Welcome to the Fast Lane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Rough roads report outlines economic solution to an expensive problem

Let's do the bad news first: "Driving on rough roads costs the average American motorist approximately $400 a year in extra vehicle operating costs.  Drivers living in urban areas with populations over 250,000 are paying upwards of $750 more annually because of accelerated vehicle deterioration, increased maintenance, additional fuel consumption, and tire wear caused by poor road conditions."

 

That's the conclusion of Rough Roads Ahead: Fix Them Now or Pay for It Later, a report released today by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and TRIP, a national transportation research group. The report further asserts that "one-third of the nation’s major highways, including Interstates, freeways and major roads, are in poor or mediocre condition.  Roads in urban areas, which carry 66 percent of the traffic, are in much worse shape." According to Kirk Steudle, Director of the Michigan DOT, “Rough roads lead to diminished safety, higher vehicle operating costs and more expensive road repairs. It costs $1 to keep a road in good shape for every $7 you would have to spend on reconstruction.”

Okay, but the silver lining here is that a dollar of road maintenance pays for itself several times in public benefits--in limiting the amount of reconstruction needed and in reducing wear and tear on everyone's vehicles. And, that's what we've been saying all along with the stimulus funds we've directed toward roadwork. Over and over, I've said the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is creating jobs and paving the way for a robust 21st century movement of goods and people.

And the experts gathered for the release of today's report attest to that. According to TRIP's Frank Moretti, Director of Policy and Research, “The federal stimulus program is providing a helpful down payment towards repairing some of the nation’s rough roads.”

Still, ARRA is only a short-term measure. Soon, Congress will take up reauthorization of surface transportation for the next five years, and I hope our legislators consider this report's valuable conclusions as they deliberate. Said John Horsley, AASHTO Executive Director.  “We hope Congress will make it possible for the federal government to sustain its share of the increased investment needed to keep America’s roads in good condition.  If not, it will cost the American people billions more later.”

That would be bad news indeed.

Florida sides with safety, protects lives with primary seat belt law

"The most important function of government is to protect."

These are the words of Florida Governor Charlie Crist yesterday as he signed Florida's new primary seat belt law, and I could not agree with him more.

We at DOT are pleased that Florida has joined the 27 other states that have adopted primary seat belt laws to save lives on their highways. These measures allow authorities to ticket drivers for not buckling up even if the motorist has committed no other traffic violation.

Folks, this is a matter of public safety. It's simple; wearing your seat belt helps determine whether you or someone you love will ultimately walk away from a crash.

Primary seat belt laws like Florida's have a proven track record of increasing state seat belt use rates. In 2008, the average seat belt use rate in states with primary enforcement laws was 13 percentage points higher than in states with secondary enforcement laws. And this translates into lives and resources and grief saved. According to NHTSA, 270 more lives and $900 million are saved and 6,400 serious injuries per year are prevented for every percentage-point increase in safety belt use nationally.

NHTSA estimates that, with the passage of its primary belt law, Florida will save 124 lives, prevent 1,733 serious injuries, and save $408 million in associated costs each year.

Florida legislator Nan Rich, a co-sponsor of the bill, said,"for me it came back to one thing: Saving lives." Rich thanked families who had lost members in fatal car crashes for their efforts in toughening Florida's existing primary seat belt law, "so that other families wouldn't have to go through the pain of losing a loved one."

That is the kind of pain primary seat belt laws seek to prevent, and we thank the State of Florida for siding with safety.

DOT earns Mercatus Center performance reporting nod

Good news yesterday from George Mason University's Mercatus Center. Every year, the Center reviews deparment and agency performance and accountability reporting. For fiscal 2008, DOT has earned the third-place award in the Overall Performance Reporting category.

In their annual Scorecard, the judges note that only 3 points separated the top 3 overall reports. Congratulations to Labor and Veterans Affairs, the top 2 finishers.

According to Mercatus: Our scoring process evaluates (1) how transparently an agency discloses successes and failures, (2) how well an agency documents the tangible public benefits it claims, and (3) whether an agency demonstrates forward-looking leadership that uses annual performance information to devise strategies for improvement.

DOT earned top honors in 2008 for reporting on public benefits. What makes DOT public benefits reporting effective, the Scorecard says, "is that the great majority of the goals and objectives are stated as clear, measurable outcomes of obvious importance that the general public can readily understand and appreciate."

With $48 billion in stimulus money under our watch, the Mercatus acknowledgment is more important this year than ever. I hope DOT's clear reporting helps secure faith in our ability to manage these funds effectively and transparently.

A final noteworthy observation: DOT does not appear on the Scorecard's list (p. 36) of Too Many Acronyms (TMA).

Safety means making the right call before you dig

Ah, spring. Time for digging. Digging in the garden, digging in the yard, digging along the roadways.

But, as DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) reminds us, it is NOT time for digging into pipelines and other undergound utlities.

Thanks to the stimulus funds this will be the busiest public works season in a while. Sidewalks and highways and bridges and gardens and lawns all involve excavation. So, now is a good time for everyone--road crews and the public alike--to remember that what you can't see can hurt you.

34% of all serious pipeline incidents between 1998 and 2008 were caused by excavation damage. One single call to 811 can eliminate that risk. One single call.

Please call 811 before you put your first shovel or backhoe into the ground.  811 connects you with your local utility companies who will mark the location of pipelines and other underground utilities.

Calling 811 is simple and can save you from causing an explosion. It can save your life, the life of a co-worker and the lives of our citizens.

New rollover protection measures demonstrate DOT's commitment to safety

Here's an unpleasant truth: vehicle rollover crashes can be horrific events. Thankfully, we have a new way of protecting passengers from harm should a rollover occur.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued tough, new roof standards that will significantly strengthen vehicle roof structures and improve rollover crash protection. The new regulation doubles the current roof strength requirement for light vehicles. Both the driver and passenger sides of the roof must be capable of withstanding a force equal to three times the vehicle's weight.

This new standard is part of an ongoing effort here at DOT to fulfill our number one goal: safety. Safety on our roadways. Safety on our railways. Safety on our waterways. And, safety in the airways.

In light of this goal, I have to say that although these new standards go a long way toward reducing deaths, the single most effective approach to passenger safety in a rollover crash is to buckle up. Safety belts are a passenger's best defense against the violent motion and possible ejection that commonly cause rollover injuries. No degree of safety standards, no number of regulations, can protect an unbuckled passenger from the chaos of a rollover crash.

It's that simple.

So, please take a look at our new rule at the NHTSA website, and please make sure you and your loved ones buckle up.