Connector will resolve a host of vexing issues

The official word

Friday, July 3, 2009

We don't all envision the path to the future in exactly the same way. How do we continue to progress while protecting and preserving our citizens and our environment?

On Tuesday, the Charles County Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with representatives of other local community and business organizations and agencies, held a press conference to announce the overwhelming support for the completion of the final six miles of the proposed east-west highway connecting Waldorf and western Charles County, the cross-county connector.

These representatives discussed the awareness and dedication of their respective organizations to the protection and preservation of the county's abundant natural resources while ensuring the safety and progress of our communities.

One key element in the development of this six-mile stretch is the importance of avoiding uncoordinated growth and improvements in the area by using the proposed plan to minimize the environmental impact while providing the necessary safety and transportation upgrades.

The connector is, in fact, not designed to induce growth, but to regulate growth and minimize the impact on the Mattawoman Creek and surrounding areas.

It is actually an example of intelligent development that leads Charles County into the future while saving lives and preserving the environment. Economic development and management is imperative to all of us who live and work in Charles County, and the county's comprehensive plan dictates and regulates responsible future development.

Public safety is another key element for consideration.

In the chamber's Tuesday press conference, Schools Superintendent Jim Richmond and Assistant Superintendent Chuck Wineland pointed to several critical factors including the 1,242 school children on 46 bus trips every school day during this past school year forced to wait at dangerous bus stops and travel on the old and dangerous Billingsley Road, and the envisioned improved access to North Point High School provided by the long-planned cross-county connector. Lt. Brian Herlihy of the Charles County Sheriff's Office and John Filer and William Stephens of the Charles County Department of Emergency Services discussed the first-response statistical nightmare that is Billingsley Road.

Again, I believe that we can all agree that "old" Billingsley Road is unsafe for pedestrians and motorists alike.

The solution to the problem is the controversy, and the chamber supports the idea that the inherent safety improvements provided by the proposed connector in compliance with requirements for minimum environmental impact will maximize the community's development needs, including connecting two of the county's major communities, facilitating commerce with the Indian Head naval base, the county's No. 1 economic engine, and completing a modern roadway while incorporating state-of-the-art safety and environmental protection standards.

The blend of economic development and environmental preservation is always a very delicate balancing act. The Charles County Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the completion of the cross-county connector which will provide the much-needed improved safety and transportation within the planned development district while minimizing the impact on the surrounding environment.

It is critical, now more than ever, to manage, protect and preserve the county in which we love to live, work and play.

Ken Gould Jr. is the executive director of the Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Reach the chamber at 301-392-6500 or 301-870-3089 or by e-mail at info@charlescountychamber.org.