kind of response east-west promoters have been looking for, in vain, from Gov. Angus King for more than a year.

The Longley campaign places “aggressive support for an east-west highway” among such transportation priorities as highway maintenance and continuing I-95 beyond Houlton. Until the current use and economic studies are completed, no one will know specifically what shape the highway would take, but without strong support for the idea of the highway, the project will die just as surely as previous attempts to build it succumbed.

Rather than hemming and hawing about the mysteries of road-building in the late 20th century, a preoccupation of the state Department of Transportation, Mr. Longley goes right to the details of building an east-west highway. He offers four points for consideration.

The project may need to be done in two phases: New Brunswick to Bangor, then Bangor to the western state border. But delays in one project should not delay the other.

He would support routes that followed either Route 9 or Route 6, whichever offered the strongest, immediate and long-term economic benefit.

The Canadians need to help. “I have no interest,” he said, “in improving Maine roads if there is not clear evidence that Maine will economically benefit, and while I believe that it will, there is a need for some clear assurances from Canada that the end result will not just be more efforts by New Brunswick or Quebec to maintain the existing, one-sided economic relationship.”

Find an effective way to pay for it, including federal support and possibly tolls.

Jim Longley doesn’t have all the answers about the east-west highway, but, if elected, his support would get the right questions asked. That’s all highway promoters have asked of the current governor, who acts as if he wishes the subject would just go away.