Correspondent Mark Shephard visited Goshen this week and asked, “As Elkhart County municipalities look forward to infrastructure improvements such as the Prairie Street overpass in Elkhart and the proposed rerouting of U.S. 33 through Goshen, one number that comes to mind is 70,000, which is the number of bridges in the U.S. rated as structurally deficient. As governments at all levels are attempting to trim fat from their budgets and trying to figure out how to raise new revenues, how do we repair and improve our infrastructure?”



Rod Hollinger-Janzen, executive coordinator, Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, Goshen

“I think each of us needs to be ready to give some things up and to live with less because it’s the only way that we can get back to balancing our budget and living within our means. And so if that means that these local projects need to be put on hold in order that some other more urgent projects be dealt with, I think that’s fine.” Follow-up: How do you feel about pork-barrel spending? “I think we all have to be willing to give up something, and that starts with me. I need to be able to say, ‘Well, even though an overpass would be wonderful, even though a better road would be wonderful, I have to also think about other situations where maybe the situation is more urgent than my own.’ I think if that’s the spirit in which people approach this then it’s not going to be about pork-barrel, it’s going to be about everybody pitching in and helping to get the situation under control.”



Bill Bainter, retired boat maker, Goshen:

“We do need the overpass here. I would like to see it out by Lincoln Avenue — in that direction — because if somebody needs a Goshen ambulance out there, (it) has to go all the way around town. I think we’re helping people in other countries too much. We need to take care of our own people. We are helping these other nations, but when disaster comes to us, where are they? I think we’re spending too much on defense, and too much over there, and not helping people here in our own country.”



Yakelyn Hernandez, catering truck driver, Goshen:

“Well, everyone should have more money, and government should actually spend money on things that need to be fixed instead of spending money on people that don’t need it. I hate how many people are getting welfare, and are not being taxed. I’ve seen people get help from government that really don’t need it. And instead of spending that money on people that don’t need it, we should build better bridges and overpasses. It would help more people out.”



Dan Spence, chocolate shop owner, Albion:

“Should we depend on the federal government for all those things? What about the state? I thought they had surpluses. I’ve heard it on the news in the last couple of days. It looks like the state should help with things like that.” Follow-up: How do you feel about pork-barrel spending? “I don’t like it all. I think different expenditures should be taken care of separately, and not put in a package deal.”



Joyce Scott, cafe owner, Dunlap:

“Bridges that are in that type of condition would be on the priority list for sure. I don’t have the answer, and obviously Congress doesn’t either. It’s a bit frustrating, because there are areas I think some of the fat could be cut. Obviously, safety is a big issue. I don’t think that should be an area that things should be cut from. If the state can do it, great, because these are the people that are using the bridges, and if they can’t do what it takes to accomplish that, then perhaps the government should step in and provide the funding where it’s needed.”