Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce President Lee Lingo is in Washington DC this week, meeting with a 140 participant U.S. Chamber of Commerce committee appointed to meet twice a year to discuss the nation's infrastructure issues. Kate Lochte learns more about these issues on Sounds Good, in a conversation with Lingo, how it can affect our roads, waterways and airways.
The Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber is involved in C-Link, or Chamber Leadership Initiatives in Northwest Kentucky, which lobbies for the new interstate, as well as BridgeLink, a coalition of Henderson and Owensboro leadership focused on a new Interstate standard bridge between Kentucky and Indiana.
Lee Lingo says he was especially interested in getting involved at the national level to be able to weigh in on the needs of Kentucky regarding the river ports, bridges under construction and airports wanting to expand direct flight coverage.
Kentucky's roads are deteriorating due to populations moving to urban areas. With an increase in use comes an increase in wear and tear, which affects the roads and truckers. The development of I-69 is a small, but important, part of the big picture. Lingo says this project is moving along well in some states, like Kentucky, but needs more funding in some states like Tennessee and Indiana. This committee may help clear hurdles for this multi-state project.
When you look at a map of U.S. waterways, the eastern half is served largely by river waterways. Kentucky has three major water ports: Cincinnati, Louisville, and Paducah, where the Commonwealth's economic staples agriculture and coal are delivered to the rest of the country. Lingo hopes this project will consider upgrading existing locks and dam systems in Kentucky.
"It's been fascinating to learn so much about the infrastructure system in the United States and how critical it is to our way of life. That's one of the reasons America is as great as it is, is we have such an outstanding way to move freight and people around."
More about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee Appointment
