A Skeptical View of the Peoria to Macomb Expressway


Pella – Since Macomb area highway boosters insist that the possibility of a four-lane highway to Peoria was critical to Pella’s decision to build a factory in Macomb, this issue deserves comment. First, the initial public announcement of Pella’s decision included the company’s list of reasons for coming to Macomb. Nothing was said about Illinois 336, or about any other form of transportation. Later (one assumes, at the request of highway boosters), Pella came out with an “Oh, yeah, the highway was important too,” statement. Not very convincing. The reasons first provided by Pella included: a high quality work force, an excellent educational system, a pleasant, friendly small-town atmosphere, and a very generous incentive package (several million dollars worth of services and tax breaks). Those who have studied location decisions made by corporate managers know that managers want to locate where they will be happy to raise their families and where their children will get a good education. Macomb rates high on these counts. They also know that corporations must be “incentivized” (bribed) before they will consider coming to your town. Macomb rated high on this count, too. Pella produces high-value products; transportation costs are a relatively small part of product costs. The idea that Pella would base its location decision on the possibility that their trucks might occasionally save a few minutes of driving time on a highway that might be ready to use in a decade or more is ridiculous. Ten years from now, Pella might be making its windows in Mexico. Or China. Don’t laugh; just think about Maytag. It is worth asking, “ Why didn’t Pella decide to locate in Canton, or Galesburg?” The answer, whatever its details, has nothing to do with highways.