Shovels for a proposed toll highway that would stretch across Maine from Calais-St. Stephen, N.B. to the Maine-Quebec border could hit the ground as early as 2015.
According to a report by the Telegraph-Journal, Maine legislature’s transportation committee is close to deciding whether to launch a $300,000 feasibility study for the project.
Peter Vigue, president and CEO of construction firm Cianbro, says he’s confident the the feasibility study will soon be approved. “Once we get a green light, we can move ahead with the design and getting all of our permits, which we believe is going to take about two years,” he said. “Then we can start working.”
The highway would better connect Maritime U.S. states and provinces, he added.
As long as the toll is reasonable, Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association director Jean-Marc Picard welcomes the news that the highway is a step closer to reality.
He says the highway would save time and fuel for carriers currently transporting loads around the top of Maine, along the Trans-Canada highway.
