ME DOT's proposed branch to nowhere

I once attended a gig by Maine humorist Marshall Dodge at the Blue Hill fair. One of his lines was, "I just got back from attending the Empty Storefront Festival in Eastport..."

Yeah, yeah, off subject, I know.

PBM

Far as I understand the Irving family has interest in Eastport only for shipping paper products,where ever this container port idea came up is foolish and only a pipedream,same with Searsport its NEVER gonna happen.

Sit back and watch MDOT get caught in their web... in one of the less rational acts of the TIGER grant process, the state has been granted $2 million to put in (among other things) a conveyer system. Now according to the TIGER grant application, MDOT claimed that the rail project was required* to secure business that would use the conveyer (fertilizer/wood pellets). As the rail funding was denied, wouldn't it stand to reason that a conveyer system is now redundant?

Perhaps the state could be intellectually honest and forego this needless investment or at least try to funnel it to Searsport.

* Pages 11/12, TIGER grant application

Like I posted elsewhere, that tiger grant application was full of B.S. They put in what numbers they wanted, put in the doom and gloom, and forgot to mention, conveniently, it was the exact same way when the railroad was operating. Rebuilding of a rail line through a depressed area will not improve the economy of the area. How can 9 jobs replace hundreds and be justified.
Mike

Looking over the Tiger Grant, I can see where all the trouble started. The State is using a Strategy developed in 1978. 32 years ago things were very different. Trains were running on this line and things were good. Mills were still operating, people had jobs.I think the State needs to update their strategy. Make something work. Not fix something that won't.