AUGUSTA (AP) — In Maine, the old saying goes, you can’t get there from here. Almost as long as that proverb’s been around, they’ve been talking about an east-west highway to help motorists — especially truckers — get across America’s most northeastern state.

The latest proposal, with a new twist, went before the Legislature’s Transportation Committee on Tuesday. It drew the support of Gov. Paul LePage’s administration as well as associations representing construction companies, and pulp and paper-making. The Maine Chamber of Commerce also threw its support behind Sen. Douglas Thomas’ bill, while a number of activists opposed it.

The Ripley Republican’s bill seeks $300,000 in state money to do a feasibility study of a privately owned and operated toll highway extending from New Brunswick in the east to Quebec in the west, following a line across the heart of the state where there is no direct route. The road would connect the Maine communities of Calais and Coburn Gore.

Thomas’ bill differs from proposals offered from time to time over decades, which have envisioned a governmentsponsored east-west highway. Thomas said his bill would look into the financial feasibility of a roughly 230-mile highway built with private funds and maintained with tolls.

With costs of building such a highway in the $ 2 billion range, supporters acknowledged that government does not have the money to undertake such a project. While Maine has a north- south turnpike run by a quasi-independent, state-created authority and board, the east-west highway would be owned by investors.

A leading east-west highway proponent, Cianbro Corp. Chairman Peter Vigue, told lawmakers that such a route would revitalize Maine ports and rail systems, create jobs and open Maine industries to global trade, particularly Canada. It would also open up a longterm utility and communications corridor, he said.

“The view is that we’re at the end of the road,” Vigue said. “In many ways we believe it.”

Representing the Maine Pulp and Paper Association, John Williams said such a route would help his industry by improving access and speeding up deliveries of raw materials to mills and finished products to markets.

“Many of our markets are in the Midwest,” said Williams.

Representing the administration, Bruce Van Note of the state Transportation Department expressed the Republican governor’s “strong support” for the study.

Opponents took issue with the $300,000 cost of the study, saying the money should be directed to other uses, given the economy, and private investors should cover the costs of the analysis. Others objected to “exploitation” of the state’s resources and heavy construction in environmentally fragile and scenic areas.

Chris Buchanan of Defending Water for Life in Maine said the highway would open the state’s resources, including water, timber and gravel, to “exploitation” without adding value to those goods.

“It would impact Maine irreversibly,” said Buchanan.