Utah DOT team more than meets its challenges

I really can’t say enough good things about the men and women who keep the Department of Transportation engine firing on all pistons. These professionals are among the best, and--when I have the opportunity to visit a DOT field office--it is a privilege to meet them and see the work they do.

Last week, while in Utah, I met several men and women who work for DOT on highways, trucks, and aviation. The pride they feel about their work was evident as they shared stories of their recent accomplishments.

Meeting some of the crew at the FHWA and FMCSA Utah Divisions

The hard work of the Federal Highway Administration Utah Division makes a difference for Utah and the regional economy as they help the state navigate important surface transportation projects. And Utah’s FHWA employees have been very effective, with nearly 91 percent of that office's Recovery Act highway dollars out the door to construction projects all over Utah. In fact, $213.5 in stimulus money has translated into 128 projects across the state. The division office has also administered over $282 million of regular Federal-aid program funds for an additional 146 construction projects.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration workers in Utah are rightfully proudd of their strong safety record. They have seen a steady decline in total fatalities since 2007, and an overall reduction in large truck and bus fatalities since 1997. Their dedication to safe and efficient trucking practices has helped Utah keep its economy up and running, and helped keep the Beehive State’s highways safe.

At the SLC Air Route Traffic Control Center

Visiting the Salt Lake City Air Route Traffic Control Center was also a special treat. Employees here are on the cutting edge of the Federal Aviation Administration's NextGen efforts. The facility is among the first to run the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) project, which has been successfully operating since mid-October.

The DOT professionals I met in Utah last week are outstanding, and I am grateful for their consistent hard work and the skills they demonstrate every day.

So, to everyone in the Utah facilities, THANKS! for inviting me into your workplaces and sharing a little bit of what you do. Your efforts are a fine example of DOT working to keep America moving.

Comments

[mariusz pudzianowski]

Its nice to see stimulus money being put to good use. More states should take notice of how Utah has gone about implementing its policies.

[Michael E. Bailey]

Dot Staff are the best and the ARRA has done more for the economy than anything since the New Deal years of the 1930s. The ARRA has had better and more immidiate results than the New Deal programs had. There are some people who ran for office on a plank of talking about how bad they thought ARRA was and how they are going to cut descretionary spending. And yet some of those very same people are using millions of $$$ in ARRA funding for transportation infrastructure projects in their states and districts. It sounds like they like ARRA as much as everyone does but in an election year some of these folks wanted to standout from the crowd and be different from everyone else. So if everyone liked ARRA and supported it, some of these people running for office were going to be against it. If everyone had been against the ARRA, then thses same people that said they were against it now would have come out and said they were for it. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Jared]

Thanks for keeping our roads in such great shape!