In light of U.S. Senator Richard Shelby’s frank and honest assessment of the chances of an I-85 extension ever finding its way through the Black Belt, it is time for area leaders to move on to the next best thing.

It is time for area leaders to make public and continued pressure on federal officials to complete the four-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 80 before those now in kindergarten begin drawing their Social Security.

Enough time has past — many times over — for this initiative to have been completed and it is time those in office make this project an important item.

Our economic leaders constantly talk about the quality of worker in the Black Belt. Our economic leaders constantly talk about the natural resources the Black Belt has to offer and they constantly talk about the potential this area has. But, if we do not have the adequate infrastructure to support new and existing industries then all of the work to market the area and promote our assets will be for naught.

We can no longer and sit back and let others in the state receive the federal funds they do without some level of commitment to finish at least one project in the Black Belt.

We hear about projects in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Montgomery, but a project that has the potential to create jobs and help business here in the Black Belt is all but forgotten.

In an election year, we have an opportunity to bend the ears of some our elected national leaders. Maybe in an election year our elected leaders find their ears are opened a little more to the problems facing this region and solutions are more readily found.

It is time we challenge those in elected office to make a difference and do so quickly on a project that has apparently become out of sight and out of mind.

For our sake, that needs to change.