By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
As I drove through the Fair Park Corridor last week, the signs of infrastructure inaction were clear and visible. One, in fact, was quite literal—a sign hanging over an undeveloped lot that read “Expected Date of Completion: 2017.”
South Dallas has been historically plagued by deteriorating infrastructure and incomplete development. Insufficient plumbing, wiring, pipeline, and transportation systems not only define the current state of the area, but have also prevented new investments and developments from coming in.
That is why this past Thursday, August 12th, at my request, a group that included Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax, key City officials and employees, and several businesspeople met to have a dialogue about the need for increased investment and development in South Dallas and to take a tour of the Fair Park Corridor.
We spoke openly and candidly for over an hour about the reasons behind the area’s lack of development and what we must do to improve it. Among the concerns raised were claims of bad contracting and partisanship by local officials—but, at the end of the day, we all share the same responsibility to do what our City needs, what our businesses need, and what our citizens need to grow the economy. I am grateful for the participation and for the candor of the respected City leaders, senior staffers, and business owners who took the time to engage in our discussion. And although we were missing the presence of the local elected official who represents the area, I am hopeful that we had enough decision-makers in the room to inspire action.
What we truly need is a whole-of-industry approach—one that creates public and private sector partnerships to provide robust infrastructure investments; one that builds a long-term blueprint for the future of developments in South Dallas; and one that maximizes the economic prosperity and opportunity for everyone.
Dialogues like the one we had last week are important, and I will continue to hold them to give members of our community a voice. But, more importantly, we must set realistic goals, carefully measure our progress, and ultimately hold our local officials accountable.
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Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson is in her 15th term representing Dallas in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is Chairwoman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and a Senior Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
