If Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and the federal government are truly looking for projects to provide an economic stimulus, they have only to revive the delayed construction of Section 300 of Route 202.  

The widening of Section 300, something that has been in the planning stages for 25 years, is critically important to the economic future of our region and our state.  Countless jobs have been created along this stretch of highway over the last few decades, and many more will be created with the planned Uptown Worthington project in East Whiteland Township.  But last spring, as Section 300 was about to receive much needed widening and improvement, Governor Rendell halted the project.   

For those of you who supported Governor Rendell, ask why the fastest growing job center in Pennsylvania is slated for the fewest stimulus dollars.  Consider that there are more than 130,000 daytime employees and 11,000 businesses within a seven-mile radius of Route 202, Section 300.  More than $36 million in annual state income tax is collected in the Great Valley area.  Properties along Route 29 in Great Valley had a total assessed value of $682 million in 2007.  Improving Route 202 is important to our local, state and national economy.   

Twice every day, traffic slows to a crawl in this six-mile stretch of Route 202 as employees try to get to and from work.  Valuable work hours are wasted.  There is a quality of life that is lost.  The environment suffers with unnecessary pollution from car exhaust.  The goals of Chester County's award-winning comprehensive plan, Landscapes, to concentrate development along major transportation corridors and preserve our open space from development are at risk.   

While attending meetings over the last two months, I have heard endless debates about how federal stimulus dollars should be spent in Pennsylvania.  Sadly, these discussions have sounded like nothing more than a feeding frenzy on our tax dollars.  Since the federal government seems determined to spend our money to "stimulate" the economy, I suggest that making Route 202 a priority for this funding will give new businesses an incentive to move here, create jobs and increase tax revenue for our state.  This is by far the best way to spend money aimed at "stimulating" our economy.  

The magnitude of our transportation needs is staggering.  The Chester County Planning Commission has already identified more than $6 billion in projects for Chester County alone.  Decision-makers simply can not allow our infrastructure to deteriorate any longer.  Deferring maintenance and delaying new projects have dominated PennDOT's approach to our county for far too long.  The time has come to finally do the right thing, select the right projects and help our troubled economy.  

Chester County has a long list of important commercial corridors, bridges and transit improvements that need our attention, but not one is as close to construction and demonstrates the same need as Route 202.  Let's put the stimulus package money to work here in Chester County to support not only the immediate construction jobs the projects will create, but more importantly, the permanent jobs that will sustain healthy, growing businesses in Pennsylvania for years to come.  

It is clear that many people making the decisions about the stimulus package are focusing on short term spending agendas rather than common sense investments that will help our state and our nation over the coming decades.  Taxpayers need to demand that their hard-earned money goes to worthwhile projects that will rebuild our economy.  The immediate funding of Route 202 will do just that.

You can e-mail Commissioner Aichele at: caichele@chesco.org