An editorial from The Register Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — It was 10 years in the making, but both houses of Congress finally passed a long-term highways funding bill last week.
We are optimistic that it will have been worth the wait.
We still aren’t home free, as there are differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill that must be reconciled before it goes to President Obama for his signature.
But with one small corner of the congressional gridlock broken, at least for now, we are also hopeful for that reconciliation by Congress and affirmation by the president.
Highway projects stand to receive about 80 percent of the $325 billion called for in the measure — and we pray that West Virginia, especially southern West Virginia, gets its full allotment. For there is much work to be done here.
Without the influx of federal dollars, highways that need to be built and repaired here will stay by the wayside where they have languished for most of the time Congress has been at odds over funding.
Without new roads, we definitely can kiss new jobs goodbye.
Take for instance the Coalfields Expressway…
