Letter to the Editor: The Economy and the Bridge Repairs

What happens when your business is already struggling and the main access route to your front entrance is shut down for weeks?

In Spring City, we have seen the painful consequences of bridge repairs amidst a fragile national and local economy. Two of North Main Street's more recognizable storefronts - and restaurant - are going out of business. They join Reiki Place, and a religious gift shop next to the Spring City Hotel on a growing list of small businesses that could not make it in our borough. The last two closed before bridge repairs began.

The Spring City-Royersford Bridge, built during the 1920s, is desperately in need of repairs. The structure will require full replacement within 25 years, according to engineers. PennDOT says it is on pace to re-open in early to mid-September - on schedule. However, irreversible damage has already been done.

What troubles me as a local elected official is the helplessness I feel to do anything substantial to help. You can encourage people to shop and eat in Spring City during the repairs. You can keep lines of communication open with the store owners.

The proprietor of the frame shop has for years steered the local efforts of the Spring City Revitalization Committee. This group meets once a month and coordinates tasks that you might not see (watering the plants along Main Street), and others that are more visible (the annual Music and Market Festival). Christina welcomed efforts earlier this year to partner with Royersford businesses and stage larger events.

My point is that people are trying in the "Twin Boroughs," but some of our efforts are falling short.

Perry's Place was a great breakfast stop on the weekend, or a nice place for a quite dinner. The menu featured creative dishes, such as Boston Cream french toast. Joy and John will be missed  and hopefully, the storefront is filled in a short period of time.

In Washington, fierce debate is raging on the role of government. The debt ceiling fiasco has many Americans re-thinking what is possible. In our communities, the answer is not simple. It's not "small government" or "big government."

Pennsylvania and its elected leaders have a responsibility to lay the foundations for a vibrant economy and just society. This includes adequate funding for education, highways and infrastructure (ie: a second bridge connecting Spring City and Royersford), and workforce training - just to name a few.

Once these tracks have been laid, then government needs to get out of the way. In my opinion, we are starving ourselves through cuts before we had a chance to get back on our collective feet.

Mike Hays is a Spring City Councilman and a former reporter for the Pottstown Mercury. He has also written about high school sports for Patch. His views do not represent other members of council.