Statement of Senator Bob Graham
United States Committee on Environment and
Public Works
Subcommittee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
Oversight Hearing on Intelligent
Transportation System Programs
Monday, September 10, 2001
Mr. Chairman: I=d like to thank you for calling this
hearing. Intelligent Transportation
Systems have long been an interest of mine.
I take a different job every month, and one of my more recent
transportation jobs was a day spent with the Orlando, Florida=s ITS experts. It was a hands-on experience that helped me understand the
tremendous potential of technology in transportation, and where we still have
work to do to better integrate it into our existing infrastructure.
When we last
reauthorized the surface transportation bill, I was pleased that ITS received
such a focus in TEA-21. Since ITS, at
that time, was an evolving component of our transportation universe, I felt
then that we had a lot to learn about it.
I thought we took
steps in TEA-21 to make sure that the Department of Transportation and the
authorizing committees could get the best information about uses of ITS in our
communities. I have been troubled over
the past several appropriations cycles that money that was to have been
distributed by the Secretary of Transportation on a competitive basis has been
consistently earmarked to various communities without much thought or
rationale.
I understand that
the Department of Transportation is trying to make the best of these
circumstances by collecting ITS information from the communities that received
earmarks that we can use during the next reauthorization cycle. But, I would like us to be even more
vigilant during the appropriations process to make sure that money that is
being earmarked for ITS is consistent with the goals and purposes that we
outlined in TEA-21.
In many areas in our
country, I believe that ITS will be an answer to congestion and frustration on
our highways. We have reached a point
in places that it=s
physically impossible to add a lane of highway ---- meaning we need to use our
existing infrastructure in a more efficient manner. I believe ITS will allow us to do this C but I would like to be able to say that
conclusively when we next look at a surface transportation bill.
If we lose the
chance now to collect and analyze ITS data, explore Alessons learned,@ and deploy this technology in a rational,
scientific manner, we will all be less able to make informed decisions when the
time comes for reauthorization.
Mr. Chairman, thank
you again for holding this hearing. I
look forward to learning from these witnesses, and working with you on ITS
issues in the future.