The idea of ripping up a wide swath of the North Woods to construct a $2 billion east-west superhighway makes little sense.

This highway — to be built transporting container cargo from some point near Eastport or Saint John, New Brunswick, across Maine to reach Montreal and points west — would have little value to the average Mainer.

Yes, it could provide some temporary construction jobs. Yes, it could provide work at truck stops. And yes, it could provide some maintenance jobs. To sacrifice so much of our land for just this, however, makes little sense.

Besides, we already have a fine east-west highway following much the same route. This one is already constructed and is ready for use. It is the rail line that runs from Vanceboro through Maine to Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. It needs only some upgrading and a short spur line to connect Eastport to Vanceboro.

It is much cheaper to ship bulk products or containers by rail. It uses much less energy and does not clog our highways. Most shipments of this type landed on the West Coast come east by rail.

So let us use what we already have in place, a fine rail line to transport merchandise and products east-west across Maine. And our North Woods will not have to be chewed up by a unneeded, very expensive new highway used mainly for Canadian traffic.

Steve Clark

Scarborough

Formerly of Waterville area

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