ContactsNewark Camden Washington, DC |
The Future of American Transportation
On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, Senator Lautenberg, chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security, issued the following statement at a morning hearing on the future of America’s surface transportation policy: “Today in America, congestion is overtaking our surface transportation system. Travelers and shippers experience crippling delays on our highways and our skyways. Congestion is so bad on our roads that drivers lose 4.2 billion hours each year sitting in traffic. And 2007 was one of the worst years on record for flight delays: more than one in four flights was late. In 2008, while the number of flight delays went down slightly, the length of those delays went up. Safety is an even more important concern. Last year, more than 37,000 men, women and children lost their lives on our roads. And we all know the impact that America’s vehicles are having on global warming. To overcome these challenges, we need a national transportation policy that will reduce delays, improve safety, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on foreign oil. This year, Congress will reauthorize our nation’s surface transportation programs. In the past, this legislation has been referred to as the “highway bill’’—but highways alone cannot meet the transportation needs of the future. The reality is that Congress will be producing a “Surface Transportation Bill”—a bill that recognizes the critical role of mass transit and passenger and freight rail. Mass transit reduces our dependence on foreign oil, relieves stress and congestion on our already overburdened roads and bridges, and saves commuters money on gas and other costs associated with commuting by car. In my state of New Jersey, we are ready to build a new Hudson River Rail Tunnel that will create 6,000 construction jobs a year and remove 22,000 cars from the road each day. Like transit, passenger rail reduces congestion, emissions and fuel consumption. We took the first step toward revitalizing passenger rail last year, when my Amtrak bill was signed into law. Amtrak’s record ridership shows that Americans are craving a travel option that’s more convenient and less hassle than a car or plane. I am pleased that President Obama shares my commitment to passenger rail. Providing more than 9 billion dollars for Amtrak and high-speed rail in the economic recovery law was a bold step. But we need to do more. Between now and 2050, America’s population is expected to reach 420 million people. In order to meet the demands of our nation’s travelers, keep our businesses competitive in the world’s economy, and create jobs, we need to establish a bold vision for our national surface transportation system. We need to make our system better, not only for ourselves, but for the generations to come. I look forward to hearing from today’s witnesses about how we can make that happen.” # # #
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