After decades of deterioration, the nation’s infrastructure is getting some long-overdue attention — in the form of financial investment.
With the year-end bipartisan commitment of more than $1 trillion in federal funding to update the United States’ bridges, roadways, internet accessibility and public transportation systems, the country has a chance to make important improvements to its dated framework.
That’s an opportunity EDC Warren County will not let pass. In fact, over the past several years, EDC and our partners in local government have taken advantage of the state’s Downtown Redevelopment Initiative funding to purchase and redevelop key properties downtown, explore retail opportunities, increase visibility of Glens Falls’ Arts District and other assets, spearhead streetscape improvements, create pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly streets, and study mixed-use redevelopment.
We’ve worked with regional organizations and municipalities to advocate for increased broadband access across Warren County, ensuring our most rural residents and outlying areas can live and work with connectivity.
And we still have plenty of work to do. Our region still faces shortages of housing, child care and workers. Real estate is at a premium in the region and has been for more than a decade, Siplon said.
“We’ve got to figure out how to retain the talent that we have. We’ve got to figure out how to bring people off the sidelines into the workforce and we have to figure out how to bring new people here,” said Jim Siplon, EDC Warren County president and CEO.
Infrastructure is at the center of each of these issues. Attending school or working remotely became commonplace during the pandemic, but only for those with access to reliable, high-speed internet, making more evident the necessity for strong broadband service in even the most rural areas.
Since we learned that many of us don’t need to be physically at a workplace, relocating to this gorgeous region is now a more plausible option than ever for many people. But to make the move, those folks need to find a place to live that has all, or at least most, of the services and amenities available elsewhere.
EDC is prioritizing these issues and federal funding will help local communities build a stronger, brighter future.
