It has often been said that it is not easy to get to Owensboro, but once you get there, you don’t want to leave.
Instead of accepting the first part, our community spends a great deal of time and energy on transportation advocacy. In fact, for decades we have ticked off goal after goal to make our community more accessible.
Geographically, our region’s location is extremely beneficial. In fact, we are within 600 miles of two-thirds of the United States’ population. Our location is a definite asset for our businesses and industry.
But we must continually upgrade our infrastructure so that we make it easier for our business community to provide their goods and services to markets and customers around the globe.
We have had many successes over the past few years, the most noteworthy being the groundwork for the designation of the Natcher Parkway as an interstate spur.
Last week, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Federal Highway Administration brought us news that the biennium budget of the Highway Plan has been programmed to allocate $2.15 million to sign the Parkway with the I-165 Interstate Shields. This federal interstate designation will undoubtedly create economic opportunities for the entire region.
When Secretary Elaine Chao visited our Rooster Booster Breakfast in May, she made it very clear that she understood the importance of the designation to our region’s economic growth and that her commitment to this project was unwavering. That kind of commitment is what has brought us here today.
That, and collaboration. Our entire congressional delegation, our governor’s office, our state legislative delegation, our mayor and our judge, flanked by business, industry and agriculture leaders, have all worked together for years to achieve the shields that will put us on the map and get us in the hunt.
That kind of consolidated commitment is something of which we should be proud.
But as Wade Jenkins, past chair of our Chamber board, said last week, “We know we have much more work to do. And we are up to the job.”