AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A report by an environmental group calls the proposed east-west highway across Maine one of the worst transportation projects in the United States.
The Sierra Club report released Tuesday, which examines 50 of the country's best and worst transportation projects, says the privately run, four-lane toll highway cutting through the Maine woods would have negative impacts on air and water quality and critical wildlife habitat. It says a freight rail line parallel to the proposed route could reduce vehicle miles traveled and redirect public investments toward passenger and commuter rail.
The report notes that similar highway proposals have been studied and rejected numerous times in the past.
A financial feasibility study by the Maine Department of Transportation awaits proposals showing where the east-west highway's connections to existing highways would be.
MDOT spokesman Ted Talbot said the state was still awaiting specifics including where the proposed highway would connect to existing Maine roads. He said Tuesday the department did not have a time frame or deadline for that information.
"Until we see those we can't do a reliable feasibility study," Talbot said.
The leading supporter of the project, Peter Vigue, chairman of the Cianbro Corp. construction company in Maine, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on the report. But he told lawmakers earlier this year that the highway route would revitalize Maine ports and rail systems, create jobs and open Maine industries to global trade while opening up a long-term utility and communications corridor.
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I always get a kick out of.....
I always get a kick out of these "Sierra"types when they make their decisions. These people have obviously never tried and succeeded at driving across Northern Maine, down and west to Vermont, at night and in a tractor trailer. Just for fun, lets throw in a snow storm. That alone may add ten hours onto the trip.
These well minded individuals, don't seem to realize that there are actually towns out there. There are stores everywhere, not big ones, but a lot of them. These people actually need furniture, heating oil, food, just about everything anyone else would need. The Timber industry alone would merit an east west highway. All these families out there need to work. They work in all sorts of places, all of which need to be supplied, and their products shipped out. Lets not forget the fuel again, these plants don't all run on wood chips.
Now lets discuss the use of freight trains to replace trucks, it can be done in some cases but not in most cases. I have yet to observe a mile and a half long freight train backing up to the local hardware store. I suppose a siding could be used, but it wouldn't be very cost effective.
I feel an "East West Highway" is needed, but it will have to be done thoughtfully to accommodate as much of the population as possible. It may take a while, but I think it will help a lot of people when its done.......
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.Let's look back at history for a moment
Years ago, I was working for a contractor building the Wells Post office. We were based out of Brunswick, Maine. The commute was a killer, two lanes of concrete between both towns. You were behind the red car, in front of the green and next to the yellow one, all the way, a commute of a little more than an hour. The road was so crowded, there was no passing a slower driver. Interestingly, there was a bill before the voters to widen the Maine turnpike from the New Hampshire border to Portland. The voters instead voted for Maine to spend 10 years pursuing alternative commuter options.
In our case, while both towns are coastal communities, taking a ferry from Brunswick to Wells wasn't all that practical. First, we'd have to drive to the ocean where it was deep enough for a pier to be built, after meeting all the EPA guidelines and meeting all the environmentalists demands. Yes, we'd need a similar facility in Wells, jumping thru similar regulatory hoops. And then there is feasibility. Would there actually be enough commuters using this service, even if a stop in Portland were added, to make this a viable venture? Of course, each added stop would only add to length of time of commute. Obviously, this wasn't going to work.
Let's take a look at bus service. We could meet at the shop, gather up our tools and supplies and head to the bus station. There is some storage available in busses to accommodate our tools, supplies and lunch boxes, but it is limited. When we got to wells, how would we get from the bus station to the job site, with all our gear? A cab has even more limited space than a bus. Not very practical.
Someone has suggested commuter trains (subways). Folks, these are not inexpensive. And they need a goodly amount of commuter usage to be viable or affordable. Chicago, DC, Atlanta, with huge numbers of people, needing to commute relatively short distances on a regular and reliable schedule; that can work. Has anyone noticed that each of these cities have populations far outstripping the population of the entire state of Maine? And the distances that need to be covered in Maine are far greater than what these cities require.
We, as Mainers, have dealt with this issue in the past. It took ten years for the State of Maine to be convinced that we really needed to widen the Turnpike from the New Hampshire border to Portland, to relieve congestion and make for a safer highway.
Car travel is what works in the state of Maine. A relatively small number of commuters, having to travel significant distances to earn a living, with changing schedules, often not coinciding with many other people; this can be challenging. Car pools work for many, but not all. And where they work, they are being used.
Highways, direct and taking straighter paths and smoother grades, using higher cruising speeds are about the most efficient ways to move people in Maine. They open up job (and recreational) opportunities. Highways produce far less pollution than do windy hilly roads that often have to slow down as they pass thru towns stopping at local road crossings and intersections. Wouldn't many towns prefer to see a reduction in commuter traffic that only passes thru on the way to work? Sure some towns prefer the traffic, for commerce, but many of the smaller towns could do with traffic going away.
We haven't even discussed traffic safety. There are not all that many accidents per mile on clear open highway. How does that compare with intersections in any town or city?
Maine needs this highway, to help Mainers earn a productive living. For those who move here and do not need to earn a living, I say God bless you, you are fortunate. But many Mainers need to earn a living. It would be nice to traverse this state in a whole less time than it takes now, and in a safe manner.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.East-West Highway Idea
Let's wean ourselves off automobiles. Other countries such as Japan, China, Australia, and Europe as a whole, have convenient, relatively inexpensive, and reliable commuter rail systems. In addition to that they help reduce the carbon foot print. Why can't we go back to commuter rail system? Please don't tell me about Amtrak either, that's a poor excuse for a rail system.
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond.No way!
The Sierra Club opposes a privately funded land project, impacting stretches that mostly already have existing roads, that would bring access, business opportunity, and foreign money to a part of our State that needs it most? I'm shocked! I'm betting those folks haven't had to earn a living in rural Maine.
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