2009.09.28
Editorial: Invest stimulus in Roanoke River Greenway
A gallop for the greenway
The Roanoke River Greenway is exactly the kind of project the federal stimulus was meant to spur. The benefit will be long-lasting.
When Congress agreed earlier this year to pump hundreds of billions of stimulus dollars into the economy to halt the free-fall plunge into a major recession, it was hoped that the money would create a legacy beyond debt.
A legacy like that left by the New Deal that developed a national network of parks that are still used and still loved to this day.
The New Deal thought big.
So, too, should the federal government in naming stimulus projects.
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You've got to think logically. If the recession has slowed projects like this, does it make any kind of economic sense to go full steam ahead with them during a worsening downturn? Really, it's like a financially troubled family skimping on extras for awhile, then, when it's on the verge bankruptcy taking an around-the-world cruise. The New Deal prolonged the Great Depression into the 1940s, much longer than it should have lasted.
Let's let the private sector get strong again before we tackle unnecessary government projects.
Comment by Suzie — September 28, 2009 @ 10:39 am
It makes a lot of sense to pursue projects like this during the economic downturn. Construction material, land acquisition, and labor costs are lower now than during the recent real estate bubble. Workers who otherwise would be idle will be employed. A valuable physical asset which will only require minimal operational costs once completed will be created. And, a project that makes otherwise sedentary Roanokers physically active will most likely produce more savings through reduced medical expenses that it costs.
Comment by KevinL — September 28, 2009 @ 10:51 am
"And, a project that makes otherwise sedentary Roanokers physically active will most likely produce more savings through reduced medical expenses that it costs."
That is an interesting angle. Bottom line (IMHO). Roanoke needs this. Over an Art Museum. Over a Center in the Square revitalization. Imagine the possibilities of a 25 mile connected loop trail that flows with the river. Blue Ridge Marathon is coming. Possibilities are endless. This is Roanoke's shot at besting Asheville and getting on the outdoor enthusiasts map.
Comment by Uptheriver — September 28, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
"Roanoke needs this. "
I heard the same thing about the Art Museum and Center in the Square revitalization. I lived in a town that had one of these. Most of the time that I used it, I was the only person on it. I ate a log of gnats while riding on that trail.
Comment by Henry — September 28, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
I've been on some greenways around here and traveled far without encountering others, but not on the Roanoke River Greenway. Anytime I've been on it, I've had to dodge and weave others.
Comment by Luanne T. — September 28, 2009 @ 2:13 pm
Meeting the people's desire to have parks should not be an invitation to spend more stimulus on a host of projects. Already, there have been too many bailouts and spending. Politics ruin the efficient distribution of government funds, government spending distorts markets and prolongs them from reaching equlibrium, and nobody has a good handle on what the multiplier effect is on government spending, but it's very probable that it's less than one, meaning a dollar spent returns less than a dollar in output.
Comment by Jim — September 29, 2009 @ 10:23 am