Important to do this right (10/20/06)

Do it right.

Mayor Hosier and Portland's redevelopment commission are on target with their plans for a major upgrade of Industrial Park Drive.

And - even though we always believe government should be frugal when spending the public's money - they're also right in wanting to make sure the job's done right.

"Cheaping it out" is a common affliction, and in the long run it's bad policy because short-term cost-cutting usually leads to greater expenses over the long term.

Of course, no one would suggest going overboard either.

But that's not what the city administration and the redevelopment commission are talking about.

Instead, they're trying to come up with a meaningful solution to a traffic problem and open a new era of growth for the city.

Industrial Park Drive serves some of Portland's largest employers, including FCC (Indiana) which has seen phenomenal growth over the past 15 years. It also serves Portland's newly-busy intersection near the Wal-Mart Supercenter on West Votaw Street.

A first-rate, re-designed, significantly widened Industrial Park Drive ranks as Portland's top priority when it comes to major infrastructure improvements.

And doing it right will be important for decades to come. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]