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

I-35W...Join Me in Remembering

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow a full year will have passed since we first heard about the tragic collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis. We lost 13 lives that day when the state’s busiest bridge collapsed for reasons that remain uncertain.

From the immediate response of local law enforcement and first responders to the actions of the President to ensure the availability of $250 million to cover the costs of recovery and replacement, we have remained focused at the local and national level on rebuilding this vital connection in the heart of the city.

Though the replacement bridge is nearly complete, the memory of August 1, 2007 will never fade. As the anniversary approaches, I have the victims and their families in my thoughts, and I invite you to do the same.

-Secretary Peters

A New Plan for Transportation: Reform, Refocus, Renew

This morning I am in Atlanta – a city that knows what it means to be rebuilt and reborn – to unveil the Bush Administration’s comprehensive new transportation plan.   

We propose to refocus, reform, and renew our approach to the nation’s highways and transit systems by completely overhauling the way U.S. transportation decisions and investments are made.   

Any commuter, shipper, or business owner can tell you our current approach is broken, which is why we are proposing a clean break from the past.    Our plan is intended to spur local, state, and federal debate about how best to incorporate the new reforms into the highway legislation Congress will begin work on this fall.

The plan starts by refocusing the nation’s transportation programs.  The federal government will take responsibility for maintaining and improving the condition and performance of the Interstate highway system.  These highways carry over 25% of the nation’s traffic and three quarters of the nation’s long-haul trucks.  Making sure they are safe, well maintained, and un-congested must be a key federal priority.

Our plan confronts the growing problem of urban traffic by giving officials the flexibility to make investments based on what gets people where they need to go as quickly and as reliably as possible.  If new subways, street cars, or bus routes represent the best investment, communities will have greater freedom – and significantly more resources – to pay for those projects.

We also refocus and redouble our efforts to make our roads and bridges as safe as possible using a strategic, data-driven approach.  Our criteria will be clear:  make our roads safer.

Our plan reforms the nation’s approach to transportation by consolidating the 102 various programs that have sprouted up over the past two decades.  And we pilot changes to the federal review process because it shouldn’t take more than a dozen years to design and build new highway and transit projects.

We also begin the long overdue process of weaning ourselves from the gas tax.  Our transportation policies must not contradict our national objective to reduce fossil-based fuel consumption.   So we make it easier for states to create  infrastructure banks, expand the use of federally backed transportation loans, and eliminate federal taxes the discourage facilitate investments in transportation projects. 

And yes, we make it easer to implement road pricing,   making it easier for states to take advantage of the over $400 billion in private-sector funds available worldwide for infrastructure investments.  The idea is simple:  have federal funds leverage new investments in transportation, instead of replacing them.

Finally, our plan will renew the nation’s transportation network by encouraging massive new investments in our Interstate highways – to expand roads and support new transit systems in the nation’s cities, to bring easier and quicker commutes, and to cut shipping times.

Most important, this plan will renew America’s belief in our transportation network. 

Trying something new is never easy.  But we must if we are going to keep our cities competitive and clean, if we are going to keep our economy vibrant and vital, and we must if we are going to get America moving again. 

Click here to read more about the plan.

-Secretary Peters

Deputy Secretary Barrett: Transportation Public-Private Partnerships Soar to Record Levels

Today I attended a ceremony to commence a new High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes project on the Capital Beltway. This project will bring the freedom of free-flowing lanes to one of the nation's most congested highways and give travelers a new choice for a congestion-free, dependable trip.

The Beltway expansion is a prime example of the quiet revolution states are leading to use public-private partnerships to build and maintain highway infrastructure. This project combines traditional federal and state funds along with private equity. It’s a model we expect to see more of in the future.

In fact, we released a study today that provides a comprehensive review of the many innovative finance projects that have been undertaken over the last several years. This study found that more transportation public-private partnerships have been completed over the last three years than ever before.

End Gridlock on the Runway

Lately, consumer air travel has been a bit of a bear, but it doesn't have to be. The Department of Transportation has proposed several market-based solutions to air congestion, which I outlined on today's New York Times' editorial page.  Unfortunately, these efforts have been stymied by some in Congress and airline lobbyists.

Click here to read more about it.

-Secretary Peters

Making the Future Safer for Air Travelers

Tomorrow marks a sad anniversary – the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800 into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 230 passengers and crew members on board.

This morning, I visited the National Transportation Safety Board’s Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia, where the wreckage of TWA 800 has been reassembled to serve as a teaching tool, helping investigators learn the best techniques for studying aviation accidents.  I was joined by NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker and Matt Ziemkiewicz, head of the National Air Disaster Alliance, who lost his sister in the crash.

I was at the Training Center to announce a new rule designed to prevent the type of catastrophic explosions that brought down Flight 800 by neutralizing or eliminating flammable gases from center wing fuel tanks of commercial passenger planes.  This fuel tank safety rule is a memorial to the victims and a tribute to dedicated public servants who have spent their lives making flying safer.

Fuel tank explosions are a known risk on large passenger planes, one we have a responsibility to address.  The Federal Aviation Administration has taken a number of steps designed to identify and eliminate ignition sources in and around airplane fuel tanks.  But the full answer lies not just in trying to remove wires that could short and spark an explosion, but also with inventing a way to reduce the flammability of the tank itself. 

Reducing Airline Delays and Fuel Usage

Today I made some major aviation announcements, and I wanted you all to know what we’re doing to help airports and airlines reduce delays and fuel-wasting congestion.

First, I announced the Department’s final rates and charges policies that will give managers at busy airports the ability to use market incentives to help spread flights throughout the day.  Because of the new rules, overcrowded airports will be able to move away from the decades-old practice of charging aircraft landing fees based simply on the weight of the plane, and instead have the flexibility to vary charges based on the time of day the plane operates.

The new rules will also allow airport operators to include the cost of projects designed to expand capacity in the new landing fees, which will help airports lower construction project costs by avoiding hefty finance fees.  Currently, airports can only include those costs after the projects have been completed.

Deputy Secretary Barrett: Great Progress Being Made on New I-35 Bridge

Last week, I was in Minneapolis and had the opportunity to take a tour of the new I-35W bridge under construction.  It’s come a long way in a short time, and the people of Minnesota should be very proud of the hard work that has gone into it.

Since the tragedy that took 13 lives on August 1, 2007, Secretary Peters and I have remained focused on providing the support Minneapolis needs to rebuild the state’s busiest bridge.  From fully funding the clean-up and rebuild, to providing the technical support and guidance that MnDOT needs, the U.S. DOT is only too happy to help rebuild this vital connection. 

Upon arriving at the site, I received an operations and safety briefing. Later, I climbed inside one of the bridge’s girders. Walking through the box girder reminded me that most people look up at these structures and assume they are solid concrete. Moments later, we climbed onto the deck of the nearly completed bridge.  It was an incredible view, and one few of us thought would be possible in so short a time. Construction only began nine months ago – most projects of this size take far longer to get to this point. The effort expended in this bridge is nothing short of heroic.

The New Five-Star Government Safety Ratings System for Automobiles

Today I announced that one of the nation’s oldest consumer programs is about to get a major facelift.  I’m sure you’re familiar with the five-star Government Safety Rating System that has helped Americans know how safe their car or a potential new car might be—now, we’re improving the system to take into account new technologies and overall improvements in vehicle safety.

Today, more and more vehicles are achieving the highest star ratings, and cars today are much safer than they were 30 years ago.  We have the Government Safety Ratings System in part to thank for that.  However, we recognize that as the safety content in vehicles change, we must also do our part to modify the current ratings so that it continues to enhance safety.   

Beginning with the 2010 model year, new Government Safety Ratings will provide consumers with more comprehensive ratings using the same, popular, five-star ranking systems.  The new program will make it easier to comparison shop when looking for a safe new car, truck, van or SUV.  Indeed, we’re trading in the old program for a newer, more advanced model.

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

The 4th of July is a day of celebration—a time to enjoy good food with good friends, and to remember our nation’s history.  And while some may take the occasion to indulge in alcoholic beverages, the 4th of July, like every other day, is a not day to drink and drive.

So today I visited Charleston, South Carolina with a critical message:  if you’ve had a drink, don’t get behind the wheel.

Police Chief Mullen and the Charleston Police Department demonstrated a DUI arrest, and I can tell you that one look at the booking process should be enough to stop anyone from even thinking about drinking and driving.  But unfortunately, not enough people understand the consequences of drinking and driving.  Drunk driving is the leading cause of traffic-related fatalities nationwide, killing 13,000 people in 2006. 

In South Carolina, the DUI numbers are even more sobering:   over 1,000 people died on state roads, and 420 fatalities were alcohol related—almost half of the total deaths.   Indeed, the alcohol-related fatality rate in South Carolina is nearly twice the national average. 

South Carolina law enforcement and state officials know this is simply too many deaths—and they’re doing something about it.  Governor Sanford made DUI-reform a top legislative priority.  Earlier this year, the state took an important step by increasing penalties for repeat offenders, eliminating loopholes for defendants, and implementing a tiered-penalty system so the most impaired are punished most severely.

Here in Charleston, Chief Mullen and his team are working hard to reduce drunk driving incidences every day—not just on holidays.  Their efforts include dedicating two squads for daily traffic enforcement, taking an active role in the MADD campaign, offering an education program for teen collision avoidance, and having three to four safety checkpoints a week. 

At the Department of Transportation, we’re working to reduce alcohol-related accidents and fatalities through enforcement and awareness.  We invest $40 million dollars a year to help local law enforcement run check points, and sponsor a national advertising campaign to alert motorists to the increased enforcement. 

This fall, we will conduct a national law enforcement crackdown to correspond with the Labor Day weekend.  And our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is conducting a pilot program in New Mexico to determine the most effective methods we can employ to reduce impaired driving across the nation. 

The commitment of law enforcement and federal and state officials is critical, but it’s only half the battle.  Ultimately, responsibility begins and ends with the drivers. 

It’s up to you to make the right decision each and every time you drink away from home.  Take a cab, or find a designated driver.  That simple decision will save lives.

And this weekend, whether you’re celebrating the 4th of July at a restaurant, bar, or your best friend’s back yard barbeque, my message is simple: don’t drink and drive.  Losing your freedom is no way to celebrate our independence, and I’d hate to see the 4th of July become a day of tragedy on our roads.

Please drink responsibly, and have a happy and safe Independence Day!

-Secretary Peters

Deputy Secretary Barrett: University of Minnesota Working to Make Rural Roads Safer

Today I visited the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.  There, I saw first-hand the exciting research they are doing to make our roads safer, and announced that the University will be home to a national clearinghouse for information about the best way to make our rural roads safer. 

Over the past decades, we have made great progress in improving safety and reducing deaths nationally—but rural roads are still some of our most dangerous.  Even though rural roads carry less than half of America’s traffic,   they are home to over half of the nation’s vehicular deaths. 

That is why Secretary Peters asked me to lead the Department’s Rural Safety Initiative—a national strategy to improve rural safety by bringing new focus, including resources and new technology, to a growing safety problem.