The more keys you have, the more important you are. That’s why I have so many keys, although I have no idea what most of them fit. But I am surely important. Let’s see, I have one for my truck, one for my house, one for the office and one for the lock on my shed. The rest are just random keys.
I got the key to the highway
Billed out and bound to go
I’m gonna leave here running
Walking goes too slow
The original Charlie Segar tune, made famous by Eric Clapton, makes reference to walking away from his girl, but it seems to relate to Chesterfield of late. Making accommodations for walkers, runners and riders has seemed to get people roiled up. But in the end the moderates won out over the NIMBYs and “don’t spend my taxpayer money” folks, but “billed out and bound to go” will be the phrase of the day as most of us realize there will be many opportunities to speak to the trails issue and funding it before any bike lane or trail is considered.
If you can’t run, and walking is not an option, you’ve got to have the key to the highway. By the time new industry lands in Bermuda District, added to what seems like the hundreds we already have, we will need a way for workers who don’t have a ride to get to work.
How will workers get to big employers such as Amazon, Honeywell or Park 500 in Enon; Hill Phoenix, Church & Dwight (Trojan) or the many Walthall companies; Dupont, UPS or the soon to be built Tralin Paper Plant, off Jefferson Davis Highway among other large and small industrial companies, and let’s not forget the many retailers and restaurants along our two main thoroughfares – Jeff Davis and Rt. 10.
We need public transportation along these two major roads. “How you going to pay for it” you say.
Here’s the plan for how we’re going to pay for it – don’t fear, it won’t be taxpayers. Businesses always need a good workforce. For instance, Amazon has been crying for more employees, abet just for the holiday season, that they are now advertising on TV. The traffic is so massive on roads accessing the distribution center. It has become like a Los Angeles highway.
We approach the businesses that would benefit from a better selection of employee and get them to kick-in for the cost of public transportation that would allow workers to get a ride to work whether they have a car or not. This would cut down on traffic.
The proof is in the putting and planning but it just may work. It gives everyone the key to the highway.
