Henry Wade: Sustainable growth through vision

Pinal County rest squarely between Arizona’s largest metropolitan areas Phoenix and Tucson and as such will play a vital role in the growth and development of the sun corridor.

To bring Arizona into the next century, we will need to move people as efficiently and rapidly as we are working to support the movement of raw materials and manufactured goods. We need to be creative in our thinking and bold in our actions.

A light-rail passenger system serving Phoenix and Tucson with the capability to connect to the newly designated I-11 corridor is just such bold action that will set Arizona on the path to explosive yet sustainable growth.

Quite frankly, we cannot allow ourselves to be lulled back into the complacent mindset of the past where our dependence on growth and tourism industries set us up for our recent economic challenges. Additionally, we need the base jobs that will accompany the infrastructure development.

Through early December, the Arizona Department of Transportation is conducting outreach events and feasibility studies throughout the state to determine the community’s appetite for a light-rail system. Unfortunately, since there is no funding attached to the discussions, it will be a number of years before the first ground is broken to move forward on such a project. However, we can’t allow that to stop us from moving in earnest toward our future.

Please seek out and attend an event near you and let the facilitators know you are ready for your future by clicking www.azdot.gov/passengerrail.

We must move forward with resolve and positive energy to keep our county relevant and establish Pinal as the leader of Arizona’s future. Hayden, Goldwater, Rhodes and Udall saw it when they championed the Central Arizona Project. Now it is time we made them proud by showing that same level of creativity, cooperation and vision in moving Arizona forward.