LETTER : Joe Kearns Goodwin Builds Consensus

The following is a letter to the editor submitted by a Lexington resident.

The 3^rd Middlesex District is one of the most prosperous and diverse electorates in the Commonwealth. From the city blocks of Waltham to the forested hills of Lincoln, one State Senator will represent 160,000 people in nine towns. When Joe Kearns Goodwin runs for State Senate, he knows that while he must cherish and protect the individual identities of each town in his constituency, there are issues best served through a regional approach. There is no better example of this than the matters surrounding Route 128.

Route 128 is both the economic and transportation lifeline for the district. It connects the Mass Pike with Route 2 and Route 3, creating the grid that links our towns. It is also the largest area of job growth in the area. But as every driver knows, the road congestion is getting unbearable. Be it the rush hour gridlock, or the traffic bleeding into Waltham around the old Polaroid site, collective efforts need to be taken to alleviate the strain put on 128 and our communities.

I am supporting Joe Kearns Goodwin for State Senate. Because when it comes to the big issues, like 128, Joe won’t go it alone. He will make sure that our municipal leaders are heard on Beacon Hill. He will support the continuation of projects to improve ingresses and egresses around the Lexington interconnect, and explore opportunities to assist other towns further. Joe will work with the 128 Business Council to support traffic management and commuting alternatives.  And when the time comes to make some big decisions, Joe will hold until he has gathered a consensus from the municipalities, small businesses, for-profits, and non-profits that rely on Route 128 the most. 

Joe Kearns Goodwin wants our roads to connect us. It's time to put him in the driver's seat.

- Ted Day, Lexington