The high-speed interchange project that will connect Interstates 99 and 80 northeast of State College was a long time coming — much too long, in fact.

But the reality of the project finally happening now represents an initiative that would be welcome in several locations in the six-county Southern Alleghenies region, as well. Too bad the chances of any of them actually happening anytime soon are remote, if not impossible for decades or longer.

For example, there’s Bedford County, where the modern, four-lane, limited-access Interstate 99 ends at Bedford instead of proceeding south to the Maryland border — a needed project so obvious that it’s incredible that it has escaped being pursued more aggressively up to now.

Then there’s the southernmost part of Somerset County, plus Cambria County north of it, both losing perhaps billions of dollars in economic development because of the antiquated portion of Route 219 beginning at Meyersdale, passing through Salisbury, then proceeding to “crawl” to the Maryland border, where a modern link to Interstate 68 takes over.

To the north, the four-lane, limited-access Route 219 ends beyond Ebensburg, “returning” motorists to a travel era that they would prefer not to relive.

PennDOT’s preferred Route 22 eastbound plan into Huntingdon County subsequently was abandoned amid the potential for a bitter court fight that a citizens group called Save Our Schools was preparing to wage.

Thus, Route 22 east of Hollidaysburg remains a prisoner of the “old days.”

It’s a fact that modern highways pave the way to economic prosperity.

As stated regarding Route 219, all of the missing links discussed above could now be bringing billions of dollars of economic benefits to those areas — benefits that might never be witnessed during the lifetimes of anyone currently living.

Meanwhile, what’s especially troubling about “old time” Route 220 south of Bedford is that the existing highway already is shouldering too much of a tractor-trailer burden, considering the highway itself and what it serves, and the current situation is destined only to get worse.

These roads and highways — and the traffic on them — connect southwestern Pennsylvania to all of the state and nation. These roads and highways connect businesses and industries in Lycoming County and surrounding communities to opportunities throughout both Pennsylvania and the U.S.

What’s really the bottom line here? Perhaps it’s the fact that this region’s political clout over the decades hasn’t been as effective as it should have been, except for the late Congressman Bud Shuster, who was the driving force for I-99 and numerous other important road-related projects.

Some new driving force like Shuster needs to step forward on behalf of transportation in this region.