On Dec. 16, a Sun Journal editorial bemoaned the push by state officials for a passenger rail line from Portland to Brunswick and the lack of apparent appreciation for the needs of the Lewiston-Auburn area.

I sympathize. For those of us in southwestern Oxford County and western Cumberland County along the Route 113 corridor, we have faced a similar struggle to raise awareness of both the effects on the regional economy, the environment, our transportation infrastructure, and expanded tourism opportunities that a revitalized rail system can provide.

In the case of Standish, Baldwin, Hiram, Brownfield and Fryeburg, we believe that these effects can be manifested by breathing new life into the Mountain Division rail line as an active rail corridor for freight, excursion and passenger operations. We also believe and support the continuing efforts to construct a recreational, multi-use trail within the right of way of the existing rail line. This marriage of rail with trail creates a unique combination of opportunities for our economically challenged communities, existing businesses and future entrepreneurial endeavors.

The fact that the Mountain Division originates in Portland, connects to the Portland Transportation Center (the home of the Downeaster and interstate bus service), continues into New Hampshire (and beyond), has an already viable excursion rail service operating on it in New Hampshire (the Conway Scenic Railroad) makes the opportunities to connect from Boston to Portland to Fryeburg and beyond intuitively sensible when considering priorities within the state’s rail plan.

Our committee has worked tirelessly with our legislative delegation to pass an engineering study bill for the Mountain Division two years ago that allowed the line to be serendipitously ready for the TIGER grant process.

We continue to promote a wide range of economic initiatives for our region, but the Mountain Division is the 800-pound gorilla in the room — the scope and scale of the proposal and its second- and third-order effects on our regional economy are generational opportunities.

There should be little doubt in any rail or alternative transportation advocates’ mind that expanding multi-modal transportation infrastructure in Maine is long overdue.

Our priorities in terms of transportation funding remain woefully out of balance in terms of the percentages of funds spent on rail, air, port and bike/pedestrian infrastructure when compared to road networks.

The ultimate examples of our transportation funding system’s shortfalls are highlighted by the absurd condition of our state’s roads, and the continuing annual operating funding obstacles associated with present Downeaster operations.

A government’s role should always be to support the creation of infrastructure for its citizens, who will then seek leverage and advantage from that state investment in creating businesses, opportunities and, likely, jobs.

What we know in our corner of Maine is that each strategic investment leads to this type of entrepreneurial advantage and that the traditional natural-resource based manufacturing base has eroded precipitously.

Nontraditional, natural-resource based industries are being discussed and, in fact, are working now in our area — wood pellet manufacturing and bulk water extraction. Could these existing and future industries benefit from a restored rail line? We would like to think so, but there is also the ability to generate tourist-based opportunities, commuting to the greater Portland area for jobs, higher education and medical services.

All of these needs can benefit from alternative transportation initiatives that we believe are manifested in a commitment by the state to apply for grant money to restore the Mountain Division.

I would encourage the citizens of Lewiston-Auburn to advocate as vociferously as those of us along the Route 113 corridor have, and to support, rather than detract, from ongoing alternative transportation initiatives across the state, wherever and whenever they are proposed.

It is our hope that expanded rail service in Maine will one day not only connect our Route 113 towns with Portland, but with Vermont, Montreal, Boston and Lewiston-Auburn. The track to the future runs throughout our state and expanded rail service can benefit each of our communities in many ways.

David Knapp of Fryeburg is chairman of the Route 113 Corridor Committee.