My message to the US Conference of Mayors: This is no ordinary time

Last week the US Conference of Mayors gathered in Washington, DC, "to discuss national policy issues critical to the progress of American cities." And the number one item on their agenda was transportation.

Why transportation? Because 21st century economies need 21st century infrastructure to move goods and people safely and efficiently where they need to go. Fortunately, we have a President who understands how important that infrastructure is.

When President Obama came into office, America's mayors were facing a number of infrastructure challenges that had lingered unaddressed for decades:

• Bridges had deteriorated;
• Daily commutes grew longer, more congested, and more expensive; and
• Airport delays dragged on and on.

Now, I’ve been in public service for more than three decades. And I have never seen an administration take on more problems, more effectively, than the one in which I’m honored to serve today.

Because of the Recovery Act, we’ve been able to put Americans back to work rebuilding our urban and rural infrastructure through major investments not only in roadways, railways, and runways. With our discretionary funds, we’ve also been able to help communities build many unique, forward-thinking transportation projects that provide people with more flexible, affordable and environmentally sustainable options about how they get around.

We're restoring transit facilities and upgrading buses. We're taking the needs of cyclists and pedestrians into account like never before. We're making an $8 billion down payment on high speed rail, a long overdue investment that will bring America's transportation system up to par with that of European and Asian nations.

And we've introduced TIGER grants to fund innovative, multi-modal projects that achieve several objectives at the same time. Important objectives like safety, competiveness, livability, and environmental sustainability.

We know that TIGER is a successful model for the future because the applications for the first round of grants far exceeded the funds Congress made available. And, even though Congress authorized a second round of TIGER grants, those applications--nearly 1,000 of them seeking $19 billion--have also far exceeded the $600 million available.

The best part is, our investments in transportation and infrastructure are supporting our economy at a time when it’s desperately needed. After 22 straight months of job losses, we’ve seen our economy create private sector jobs for eight months in a row. The economic ripple effect of these projects is enormous – just think of all of the asphalt, steel and concrete needed to build Recovery Act projects. And our Buy America provisions make sure that those products and supplies are supporting businesses right here in the US.

On Labor Day, President Obama announced his vision for the future of America’s infrastructure, which builds on the Recovery Act’s historic transportation investments:

• Rebuilding 150,000 miles of roads--enough to circle the Earth six times;
• Laying and maintaining 4,000 miles of track--for transit, freight, and high speed rail--enough to stretch from coast to coast;
• Restoring 150 miles of runways and putting in place a next generation air-traffic control system to reduce travel time and delays.

President Obama’s plan will bring jobs to our economy now; it will be fully paid for without running up the deficit; and it will make a measurable and meaningful difference in the way Americans and our goods move from one place to another.

This is no ordinary time. We are creating jobs in transportation and revitalizing American transportation at an unprecedented pace. And, because of President Obama's infrastructure initiative, we're not letting up anytime soon.

Comments

[David S. McQueen]

With expenditure of $8 billion of the taxpayers' money for high-speed rail, can you GUARENTEE that the system will be producing a profit? If the federal government runs it, the system will have to provide service to every little town and village in the USA and, as we've seen with AMTRAK and the USPS, that's a guarentee for operating in the red. If the private sector runs it, they will do so to insure a profit (a dirty word to Democrats). Of course, letting the private sector do ANYTHING without a ton of federal regulation is abhorrant to Democrats. I do not see that high-speed rail will solve any more problems than it creates.

[Davin]

America's mayors realize that transportation is an increasingly important issue during these tough economic times. The working-class often rely on public transport to get them to jobs, medical care, and places of worship. Spending on public transport also creates a huge return in economic development, creating jobs at all skill levels. The Transportation Equity Network fights for public transport in cities across America. Make your voice heard in this important debate. Visit www.transportationequity.org and find a TEN affiliate in your area.

[vito andolini]

i hope my country can do like this that make transportaion better for all people in my country.. :(

[Michael E. Bailey]

The ARRA has been the best thing that has happened to support the economy since the New Deal Programs of the 1930s. The ARRA has saved the national economy just as the New Deal did over 70 years ago. And the infrastructure initiative announced by the President on Labor Day will keep the momentum moving forward. We are at the same time saving the national economy and creating a national transportation infrastructure that will be the best in the world and last many, many years into the future. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Eric]

It is a blatant conflict of priorities when the US Secretary of Transportation is directly linking to an article regarding Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's backroom attempts to try to secure TIGER II funding for the Peachtree Streetcar system.

The TIGER II grants are supposed to be competitively selected with many jurisdictions spending hundreds of hours and and hundreds of thousands of dollars on their grant proposals. Yet Secretary LaHood has clearly hinted at what he thinks qualifies as "projects that achieve several objectives at the same time."

Secretary LaHood is going to have many questions to answer regarding his role is the supposed competitive process if the project does receive the grant.