By CHARLIE BOOTHE
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Mercer County officials, elected leaders and dignitaries came together with a unified voice Thursday afternoon to urge residents to vote for the upcoming road bond referendum.
The event was held in view of the so-called “bridge to nowhere” in Bluefield, which is on the agenda to be a “bridge to somewhere” if the referendum passes.
“This is the first time I have seen unanimous support on an issue since I have been in this area,” said Josh Cline, president and CEO of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce. “That alone shows how important this is for the future of the area and for West Virginia.”
The $1.6 billion referendum goes before voters Oct. 7 and $116 million has been earmarked to be spent in Mercer County to extend the bridge to the Airport Road area and to repair and upgrade other county roads.
“It’s a no-brainer,” said Robert Farley, executive director of the Princeton-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce. “I just don’t understand why anybody would not vote for that.”
Farley said tax revenue to pay off the bonds is already in place and starting the process of building the King Coal Highway, which the bridge in Bluefield is part of.
“There is no extra cost for this,” he said.
“The importance of this is evident by the officials gathered here today,” said Ron Martin, mayor Bluefield.
That was echoed by Princeton Mayor Dewey Russell, who said the money will benefit the area as well as the state.
“Very seldom do we see something that will benefit the whole state,” he said.
“I have not met anybody who doesn’t say we need better roads…” said Del. John Shott, adding, as others did, the economic development benefits that will come with better roads, and the jobs created to build them.
Contact Charles Boothe at [email protected].
See more from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
