MAINE — Construction of a new highway that would stretch across Maine from Calais to the Quebec border could start as early as 2015, reported the Bangor Daily News.

Peter Vigue, president and CEO of construction company Cianbro, has been pushing for the highway for more than five years.

Vigue spoke before a committee comprised of state representatives and senators, who are now deciding whether to proceed with a $300,000 feasibility study.

While Maine's Department of Transportation has not yet made a decision, Vigue says he believes the feasibility study will soon be approved.

If approved and completed, the highway would run east-west across Maine. It would begin at Calais, across from St. Stephen on the New Brunswick border then run to the Maine-Quebec border. The highway would end at Coburn Gore, Maine.

The highway would better connect Maine and the Maritime provinces to markets in Quebec, Ontario, and the central U.S., Vigue said.

The project would be funded exclusively with private cash, Vigue said, and would be a toll highway, but there would be no weight restrictions for heavy trucks.

Jean-Marc Picard, executive director of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, said that the route would significantly decrease the trucking distance between the Maritimes, Montreal and Toronto.

“It’s obviously going to save on fuel and wear and tear,” Picard said.

“If the fee is reasonable… it could very well be a positive.”

For more on the story, check The Bangor Daily News.