My mother used to say to me, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. I never thought much about that then but as I grew older it made sense. Be patient because everything takes time nothing is done instantaneously. Rome, built on seven hills, took a very long time to come together. No matter what you do will take time to do it, especially when you do it correctly.

               The other day, as I was watching the news, a comment was made that the President always talk about rebuilding the infrastructure but there is nothing to show for it. It was said the President does not uphold his promises and we should not trust anything he says. It was also said that the person-in-charge of the Department of Transportation was also at fault.

               I will give you a little lesson about our highway system (this is only one out of many projects concerning infrastructure). Many years ago, I read a road marker, I forget which state I was in, that talked about President D.D. Eisenhower and how he developed the highway system. When he was a newly minted Lieutenant in the army he had to drive from New York to California. What road there was was rutted and narrow. It took many days to get where he was going, and he swore that someday he will make better roads. When he became President in the 1950s, he did just that.

               To fix the aging infrastructure will take a long time to do. Let me mention a few things that will slow that rebuilding of any part of the infrastructure. First and foremost are the permits before anything can start. Plans have to be drawn, inspections have to be made, contracts have to be written and signed. Just that part mentioned can take months to do. If all that have been mentioned goes smoothly, the work can begin and, depending on the size of the project, will take time to do it safely and right.

               If the project is a new build, then there are other problems. Environmental agencies must give their approval, hearings have to be held, groups for and against have to be appeased, hearings are held again because of the changes to the original concept. After all of that then you start with drawing detailed plans, written contracts, etc.

               The Romans built many great roads and bridges and most of them still stand today, and a few are still being used. The Romans did not wave a magic wand and their projects instantly appeared. It took a long time to accomplish those things that were built thousands of years ago. The Romans had many projects, very little red tape, yet it took a long time for each project.

               I said all of that to say this. Give the infrastructure plans some time. The ball is rolling but it will take time to see it. Many people, that are against the President or the Democrat Party, will always say bad things about the infrastructure bill without proof of anything. Remember, Rome was not built in a day, nether was our deteriorating infrastructure, and completing the plans in the infrastructure bill will take time.