SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) - A ribbon of highways running through the Nebraska Panhandle, north to Canada and south to Mexico, allows the state to maintain a $7.75 billion trading relationship with those nations and states along the route.

It's part of what could become the Great Plains International Trade Corridor.

Backers of the "Ports-to-Plains" plan, including Joe Kiely and Duffy Hinkle, Panhandle Area Development District director Jerrod Haberman and Kimball economic development director Deborah Crago, were in Scottsbluff this week as part of a larger corridor tour.

Members were headed to Rapid City, S.D., Belfield, N.D., Plentywood, Mont., and were to end their weeklong trip in Regina, Canada.

They were promoting the growing trade relationships nationally among Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana and internationally with Mexico and Canada.

One of their goals: construction of a four-lane, divided highway through the entire corridor. They believe two wide ribbons of concrete connecting the three nations would boost economic development for all three and the U.S. states along the way.

Right now, they point out, a high-volume interstate runs only from Lubbock to Amarillo in Texas. The rest of the corridor contains a variety of two, three and four-lane state highways that pose traffic barriers at almost every town along the way.

Haberman compared the trade value of Interstate 80 as an example.

If I-80 went only from Omaha to a Panhandle terminus, shriveling to irregular state highways in Colorado, Iowa and beyond in each direction, I-80's value would be far lower.

"Improvements beyond our borders have significant impacts," Haberman said.

Even with current highway barriers to smooth flow, trade is increasing.