The Byram-Clinton-Edwards corridor finally opened last week but not to a few grumbles, of course. We can't stand success in Mississippi. WAPT reported Thursday:
Meanwhile, the economic developer who is not an economic developer, Jackson Ward 6 City Councilman Aaron Banks, decried the project:
“The parkway is a bypass of Jackson, and only benefits the established businesses in Clinton and Byram. The only benefit is that any new customers on the parkway will be new customers of Jackson’s water,” Banks said.Mr. Banks has a tendency to punch above his weight and his comments were no exception. There are few areas left in Hinds County where the demographics (in terms of income) are desirable for commercial and retail development. One of those areas is the Southwestern part of the county. The corridor unlocks a great deal of land for development. It won't be Highland Colony Parkway, but you get the idea. Anything good that will spur development and more tax revenue in Hinds County is seen as a threat to Jackson by some people. The same people who bitch about no one wanting to help Jackson.
Well, District 3 Supervisor Peggy Hobson-Calhoun superbly defended the project back in 2012:
38 comments:
Well you know what, f*ck Aaron Banks!!! The new parkway is a great thing for Hinds County, which needs all the help it can get. I applaud those that made this happen. Other than the Continental Tire plant west of Clinton, this parkway is the only other good thing that I can think of that has happened in Hinds County in a LONG time. Maybe the project wasn't 'black' enough for Mr. Banks!
The county has spent more money paving roads in Jackson than Jackson has, but the city treats the county as an enemy. They are still pounding the Continent plant as a bad thing. It’s sad that there are people who actually take this rhetoric at face value.
If Banks were more in touch, he'd realize that people don't feel safe in Jackson and avoid the city. Nobody wants to open a business in a city where the mayor is ambivalent about crime, does not have the talent in place to improve/repair infrastructure and who injects a divisive racial angle into every issue.
Dear Jackson,
Fix your infrastructure, crack down on crime and let go of the radical rhetoric and more people will like you.
Sincerely,
Everybody
Even people driving right through Jackson don't stop there unless their car breaks down.
That said, it's a road from nowhere, to nowhere. They spent a bunch of our money turning nice green woods and pastures into pavement. Hardly an improvement.
Mr. Banks is a total moron that doesn't understand success if it bit him on the a$$... just listen to him speak and you already know he lacks intelligence on any level.
The Jackson City Council is a joke.
The failure of Jackson is due to this City Council.
1.) Failure: Zoo
2.) Failure: Convention Complex
3.) Failure: Crime
4.) Failure: All the city roads.
5.) Failure: Failed Business in Jackson. Most areas looks like a slum ghost
town.
6.) Failure: Homeless population.
7.) Failure: Water/Sewer System.
8.) Failure: Water/Sewer rates.
9.) Failure: Highest Tax rates in Mississippi.
10.) Failure: Jackson Stae University (No white attendants).
11.) Failure: Clarion Ledger
12.) Failure: City Government
Finally, Peoples are moving to Pearl to get outta Jackson. Who could have ever imagined that!
The legislature should consolidate Hinds, Rankin, and Madison counties and create a board to run all local government functions in the metro area.
The legislature should consolidate Hinds, Rankin, and Madison counties and create a board to run all local government functions in the metro area.
Why? Be specific.
crabs in the bucket
I had some friends who passed through Jackson recently. They decided to stop for the night. After checking into a hotel they took a look around. Immediately they checked out and drove to another city. Just too much like a war zone in Jackson. They liked their car and wanted to keep it.
now that the “dream team” is control of bonds county, look for it to become a crapshow again..
too bad my fellow clintontonians didn’t come out for mr mcquirter. we are going to suffer in the new regime..
Road from nowhere? Have you seen how Siwell has developed since they 4 laned it? This is an extension of that road. Hardly from or to nowhere.
9:54 -- Good luck with that. I'm sure GOP legislators are putting that bill next on the agenda, right after "Light self on fire and leap off Butler Snow building".
9:54, that makes far too much sense. We could save a ton of money by consolidating counties in several places. Chop the number down to maybe 50 counties.
It’s a beautiful road. Bike lanes AND sidewalks and four lanes for traffic. I suspect we will see development along that road soon.
Amen 10:16. It will be interesting to see if the 2020 board will continue supporting the parkway project. The next segment is supposed to be in McQuirter’s / Archie’s district and will probably bring development and tax dollars due to the new tire on pant.
The Blvd was always seen as a bypass from I-55 south to I-20 west. It was needed to open up that area for development, and it will - probably not soon, but any industrial developer will likely take a look before they make their plans for industrial placement. It would not hurt my feelings any at all if 20 years from now, that road hosts several industrial plants that offer Jackson, Byram, Clinton, Bolton and Edwards folks a place to earn a decent living. Maybe it will entice little kids in Jackson to finish high school so they can get a job out there. Lord knows, we are richly blessed with social workers and could use a few well paid factory folks.
Maybe to keep the Jackson city council happy, they can build a wall to keep Jackson folks from driving over to spend their money in the businesses that will locate there.
I think it is great! Now I can drive from where I live (on the EAST side of the Pearl River) to Clinton or other points West without having to take the risks of traveling through the crime ridden ghetto that Jackson has become. With the opening of this roadway I can now avoid Jackson to the North to Madison/ridge land by crossing the Rez and to the South through Byram.
Thank you Hinds county for providing a safer route around the war zone.
I am happy to see this long awaited road coming to fruition. Banks and other crybabies like him are just angry that economic development opportunities are continuing to pass over Jackson and its moronic leadership.
My only gripe with the project is that I wish Phase 1 ended at Springridge Road instead of Parks Road. Would have been a more logical connection (this might be why it's being called a road to "nowhere").
Watch the fly over done by drone on one of the news channels. Very nice road.
10:49. great point. but as we know, mr archie doesn’t really live in the house he owns in district 2. perhaps the courts will see what the hinds county democrats don’t and declare him not eligible to serve.
prayers for that, everyone
9:54, now why in the world would Madison & Rankin counties want to absorb Hinds counties problems.
They both have functioning cities that have almost NO crime (other than what slimes over from Jackson), good roads, viable neighborhoods that don't resemble a third world country, excellent schools and a stable Tax base!!!!
You must be a card tot'n Dimokrat who thinks they're owed some of the money for Jackson & Hinds county to waste. Is your name Aaron Banks by any chance?
Nah, let the dregs of society and Fondren liberals stay south of County Line and west of the Pearl River. You've got it so good there, y'all keep it all to yourselves.
Hey, Mr. Banks. Convince your constituents that there is a reason people and roads by-pass Jackson.
Yo Banks, you must be disappointed that you didn't have the opportunity to shake down some contractor$. You should be more focused on living in your district, loser.
If you build it, here’s hoping they will come.
THERE ARE ENTERPRISES THAT HAVE BEEN DELAYED IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS PROJECT. ONE SPECIFIC LARGE PROJECT IS THE DRAUGHN MANUFACTURER FROM FLORIDA THAT ACQUIRED SEVERAL HUNDRED ACRES IN THE CLINTON INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT WILL EMPLOY SEVERAL HUNDRED. THEY WOULD NOT COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION UNTIL THE PARKWAY PROJECT WAS CONSUMMATED. HDS. COUNTY HAS HAD TO TOLERATE STOKES, GRAHAM, JOHNSON, AND OTHERS TO PURSUE A HUGE BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER ENTINYS. THE CITIZENS NEED TO REMEMBER THESE ASSHOLES AT ELECTION TIME.
Hinds’ progress in recent years is starting to irk Jackson leaders.
Hey Councilman Banks, where are all the economic development announcements coming from the Jackson Airport Authority's boondoggle trip to the Paris Air Show? That's what I thought - crickets
You don’t hear Madison complaining that Ridgeland got a new road. Pearl isn’t fussing about Florence getting a new bridge.
Only Jackson subscribes to the strategy of trying to hold everybody back with them rather than move forward with everybody else.
Hey, D-bag at 1:43, turn off the Caps Lock button... And stop using words you can't spell correctly.
I haven't been too thrilled with the Parkway because it'll come too close to where I live outside Raymond,. But now that I know a racist Jackson city leader is against it, I say, "Let's get 'er done."
Where does phase 3 go/end?
1:43, nobody in their right mind would acquire several hundred acres to build a plant and then not build the plant. Somebody is feeding you a line of baloney.
If this business is ready to guarantee "several hundred jobs" I can almost assure you that the county could take that to Washington and get another round of funding. They would take said business owner with them. If you know said owner, tell him to call Blake Wallace.
Hey Kingfish, I think the same 10 people who post in the comments are getting confused.
Most posters on here just want to rip Jackson. Most have no idea what the parkway is and is not and will never drive on it, despite the comments from one learned individual who claims to use the road to avoid Jackson when he goes to Clinton....even though the road is many years away from going all the way to Clinton.
Its a nice road. Very nice. But its just a road. The stuff you see on Highland Colony is there for reasons far behind a nice road.
Theca Jones - Why is your fake name no longer in ridiculously bold blue letters now? When if was blue, your comments were rather irrelevant and stupid. They still are.
@3:02, it's called real estate speculation...and 1:43, what exactly is a "draughn," and be "pacific," folks from Florence read this blog...
12:28 Right on, and well said!
1:43 Quit yelling!
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