New opportunity: Key projects must be priority in 2010

The new year brings familiar challenges to the region. Not only will difficult decisions have to be made on a variety of topics, including wind turbines, but area officials will also have to continue their fight for a number of urgent needs in our region, including federal funding for the King Coal Highway and the Coalfields Expressway.

The new year also should be viewed as a new opportunity to address a number of needs across southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

Leaders in Princeton must continue their fight for funding to correct chronic flooding woes along Stafford Drive in Princeton. City officials in Bluefield must continue their fight for federal funding for the proposed Colonial Intermodal Center while also working to ensure the safety and stability of the remaining landmarks in Nature’s Air-Conditioned City. We’ve already lost the brownstone, the Matz and the Colonial Theater. The city can’t afford to lose another historic landmark.

The Mercer County Commission, and members of the Mercer County Airport Authority, have to take another look at ways to get the Mercer County Airport back in the air. We need an airport in our region that provides commercial air service. With the King Coal Highway heading toward Route 123 and the airport, it is now more important than ever to pursue a restoration of commercial air service.

Local officials must also continue their fight for federal funding for the Coalfields Expressway. McDowell County still doesn’t have a usable four-lane highway. We need to resume construction on the Coalfields Expressway in McDowell County.

Tazewell County leaders also must continue to develop the Bluestone Regional Business and Technology Park — a project that still holds great promise for our region.

And yes, the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors are going to have a make a decision — sooner than later — on the controversial topic of wind turbines on East River Mountain. Board members are going to have to step up and do what they were elected to do — make tough decisions on difficult topics.

Most of all, we must look for new opportunities in the new year. The pending arrival of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail in Mercer County, as well as the Spearhead Trail in Pocahontas, should certainly help. But we must also pursue new economic development and tourism projects across the region.

The Great Recession is over. The new year is a new chance for our region to grow again. New jobs. New businesses. New tourism opportunities.

We must accept this challenge with vigor. Let’s get to work for the betterment of southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

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