Northwest Passage plans discussed

It's still wishful thinking, but a regional development coalition is making plans to build a four-lane highway that would stretch from New Orleans to Tulsa, up to Wichita and on to Denver. It's

Thursday, August 18th 2005, 10:28 am

By: News On 6

It's still wishful thinking, but a regional development coalition is making plans to build a four-lane highway that would stretch from New Orleans to Tulsa, up to Wichita and on to Denver. It's nicknamed, the Northwest Passage.

Thursday, a group called Northstar met to discuss how to fund a study to see whether the road would be a moneymaker. They say the study would cost half-a-million dollars. The group is looking for donors to put up at least half of the money. They say a route from Denver to the Gulf - through Tulsa - would bring in millions in commerce and tourism, even if anything 'concrete' is still decades away.

Northstar president Bob Breuning: "Someone's gotta beat the drum and that's our purpose, to keep this thing on everyone's mind and say it's not an impossible dream."

Northstar is looking to begin building the road in Oklahoma and later expand in both directions.