I learned on the campaign trail that when it comes to potholes, everyone in Chattanooga has a story. Ask any Chattanooga resident and they can name at least one road that is long overdue for repairs.
There are potholes in turning lanes, ruts on exit ramps, cracks at intersections and sinkholes on back roads. Residents are fed up with the civic neglect that plays havoc with our vehicles and tries our patience.
But beyond ruts and potholes, the problem runs much deeper. There are crumbling shoulders, aging bridges, overloaded sewer systems and leaky tunnels that will require hundreds of millions of dollars to repair, not to mention the additional improvement needed to allow our community to grow and thrive.
Chattanooga’s roads, bridges and tunnels need a new lease on life – not just for our safety and sanity, but to propel us into the next century and allow us to grow the economy, strengthen our neighborhoods and expand access to good-paying jobs.
That’s one reason why I’m excited about the bipartisan infrastructure framework plan that is working its way through Congress. This plan is the single largest long-term infrastructure investment that this country has seen in nearly a century, and Chattanooga needs it.