As a licensed professional engineer in Illinois, I believe in holding public officials, servants, engineers and those responsible for protecting the citizens of Illinois to the highest standards.
When public officials make commitments and hold to that commitment to serve our communities, we should hold up those actions and shine a bright light on them to be a role model to our citizens.
State Rep. Lance Yednock committed to the people of Illinois and his district that he would put politics as usual aside and work across the aisle to do what is right for our communities. He kept his word, helping bring together Republicans and Democrats to give our local and state economy an essential shot in the arm.
The infrastructure improvement bill that Rep. Yednock supported is critical to make the case for businesses to stay, grow, prosper and attract new businesses to exist right here in the Illinois Valley. As an employee of a local manufacturer, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. in Mendota, access to transportation and infrastructure to get our products from point A to point B, in a safe, efficient, accessible manner is vital to our operations.
As a state and a region, we are able to compete with surrounding states and succeed when we have increased, available, modernized capacity through high quality roads, bridges and other transportation options to get our goods throughout the country as quickly and efficiently as possible. Repairing and improving our transportation network enhances our ability to move stormwater management products we manufacture in LaSalle County to our customers throughout the country.
Last year, we were running full throttle to keep up with customer demand and opportunity. Despite the significant challenges put forth in both health and economics resulting from COVID-19, we’ve been fortunate to be able operate and serve our communities as safely as possible. We need a quality logistics and transportation network more so than ever.
Thanks to the vision of our policymakers, like Rep. Lance Yednock, companies like the one I work for in Mendota are able to plan for the future in Illinois with more optimism than we’ve had in a long time.
Rep. Yednock decided to hold to his commitment and to do what is right ahead of what would have been easy. Local businesses will be well-equipped to deliver their goods, motorists will benefit from smoother, safer roads and we all will benefit from new jobs and opportunities. That is certainly a good return on our investment.
Bryan Miko, professional engineer for Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.