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

Colorado creates jobs, puts stimulus funds to work on highway, bike path 'twofer'

Today in the metro Denver Lakewood area, I helped break ground on a great new stimulus-funded project. The Colorado DOT is not only repaving a section of highway C-470; they are also repaving the bike path alongside that highway.

 

Vehicle traffic on this section of C-470 has grown from 40,000 vehicles per day in 2004 to 75,000 in 2008; now, that's a pretty substantial increase, and the improvements we broke ground on today will help smooth that ride and reduce congestion.

 

The bike path is also very popular and--in addition to facilitating non-car commuting--connects parks all over the area. I'm told that over 200,000 people use it for commuting or recreation each year.

 

"This project is key to easing traffic congestion and ensuring access to the metro area for commuters and recreational users," said Congressman Ed Perlmutter. "Investments in these types of projects are already helping our aging infrastructure and saving and creating good paying jobs."

 

So, we're keeping people employed or helping people find new jobs, and reducing congestion, and making it easier for people to choose not to drive. That's the kind of triple-threat the Obama Administration would like to see more of.

I talked with the Denver Post about these and other Administration priorities. You can see video of that interview below.

 

Recovery Act is working in Texas, and across America

Today, day 120 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), is the deadline for States to have obligated half of their highway stimulus funds. Deputy Secretary John Porcari marked the deadline in Cedar Hill, Texas.

 

John celebrated reconstruction of a busy intersection thanks to $1.38 million in Recovery Act funding. Safety enhancements for this intersection, at FM1382 and Old Straus Road, have been put off for years due to lack of funding.

 

The Deputy Secretary congratulated the State for meeting its ARRA deadline more than two weeks early, noting, "Your good stewardship of federal recovery dollars means this busy and dangerous interchange can finally get the attention it deserves."

 

Porcari also reminded the audience that this one intersection project would directly employ 19 people: "I think we can all appreciate the fact that the contractor on this job, Rebcon, has been able to avoid laying anybody off, thanks to the stimulus funds."

 

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, also in attendance, thanked both the US and Texas DOTs:

"This project is putting people to work and will drastically improve highway safety for the driving public.  I commend Secretary LaHood and his team for the outstanding job they are doing in getting funds obligated quickly."

DOT ready to implement new car buyer incentive program

Earlier this week, President Obama signed into law the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS). This program helps consumers pay for new, more fuel-efficient vehicles when they trade in less fuel-efficient cars or trucks.

Stimulating the automobile industry while improving the environment and reducing fuel consumption--these are outcomes the DOT is pleased to support.

Congress and the Obama Administration recognize this is an important time for the automobile industry.  And, the CARS program will help boost car and truck sales. Moreover, since the auto industry has improved vehicle safety and reduced vehicle emissions over the years, we are also excited about a program that puts vehicles on the road that are safer, pollute less, and get more miles to the gallon than the vehicles they replace.

CARS will be implemented by DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It's a new responsibility this department welcomes; I know the folks in NHTSA stand ready to fulfill their new charge.

To receive the maximum rebate of $4,500, the new car must have a fuel economy rating of at least 10 miles-per-gallon greater than the car to be traded.  To receive an incentive of $3,500, the same car would be traded for one that gets at least four miles-per-gallon better gas mileage.

The rules differ slightly for vans, trucks, and SUVs, and there are other requirements. I encourage everyone to learn more about the program from the website, www.cars.gov, or call  NHTSA’s Auto Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Stimulus: 120 days in, States and Territories reach ambitious obligation benchmarks early, DOT creates jobs

Today, I joined Vice President Biden at the White House to announce the fulfillment of important Recovery Act benchmarks.

The Obama Administration has been committed to getting American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars into the economy as quickly as possible. 120 days after ARRA's enactment, the nation's 55 states and territories have done their part well.

And, I'm happy to report that the DOT has reached some milestones of its own.

Thanks to strong DOT partnerships with state and regional stakeholders, every state and territory has met the deadline to obligate 50 percent of their highway recovery funds within 120 days. That's right; every single one.

Now, it's on to creating more jobs and rebuilding more of America's infrastructure.

DOT has already $19 billion--roughly 40% of the $48.1 billion available. Those funds have propelled more than 5,300 projects to repair and rebuild roads, bridges, airport facilities, transit systems, and seaports.

More than 1,900 of these projects are now under way. The Recovery Act is working. And as we reach the height of the summer construction season, more work will soon begin.

Read more below about DOT stimulus milestones...

Oklahoma City an oasis for Federal excellence

The Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City has the largest concentration--5,500--of DOT employees outside of the Washington DC area. The Center occupies 1,100 acres, more than 100 buildings and 3.3 million square feet of space.

So, a townhall meeting on the Center's campus is a bit of an undertaking.

But, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and I did hold a session with several hundred employees. Others were able to tune in through some video monitors set up around the campus. The message Randy and I brought was simple: thanks for the hard work and dedication. We also reminded everyone that "Safety is our number one priority" at DOT and FAA.

 

We were there to learn about the facility's impressive scope--they handle everything from air traffic controller training to air safety research, and will even do some work on the financial end of our ambitious new CARS program.

Administrator Babbitt hopped into a Gulfstream 1000 simulator for a short flight. In case anyone doubts his skills, Randy is one former pilot who can still fly.

But the story of the day was not me or Randy, but the Monroney Center itself, its great facilities, its environmental achievements, and its fantastic employees. Oklahoma City really is an oasis for excellence!

Oklahoma City FAA center goes green, wins White House award

Congratulations to everyone at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City for working so hard over the last 4 years to prove that big government agencies can “go green” and reduce their carbon footprint.

 

 

Today, joined by FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, I presented the Center with the White House's "Closing The Circle" award for its Environmental Management Systems.

 

It's always a good day when I get a chance to congratulate a group of people on a job well done. And, as Secretary, I enjoy it all the more when that team is part of our DOT family.

 

Once again, I am reminded today of how proud I am of this Department, the hard work of its employees, and their commitment to a safe and prosperous America.

 

Here's a brief inventory of the Center's achievements:

• Recycled more than 100 tons of cardboard;
• Saved more than thirteen hundred gallons of gasoline;
• Reduced water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
• Shaved hundreds of thousands of dollars from energy bills each year

Now, that's great news for the FAA and the DOT, but it's also great news for taxpayers--and for citizens hoping to protect air quality and conserve water and energy resources. Here's hoping the Center's achievements inspire others--in the private sector as well as the public--to follow their example.

 

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduates 197; Obama Administration promises Class of 2009, "We're going to fix this place up"

The Obama Administration's commencement gift to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's Class of 2009? $12 million, a blue-ribbon panel to study the institution's long-term needs...and our heartfelt wishes for safe and prosperous maritime careers.

 

 

Yesterday, I had the honor of addressing the Class of 2009 at the King's Point, NY, Academy. There is no doubt in my mind that King's Point is one of the jewels in the crown of our federal educational system.

 

 

 

One of the core strengths of this institution is its remarkable ability to adapt to the nation’s changing needs over time-–and provide the instruction that’s necessary to ensure each cadet is ready to rise to the occasion.

 

The midshipmen training to be deck and engine officers in 1945 could not have imagined that their counterparts today would study nuclear engineering and intermodal transportation. This illustrates just how well King’s Point has continued to evolve its capacity to serve the nation. Through all manner of technological and cultural changes--in 1974, King's Point first admitted women, 2 years ahead of the other U.S. service academies, and yesterday both the Class President and the Valedictorian were women--this institution has never lost sight of its core mission to prepare men and women to lead, protect, and defend our economic and transportation interests.

 

That preparation has served generations of Academy graduates very well. And I know it will serve the Class of 2009 just as well.

Please read more below about the the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the nation's need for maritime skills, and the Obama Administration's maritime priorities...

 

Helping out at Habitat for Humanity NYC as Obamas kick off United We Serve initiative

I'm spending the afternoon at Habitat for Humanity’s Atlantic Avenue project in Brooklyn, New York. I'm there to help First Lady Michelle Obama kick off the United We Serve initiative that runs through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on 9-11.

This expanded call to service is just one piece of the Obama Administration's commitment to getting Americans to engage in meaningful community service, and I couldn't be happier about getting my hands dirty and breaking a sweat.

The kick-off is a nationwide effort that includes a number of Cabinet secretaries and senior administration officials participating in service projects across the country. During this summer, the President is renewing his call to all Americans to identify needs in their communities, engage in meaningful service to create change, and stay engaged with those projects long after September. 

To create new service projects, find service projects in their communities, or share stories about projects, Americans can visit the Corporation for National and Community Service’s website, www.serve.gov.

The project I'm working on today is Habitat For Humanity NYC's  first large-scale building. It will house 41 New York families in need — double the number of homes Habitat NYC produces in a typical year.

Please read more below about the Atlantic Avenue Habitat project and about President Obama's call to service.

President Obama leads fatherhood event

Sometimes it's safety; sometimes, stimulus; sometimes policy.

And sometimes, I'm invited to speak on something even more fundamental than transit funding, more transformative than high-speed rail. On Friday, it was fatherhood. Believe me, that is a truly transformational experience.

What a pleasure it was to be invited to the White House to share my thoughts on growing up and on fatherhood with local high-school students.This event initiates a national conversation on responsible fatherhood and healthy families that continues with town hall meetings throughout the summer and fall. I think the President's video below does a great job of opening this important conversation.


A father’s presence in a child’s life is precious. Everyone benefits from a positive male role model who cares about society and contributes significantly to the well-being of a child. That presence is also important as our children become young adults and begin to assume leadership and parenting roles of their own.

The President’s initiative asks us to consider, and celebrate, the importance of connecting male role models with young men to strengthen and reinforce their ambitions as future leaders and fathers.

If you read about this event in the papers, you probably heard about Zo Mourning and Bill Cowher.

My favorite report was from Tony Hawk who was on Twitter as he skateboarded down the halls of the White House. That's probably not something my own father would have done. But it is something my 9 grandchildren are likely to be talking about for Father's Days to come.

Myself, I'm more likely to be thinking about the fine grillwork of chef Bobby Flay, another participant.

The President called it a mentoring session for the high-schoolers and future fathers, but I don't mind saying I learned something from these young men as well. Judging from what I saw, this country will have some excellent dads in the future.

NHTSA proposes consumer-friendly tire efficiency labeling

Yesterday, we proposed a new, consumer-friendly replacement tire label. The new label takes the guess work out of buying the best tires for your vehicle.

You can see from the sample that the new label would include--for the first time--information about the tire’s impact on fuel economy and CO2 emission reductions, wet weather traction and tread wear.

All three ratings would be prominently displayed on a removable label attached to the replacement tire at the point of sale.

Because some consumers never actually see the tires they buy until after they are installed, the new ratings will also appear on safercar.gov to help consumers compare ratings in advance of tire purchases.

Our proposal would let consumers look at a single label and compare a tire’s overall performance as it relates to fuel economy, safety and durability. I think that's pretty useful, and others think so, too. Many thanks to our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for their good work in developing this program.

Summer driving season is here; people are loading up their cars, vans, and trucks for vacations. So, while we're talking tires, please remember that the best tires in the world will not keep drivers and passengers safe if they are underinflated or if vehicles are overloaded.

NHTSA offers excellent tire safety information on the web, and I urge you all to visit soon, visit often.

Safe driving, everyone-

Let's face reality on the Highway Trust Fund, not rush comprehensive legislation

Yesterday and today, I briefed members of Congress on the Highway Trust Fund situation and proposed an immediate 18-month highway reauthorization that will replenish the Fund.

This is an unusual step, I know. But, with the Fund likely to run out of money by late August, it's a little too late to worry about business as usual.

Beyond keeping the Highway Trust Fund solvent, an immediate 18-month reauthorization provides Congress the time it needs to fully deliberate the direction of America's transportation priorities. That's the kind of thoughtful decision-making America deserves.

Passing transportation legislation in Congress is a complicated process. How the Highway Trust Fund went south? Not so complicated.

Here's how it works...

DOT moves U.S. High-Speed Rail closer to reality

Today, the DOT took another step toward realizing President Obama's historic vision for high-speed rail in America. Today, the DOT published guidelines for states and regions to apply for the federal funds that will move high-speed rail forward.

State governors support it. Newspapers support it. Even Fox Business News has smiled on it. It is game-changing, and it is happening now.

As Rep. James Oberstar has described, we've had high-speed rail legislation since at least 1991. I've been talking about it on these pages for months.

In May, I went to Europe and learned quite a bit from my counterparts in France, Spain, and Germany about the value their systems provide. Also in May, officials from the Federal Railroad Administration began meeting with more than 1,000 people across the country to gather input on rail.

Earlier this month, Vice President Biden and I met with governors and state transportation chiefs about the boost improved passenger rail service would provide their economies.

 

And now, the time has finally come for the United States to get serious about building a national network of high-speed rail corridors we can all be proud of.

A robust 21st Century economy requires efficient transportation of people from urban center to urban center. And, the guidance we publish today will evaluate proposals for their ability to:

• Make trips quicker and more convenient;
• Reduce congestion on highways and at airports; and
• Meet other environmental, energy and safety goals.

So, today the guidance; in mid-September we'll be back with the first round of grant awards. I am proud to say the DOT is meeting its ARRA commitments and meeting them responsibly.

“Livability Principles” will guide Federal housing, environmental and transportation policy

“We have a window of opportunity to think differently about transportation and propose bold, new approaches to improve the livability of our nation’s communities.”

That's the message I delivered to the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee today. In announcing our agencies’ Partnership for Sustainable Communities, I was joined by my counterparts at HUD, Sec. Shaun Donovan, and the EPA, Administrator Lisa Jackson.

In March I opened a discussion about Livable Communities here and in testimony before Congress. Today, we have a new set of 6 Livability Principles to help enact that Livable Communities Initiative.

These six principles will help us coordinate federal transportation, environmental protection, and housing investments at our respective agencies. As I told the Senate Committee, “These principles mean that we will all be working off the same playbook to formulate and implement policies and programs.”

1. Providing more transportation choices;

2. Expanding access to affordable housing, particularly housing located close to transit;

3. Enhancing economic competitiveness-–giving people access to jobs, education and services as well as giving businesses access to markets;

4. Targeting federal funds toward existing communities to spur revitalization and protect rural landscapes;

5. Increasing collaboration among federal, state, and local governments to better target investments and improve accountability;

6. Valuing the unique qualities of all communities--whether urban, suburban, or rural.

These six principles will help us coordinate federal transportation, environmental protection, and housing investments at our respective agencies. As I told the Senate Committee, “These principles mean that we will all be working off the same playbook to formulate and implement policies and programs.”

Acting now, acting together on regional air safety

Yesterday, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and I hosted a "Call to Action" with senior officials from U.S. airlines, pilot unions and the FAA.

It was a productive first session, and we were able to identify immediate steps to strengthen and improve pilot hiring, training and testing practices at regional airlines as well as major carriers.

In Tom Costello's NBC News segment on the meeting, I think you'll see a determined Randy Babbitt. I hope the flying public is as impressed with his tough leadership yesterday as I was.

I say "first session" because, although we've taken some valuable first steps, we will hold we will hold up to a dozen additional meetings around the country where we collect best practices and secure commitments from every carrier and pilot union. We are far from finished on this.

However, the meeting produced several initial actions:

• The FAA will expect airlines to seek privacy waivers from pilots they are considering hiring so the airlines can obtain more extensive pilot records. A rule change to mandate this step and expand the number of available records  requires Congressional action.
• The FAA will also expect carriers to download cockpit flight data for review of pilot safety practices and to set up safety reporting programs. These programs are currently voluntary.
• The FAA will start rewriting the rules for pilot flight and duty time to incorporate recent scientific research about the factors that lead to fatigue.
• The FAA will expect greater major carrier involvement with pilot training and mentoring at their regional carriers.

If you watch Alan Chernoff's CNN segment, you'll see Randy Babbitt and I making it quite clear that this is a new day at the FAA, and a new day at DOT.

That FAA will not wait for Congress to add mandatory layers to airline safety. That FAA will not wait for the NTSB report from February's Colgan Air crash.

Because air passengers deserve action. And, they deserve it now.

On behalf of the passengers who expect us to fly them to their destinations safely

Later today, I will convene a summit with representatives from the major air carriers, their regional partners, aviation industry groups and labor. Our topic: improving airline safety.

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and I are bringing the FAA and industry leaders together to produce an immediate “to do” list to assure the flying public that all our carriers--including our regional carriers--are operating as safely as possible.

Our highest priority is protecting lives. To that end, we will act quickly to set effective industry standards on crew education, training and performance, professionalism, and flight discipline.

Every one of us who gathers here today has a responsibility to take the necessary steps to make flying safer. And, we will make sure that carriers and their regional partners are working together on all aspects of safety.

Our goal is simple: We must inspire confidence in every traveler, every time he or she steps onto a commercial aircraft of any size, at any airport in the country.

It's an enormous responsibility; it's our highest duty. And, I look forward to a productive session today.

"We're building a foundation for a new transportation system in America"--the view from VP Biden's Road to Recovery

Today is Day 2 of my ride on Vice President Biden's "Road to Recovery" tour.

Yesterday, with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Pennsylvania's Gov. Ed Rendell and Sen. Arlen Specter, we visited a bridge project in Carlisle, PA.

As the AP reports:

The $1.7 million replacement bridge over Conodoguinet Creek is being financed exclusively with stimulus money. The main contractor says the project has allowed it to hire 30 additional workers a 10 percent expansion of its work force.

In Carlisle, we had a chance to talk with Matthew Yacobenus, project manager for the Conodoguinet Creek bridgework. He credits the stimulus for kickstarting his company's expansion.

Later in the day, we were off to Overland Park, Kansas, for the launch of a project widening U.S. 69 near what the Kansas City Star considers "one of the worst bottlenecks in Kansas."

Along with the Vice President and Sec. Sebelius, we were joined by Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, Kansas Transportation Secretary Deb Miller, and Overland Park Mayor Carl Gerlach. You can barely see me in the photo below, behind Gov. Parkinson--I'll have to talk to him about that.

When Deputy Secretary Porcari was in Wisconsin last week, we were able to gather similar impressions from Brandon Nesler, a Wisconsin worker rehired for a highway interchange project near Racine. We captured his story on video as well. You can hear his story on our website.

No greater obligation than to ensure safety

The Department of Transportation has no greater obligation than to ensure a safe transportation system. The FAA, as Administrator Randy Babbitt testified yesterday in the Senate, is dedicated to aviation safety.

Any loss is felt keenly by us all; one fatality is one too many.

Let's be clear on the rules; there is only one level of safety: all air carriers that operate aircraft with 10 or more seats are required to meet the same safety standards and are subject to the same level of safety oversight across the board.

In light of February's Colgan Air crash and the information coming from the subsequent NTSB investigation, Administrator Babbitt and I want to act fast to ensure that our safety standard is being met throughout the entire industry–-from large commercial carriers to smaller, regional operators.

To that end, we have ordered FAA inspectors to immediately focus inspection on training programs to ensure that regional airlines are complying with federal regulations.

And, on Monday, June 15, we will gather representatives from the major air carriers, their regional partners, aviation industry groups and labor to participate in a “call to action” to improve airline safety and pilot training. This session will address pilot training, cockpit discipline and other flight safety issues.

Our summit will elicit immediate actions and voluntary commitments in four areas:

• Air carrier management responsibilities for crew education and support;
• Professional standards and flight discipline;
• Training standards and performance;
• Mentoring relationships between mainline carriers and their regional partners.

In the past, the FAA has waited until the NTSB released recommendations emerging from its crash investigations--in this case, the formal report is not due out until January, 2010. If we acted on those recommendations the day we received the report, it would take another six months to issue rules. That would mean it would take another year from now before anything was done at all.

We can't wait that long. The flying public can't wait that long. Acting quickly on what we already have learned from Colgan 3407 is the right way to provide passengers the confidence they seek today.

While we are in an extremely safe period in aviation history, everyone one at the FAA--and across the DOT--knows that we must remain alert and aware of the challenges in our aviation system, and that we must continue to work to enhance the safety of the system.

As Administrator Babbitt told the Senate hearing yesterday, "This is a business where one mistake is one too many."

PHMSA, Bellingham, WA, mark pipeline explosion's 10th anniversary

Today, Jeff Wiese, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety in DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, is in Bellingham, Washington, helping commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Whatcom Creek pipeline explosion.

On June 10, 1999, a gasoline pipeline incident in downtown Bellingham, Washington, resulted in the deaths of three individuals, two of them young children, eight injuries, and over $45 million in property damages.

Preventing pipeline tragedies is the primary mission of the Department of Transportation’s pipeline safety program. Over the last several years, the Department has taken significant steps to strengthen PHMSA:

• We doubled the number of pipeline inspectors and accident investigators and increased civil penalties by eight times the 2002 amounts.
• We invested more heavily in advancing safety technologies, providing more resources for research and development projects to prevent the most common pipeline failures.
• We developed new “integrity management” regulations requiring companies to review each safety process, to develop procedures to assure the safe operation of these processes, and to continually review and monitor these safety processes.
• We introduced a variety of damage prevention programs, including “8-1-1,” the Call Before You Dig number to help eliminate third party damages to pipelines--the type of damage that caused the Bellingham explosion.

These efforts have resulted in an average reduction in serious pipeline incidents of 10 percent every 3 years for the past 20 years, but our job is not done.
 
My thanks go out to the people and elected officials of Washington State for their great support of pipeline safety initatives, including Rep. Rick Larsen, who recently introduced a resolution in Congress to recognize June 10th as National Pipeline Safety Day, and Gov. Christine Gregoire, who yesterday signed into law a proclamation making June 10 Pipeline Safety Day in the state of Washington, and Senator Patty Murray who introduced legislation ultimately resulting in the Pipeline Safety Act of 2002.

President Obama: "More than ever, faster than ever, more responsibly than ever"

Those were President Obama's words at the beginning of yesterday's Cabinet meeting on expediting stimulus spending even further.

Since I was still enroute from Lebanon where I helped monitor the recent elections, Deputy Secretary John Porcari was on hand to represent the DOT’s ongoing efforts to get stimulus funds into the economy.

Some reports have suggested that stimulus funds are not flowing as fast as claimed. That’s simply not true. These reports misunderstand where in the funding process job creation and purchases of materials and equipment occur.

In short, they overlook the moment when stimulus actually happens. It happens as soon as we make funds available to states, territories, and transit agencies.

I've said it before, but it needs to be said again:

Every time we make ARRA funds available to the states, we send an immediate signal for states to advertise contracts, and for contractors to begin hiring workers and ordering materials like steel and asphalt. And for workers to make purchases. And for steel and asphalt vendors to hire workers and make purchases.

That is economic stimulus, and all of that activity occurs before states have been reimbursed by DOT. When the states come back to DOT for reimbursement, then and only then do the funds we've made available become outlays.

But, by that time those funds have already been hard at work stimulating the American economy.

As of last week, we had made available $15.7 billion--nearly one-third of our American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds--to 4,391 projects.

Moreover, within the first 100 days of the program, the DOT made recovery funds available at nearly twice the rate as we do for some of our normal programs.

By September 1, 2009, for example, over $3 billion in transit grants will be obligated. Over a third of these funds will be used to purchase over 4,000 transit vehicles. The remainder of the funds will aid the construction or rehabilitation of transit facilities, such as bus shelters and maintenance facilities, and provide needed support for maintenance costs to keep transit systems moving people effectively.

For more examples of DOT stimulus funds at work, look no further than CNN/Money's "Meet the Stimulus Hires" or our own profile of newly rehired Brandon Nesler

Call it what you want, but when you look at the amounts we've made available to the states and territories, you'll be looking at economic stimulus.

Recent transport news items that have stayed on my mind

There's no question that this is a busy moment throughout America's transportation systems. If you want to hear about it from someone other than me, here are some news items I found interesting over the weekend.

The Times of Trenton editorial staff says it's time to seize the day on the President's high-speed rail vision.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution's Ariel Hart finds bids for stimulus projects coming in at 43% below estimates across Georgia, 50% below estimates in Atlanta, with hundreds of jobs being created. Reuters' Lisa Lambert reports that construction job losses in May were the lowest since August 2008, particularly for nonresidential construction, which includes many stimulus projects.

The Huffington Post's Susan Demas finds Commerce Secretary Locke and Michigan Governor Granholm on the same page; both say transitioning to train and transit equipment could revive auto factories, workers, and engineers. That idea is echoed on the Infrastructurist blog and the editorial pages of the Kalamazoo Gazette.

That's the view from here, for now. Happy reading, all.

Welcome, Deputy Secretary John Porcari!

With great pleasure I want to bid a hearty welcome aboard to our new Deputy Secretary, John Porcari.

I've already written on these pages about the great example set by his predecessor, Adm. Thomas Barrett. But, we've got equally high expectations for John Porcari. And, though he's been on duty less than a week, he already has done some heavy lifting for us.

 

On Friday, John joined Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle in Racine, to help with groundbreaking for an interchange project on I-94.

That project is being expedited by nearly three years thanks to stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Indeed, $529 million in ARRA money will help fund $1.9 billion in Wisconsin construction expected to create 2,300 jobs.

When I said, "heavy lifting," I wasn't kidding. 2,300 jobs--not a bad first week, John.

Pike Industries charitable giving shows stimulus ripple effects

Yesterday I wrote that Pike Industries president Christian Zimmerman is getting a lot of ink lately. Sure enough, today I read about him again from the Lakes Region (NH) United Way.

It seems that Pike's contributions to its local United Way chapter are up a considerable 17% from last year, even in these challenging times.

Christian Zimmerman says the increase is due to the stimulus; Pike has hired more employees, and its existing employees feel more confident about their jobs this year.

As stimulus funds make their way into local projects, we're looking forward to more outcomes like this across America.

DOT-launched 'media stars' say stimulus is working

When I introduced Willie Fort to a National Press Club audience, I didn't know he'd become a media star. And when I wrote about Pike Industries, I didn't know its president, Christian Zimmerman, would also hit the big time.

You can read more about how each champions the benefits of stimulus funding from Reuters' Lucia Mutikani, Time Magazine's Stephen Gandel, and the New York Times' Patrick McGeehan. Christian was also featured on Fox Business Television.

Mutikani supports what I've been saying on this site all along: Stimulus spending is saving and creating jobs in the construction sector. She quotes Associated General Contractors of America chief economist Ken Simonson as saying:

Early reports indicate that the infrastructure piece of the stimulus is beginning to do exactly what was intended, to put construction workers back on the job.

In Time, Zimmerman explains:

At our company alone, the stimulus bill has amounted to a 250-person swing in the economy.

Simonson told Reuters' Mutikani that "about 85 percent of construction companies have indicated they were scrapping layoffs or adding new employees because of the stimulus funds."

That's America at work again.

VP Biden hosts High-Speed Rail round-table with state leaders today

I'm looking forward later today to a round-table conversation on high-speed rail hosted by Vice President Biden.  

President Obama has already made it clear that high-speed rail is part of his plan to transform the American transportation system. And there has been a great outpouring of political will around rail that tells us America can build and operate effective high-speed service.

Last week, I had the great pleasure of learning more about high-speed rail. I rode the AVE from Madrid to Zaragoza with Spanish Development Minister Jose Blanco. Do you know the Spanish have a goal of establishing high-speed rail stations within 30 kilometers of 90% of all Spaniards by 2020? Now, that's ambition.

I also rode the TGV in France from Paris to Strasbourg. And, at a conference in Germany, I was able to talk with German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee about Deutsche Bahn high-speed rail.  

You have never met a group of people so proud to talk about their rail systems, the environmental benefits, the mobility benefits, the job-creation benefits.

Several governors who are interested in establishing high-speed corridors in their regions will be at today's round-table with Vice President Biden. I'm very interested in hearing their vision of what high-speed rail can do in the U.S.

As we begin these discussions about the future contours of American high-speed rail, we'll have a lot to talk about. It's a conversation this Administration is ready to host.

Public transportation delivers public benefits

President Obama was elected to harness a national will to do things better.  One thing I think Americans would like to see improved is how transportation serves the communities in which they live.

We love our cars, but sometimes there can be a better way to get to work or to the beach, or simply to the drug store.  And providing Americans with those choices can also be good for the economy.

In one study done in the San Antonio, each 1% of regional travel shifted from automobile to public transit increased regional income about $2.9 million, resulting in 226 additional regional jobs. Other economic benefits include increased productivity, employment, business activity, investment and redevelopment.

Cities with well-established rail system, according to a study produced for APTA, have less traffic congestion, lower traffic death rates, lower consumer expenditures on transportation, significantly higher per capita transit ridership, lower average per capita vehicle mileage, and higher transit service cost recovery than otherwise comparable cities with less or no rail transit service.

Moreover, whether in Houston, Texas, or Portland, Oregon, rail transit systems not only provide economic, but social and environmental benefits.

Social benefits of transit include improved public health, greater flexibility in trip planning and accessibility for non-drivers.

Rail travel consumes about a fifth of the energy per passenger-mile as automobile travel. Electric powered rail produces minimal air and noise emissions.

Many criticisms of rail transit investment are based on inaccurate or incomplete analysis. For example, transit critics often cite operating costs. This overlooks the significant returns that rail transit offers. In 2002, for example, rail transit required about $12.5 billion annually in public subsidy. However, these costs were offset several times over by $19.4 billion in congestion costs savings, $8.0 billion in roadway cost savings, $12.1 billion in parking cost savings, $22.6 billion in consumer cost saving, and $5.6 billion in reduced crash damages.

Developing public transportation increases choices, for drivers as well as riders. Developing public transportation makes sense.