Is the East-West Highway a done deal? (Portland, Bangor: leases, home)

[Coaster]

BF mine for emphasis.

Originally Posted by Maineac

I've got a bad feeling that the secrecy behind this E-W highway deal is going to result in an ambush on the people of Maine. I will bet you're going to get a closed, zero access, highway-pipeline running from about Calais up the studmill road to Quebec along the Golden Road in a giant, clearcut swath that divides the State in half. I plan to spend the next few summers fishing hard up there, because its going to be gone. Between the current Administration's apparent utter disregard for anything that doesn't profit a chosen few, and the money behind the deal, and the secrecy, and the misinformation ("eminent domain will not be used by Cianbro" - sure, but the State will take land hand over fist and give it to Cianbro - just like for CMP or Bangor Hydro if it ever HAS to be done), I believe the Maine people are going to get this one shoved up their collective butts. Ramrodded.

According to the plans I've seen, there would be a handful of access points in Maine. But only a handful. A relative handful of overpasses for vehicle traffic as well. A lot of side roads and snowmobile trails will be cut off, as well as any animal migration that occurs through that area. Again, this is all according to the admittedly preliminary plans I've seen, subject to change.

The Studmill Road has been part of the plan from the beginning, but adding the Golden Road is something new. Originally the plan called for crossing through Maine west of I-95/Old Town through the small towns and multiple privately owned plots of land to Coburn Gore. Putting it along the Golden Road would be a stroke of genius. All it would require is a quick jog up I-95, and then it's all Unorganized Territory overseen by a now-gutted Land Use Regulation Commission across private land owned by investor groups eager to take the money and run. It completely cuts out a lot of the opposition building in western Maine and takes MDOT pretty much out of the picture as well.

[Maineac]

"Darryl Brown says it'll take another 10 years, but it's GOING to happen." There ya go. Money talks. Go Darryl. I'll make my retirement off this monstrosity and sit somewhere else, like between Alaska and the Caribbean, and look back and say "remember Maine?" And those remaining will have to suffer for it. Anything for a buck.

[RMoore007]

My family farmhouse is directly on the path. This is just a road we're talking about isn't it? It's not the proposed East-West Wall is it?

I don't know, I guess living in Dover in the middle of winter being 'walled in' by nature gets really old to me. Why not have a road that can get people to Eastport or Canada quickly and SAFELY? Even with all those menacing big rigs. I wonder how many people opposed to this highway have ever even spent a night in central or northern Maine in the dead of winter.

I have talked to my family about this in Dover. Some are against any growth or change or outside forces of any kind. The same ones have never even been to Eastport or others to Canada and they have lived in Piscataquis county their whole lives. This includes my sister who is big in the church, clubs and family.

My brothers are more like me I guess and don't mind change. I guess I just don't see as much downside as I do upside. If I lived anywhere near this new highway, it opens up more opportunities for jobs, recreation and rural access. I just don't see anything changing the way things are in central Maine by adding an access road. I would be willing to bet that Dover will have the same population in 10, 20 and even thirty years from now.

[Maineac]

Given all the secrecy, I don't think you're going to be allowed to "get" to Eastport without ponying up $200 and be subject to a "private police force." They will set their own speed limits for the big rigs, and letting you on the road will present liability problems. It's not "growth" per se. Your statements are your own argument against the road. It will be a limited or zero access highway to move goods from ports in New Brunswick to Quebec.

[bangorme]

I hate to sound like a person predicting that electricity will never be popular, but I really don't believe this road will ever happen. Imagine the cost to build it and maintain it. Imagine the environmental wackos objecting to it in court for years. Imagine the bureaucrats running havoc over every little detail. I just don't see it.

[maine4.us]

All Cianbro needs to do is enlist the services of the PR group who represents the NRA, and it's a done deal.... He with the most, and best lobbyists wins....simple.

While I don't always agree with the NRA, they sure know how to get people riled up....and if the job creation people did a proper sell, everyone in northern and eastern Maine would be on the bandwagon to get those sought after jobs.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by maine4.us

All Cianbro needs to do is enlist the services of the PR group who represents the NRA, and it's a done deal.... He with the most, and best lobbyists wins....simple.

While I don't always agree with the NRA, they sure know how to get people riled up....and if the job creation people did a proper sell, everyone in northern and eastern Maine would be on the bandwagon to get those sought after jobs.

Disregarding the stuff about the NRA, exactly how is this about job creation unless it's privately funded? And who has that kind of money?

[Maine Writer]

Have all of the owners of The Golden Road agreed to this?

[RMoore007]

Originally Posted by Maineac

Given all the secrecy, I don't think you're going to be allowed to "get" to Eastport without ponying up $200 and be subject to a "private police force." They will set their own speed limits for the big rigs, and letting you on the road will present liability problems. It's not "growth" per se. Your statements are your own argument against the road. It will be a limited or zero access highway to move goods from ports in New Brunswick to Quebec.

I'm beginning to not like this road. I think I might chain myself to a Maine pine and tell them to go around my property. If we can't use the road or it has too few access points, cutting into existing trails and high tolls, well that just sucks. I'm on the other side now. Today I'm an official E/W Highway hater.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

When the paper industry sold all of its land the sellers left behind a virtual scorched earth. All of that land is contaminated by conservation easements, covenants codicils and conditions enough to tie it up in courts forever. The first east/west highway study was done in 1948. That predates the Stud Mill Road and the Golden Road. The feds never built an Interstate highway going east and west up here. Every decade or so, another study is done, but Portland area legislators always fight it.

Now a private company wants to build the road and the environmental industry is going berserk, right on schedule. They spread all kinds of lies. I attended a meeting two days ago and posted some statements from that meeting on the first page in this thread. Refer back to it from time to time. The project manager said that no recreational trails, farm roads or logging roads would be blocked. There would be a 220 mile recreational trail for all purposes along the corridor. You'll be able to ride an ATV from Quebec to New Brunswick across the rivers and across I-95.

Don't hyperventillate, RMoore007. The environmental industry lies.

As you ride down I-95 some time, take note of all the local roads that were dead ended by the new road. The private road won't do that. The project manager said so.