When it comes to attracting businesses and jobs to New Jersey, infrastructure is key. It affects the access to customers, employees, and markets. And it’s been shown time and time again that investments in infrastructure lead to economic development, most recently with the growth of logistics businesses and jobs along the recently widened New Jersey Turnpike between exits 6 and 9. But New Jersey is not the only state competing for business and jobs. A recent story in The Morning Call (A Lehigh Valley, PA newspaper) shows that Pennsylvania wants to compete:
“As the region’s warehouse market footprint bulges and grows together with a neighboring market in the Harrisburg area, it is poised to create one large pipeline of warehouse and logistics centers serving the entire Northeast, said Brian Knowles, a principal in national real estate broker Lee & Associates.”
Matt Assad, The Morning Call
Click here to read the story: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-lehigh-valley-inland-empire-20160907-story.html
Another story in The Morning Call reports that the Lehigh Valley is planning significant investments in infrastructure:
“Big money is planned for big transportation projects. Unveiling the $458.3 million draft 2017-20 Transportation Improvement Program, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Becky Bradley called it the “largest single investment” in the region’s transportation infrastructure. Among new projects being planed: the 13th Street interchange at Route 22 in the Easton area; Route 309 resurfacing and work at the Tilghman Street interchange; and work on several western Lehigh County state roads, including Routes 222, 100 and 863.”
Anthony Salamone, The Morning Caller
Click here to read the story: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-allentown-chamber-transportation-summit-5-things-we-learned-20160608-story.html
Make no mistake, New Jersey needs to continually invest in infrastructure to attract and retain jobs. It we don’t, other states like Pennsylvania will gladly eat our lunch.
