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TIGER grant to expand port will create jobs, attract businesses to Tri-Cities "South Harbor"

This morning, I blogged about why we need Congress to pass transportation investments that will put people back to work, and there may be no better example of a job-creating transportation project than "America's Central Port."  At this hub of the Tri-Cities Port District, barges, trains, and trucks--and the men and women who operate them--transfer cargo to get their goods where they need to go. 

Last Friday, I joined my good friend U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello in Granite City, Illinois, to sign a grant agreement for work to expand operations at the hub's innovative South Harbor.  This is a terrific project because it will create good jobs for construction workers who need them while also increasing the competitiveness of the Midwest's farmers and other shippers.

The new facility's key advantage is its ideal location. It will connect major rail lines and four interstate highways with the Mississippi River. Because the South Harbor is below the last lock on the river, barges loaded there can travel south to New Orleans without interruption. That means increased efficiency and lower transportation costs, particularly for American farm products.  This will make American products more competitive in the global market, fueling long term economic growth.

As the Port District's executive director, Dennis Wilmsmeyer, said, "This new harbor will create a new global maritime gateway, utilizing the marine highway of the Mississippi river to transport cargo from Chicago, Illinois and points north to the ports of the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.”

And that means jobs.

Pass this bill: Why Congress must put people back to work rebuilding our country

Cross-posted courtesy of The Bellingham Herald.

Twenty-nine years ago this November, an American president of one party asked a Congress controlled by another to pass a transportation jobs bill. "It will stimulate 170,000 jobs in the hard-hit construction industries," he argued, "and an additional 150,000 jobs in related industries." As a result, he concluded, "we will be preserving for future generations of Americans a highway system that has long been the envy of the world."

That president was Ronald Reagan, a Republican. Within 40 days, the Democratic-controlled House and Senate approved major legislation putting their constituents back to work rebuilding our roads, bridges and transit systems.

Clearly, America's politics have changed since 1982. But America's problems look astonishingly similar. Our citizens are struggling amid the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, and many of our transportation systems are overburdened and at risk of obsolescence.

This week, the United States Senate will have the opportunity to do something about it when voting on the transportation component of President Barack Obama's American Jobs Act.

If Congress fails to act yet again, we all will miss out on a singular opportunity - a chance to ease congestion on traffic-clogged roads, repair America's overcrowded transit networks and structurally deficient bridges, put in place a next-generation air traffic control system that will reduce travel times and delays, and, most of all, get Americans' families, friends and neighbors back to work.

NHTSA, Ad Council partner for new campaign against texting while driving

In our effort to get drivers to put down their distracting devices when they get behind the wheel, it's terrific to have the Ad Council, our longtime safety partner, join the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  These two groups have teamed up with the State Attorneys General to launch three new very striking Public Service Announcements in a new campaign called "Stop the Texts. Stop the Wrecks."

 

The good news is that, in a study released last year, 84 percent of teen drivers were aware that distracted-driving behaviors increase their crash risk.  They know, for example that texting while driving pulls your eyes from the road for an average of 5 seconds per message; they know that, at 55 miles per hour, that's like driving the length of an entire football field--completely blind. 

Distracted drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash, but teen drivers are already 4 times more likely than adult drivers to be involved in a crash.  Combining teen drivers with electronic distractions is, quite simply, a recipe for tragedy.

 

The bad news is that, knowing these facts, 4 in 5 young drivers still admit to having texted while driving.

New Interstate designation will bring jobs, safer travel, and economic development to Western Kentucky

From the first National Road, to the Erie Canal, to the Transcontinental Railroad, our nation has prospered because of a safe, strong transportation network.  We absolutely would not be the nation we are today without transportation innovations that connect people and communities. 

One of the most impressive and productive developments in American transportation has been our Interstate Highway System. The iconic red, white and blue shields of our interstate highways represent a remarkable accomplishment in American history, and these routes have forever changed the way we live, work and get from place to place.  Being near an interstate also spurs economic development and jobs.

And last Tuesday, the newest segment of the Interstate Highway System was designated in Western Kentucky.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez shakes hadns with Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear
across new I-69 shield in Nortonville; photo courtesy iSurfHopkins.com

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez joined Gov. Steve Beshear at Nortonville’s Southside Elementary School to welcome the first stretch of Interstate 69 to the Bluegrass State. This highway connects two important Kentucky roads, I-24 and the Pennyrile Parkway.  Eventually, the I-69 corridor in Kentucky will travel from Fulton, in the state's southwest corner, to Henderson and over the Ohio River into Indiana.

FAA launches website in ongoing fight to end laser strikes on aircraft

In the past 11 months, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt and I have worked to raise public awareness about the dangers of shining a laser at an airplane or helicopter. Unfortunately, however, these dangerous incidents are still on the rise. Today, as part of our ongoing effort to stop these threats to pilot, crew, and passenger safety, the Federal Aviation Administration has launched a new website, www.faa.gov/go/laserinfo.

The new site includes statistics, research on the dangers lasers pose, and links for reporting laser incidents. It also features downloadable videos.

Look, quite simply, pointing a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft threatens lives. As FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said, “As a former commercial airline pilot, I can tell you that shining a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft is a serious safety risk. Lasers can distract or temporarily blind pilots who are trying to fly safely to their destinations and could compromise the safety of hundreds of passengers.”

The FAA takes this seriously; the aviation community takes this seriously; and law enforcement agencies take this seriously.

National Transportation Center Academy graduates FMCSA safety investigators, border inspectors

Here at the Department of Transportation, safety is always our highest priority.  Today, I want to recognize some men and women who share our safety mission and now have the tools to help us get the job done: the 23 commercial motor vehicle safety inspectors and 9 new border inspectors who graduated last week from the National Transportation Center Academy. 

In her remarks at the commencement, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne Ferro noted that these graduates “will play a vital role in protecting lives and preventing injuries by conducting inspections of trucks and buses.” 

The curriculum included a mixture of lectures and hands-on demonstrations.  The San Marcos, Texas, facility has ample space to keep a Commercial Motor Vehicle on-site for use in training.  This recent addition to inspector training proved integral to the program because equipment was available for individual review or after-hours study.  The location also made it possible for the nearby Wal-Mart Distribution Center in New Braunfels to provide trucks and drivers who gave students the driver's perspective on the use of commercial motor vehicle safety equipment.

An important component of the program was participating in 28 inspections with a Texas Department of Public Safety roadside task force.  Adding a roadside component with so many inspections is a big improvement over the one or two fixed-base inspections of previous programs; this innovation allowed candidates to observe a much wider variety of violations. 

DOT proposes air travel accessibility requirements

At DOT, we believe that all airline passengers deserve to be treated fairly, so we’ve been hard at work introducing consumer protections that we hope will make flying more convenient and hassle-free for everyone.

And last month, we proposed a requirement for airlines to make their websites accessible to individuals with disabilities and ensure that their ticket agents do the same. This proposal would also require airlines to make automated kiosks at U.S. airports accessible to passengers with disabilities.

The principle here is simple, and the Air Carrier Access Act signed by President Reagan in 1986 made it the law of the land: airline passengers with disabilities should have equal access to the same services as all other travelers.

Under the proposed requirement, airlines would have two years to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities.  In addition, airlines and airports that use automated kiosks for services such as printing boarding passes and baggage tags would have to ensure that any kiosk ordered 60 days after the rule takes effect is accessible.

2011 Operation Safe Driver week asks all drivers to safely share the road

Safety is our number one priority at DOT, and it's a full time job.  Fortunately, we have a number of safety partners who help us do some of the heavy lifting.  And last week, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) did exactly that with its annual Operation Safe Driver week.

Each year, nearly 4,000 people are killed in crashes that involve a large truck or bus.  And nearly 90 percent of those crashes have driver-related causes.  As CVSA executive Director Stephen Keppler said, “These deaths are the direct result of unsafe and aggressive driving practices by both passenger and commercial vehicle drivers.”

Every year, law enforcement officers across North America actively target these drivers during Operation Safe Driver week, a program sponsored by CVSA and DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). 

 

This year, FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro kicked things off at Southwind High School in Memphis.  Why talk about commercial motor vehicle safety at a high school?  Because we know that less-experienced drivers really need to develop safe driving habits from the start. And because the data indicates that fatal crashes with commercial vehicles disproportionately involve teens.

Young drivers need to learn about the particular visibility and maneuverability limitations that challenge large truck and bus drivers.  Educating novice drivers about other vehicles' blind spots is a key part of CVSA's "Teens & Trucks" campaign.  So the Tennessee Highway Patrol was also on hand at Southwind for a "Stay Out of the No Zone" demonstration that taught teens how to safely share the road with big rigs and buses.

 

New Denver interchange to boost safety, commuter access, and economic growth

At DOT, we’re always on the lookout for ideas that can solve transportation challenges and help get America moving again.  Yesterday, I highlighted a program in San Francisco, City CarShare, that reduces congestion and emissions while giving residents the choices they want to get from place to place.  And today, I’m proud to highlight another project that fits the description: Denver's I-70/Central Park Boulevard Interchange.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez was in Denver yesterday to celebrate the opening of this project with Mayor Michael Hancock.  The interchange will help improve safety on Central Park Blvd. and ease congestion on I-70 and I-270, affecting 228,000 drivers a day.

 

The new interchange also features a bridge over I-70 that has six lanes to handle an estimated 18,000 drivers a day, a number that’s expected to double by 2035.  And, to ease congestion even further, the bridge has a 12-foot sidewalk on either side and specially designed ramp intersections at both ends for pedestrians and cyclists.  With these features, those who don’t or can't drive--but still rely on this vital corridor--now have a safe alternative for crossing the busy Interstate.  And with plenty of vehicle lanes, drivers can more easily get where they're going.

San Francisco’s City CarShare Celebrates 10 Years

When it comes to transportation, people want options. Everywhere I go, I hear the same message.  Many Americans love their cars, but still prefer to ride transit for certain trips.  Others are committed transit riders, but keep a car around for when they need to get somewhere that lacks transit access. Still others simply can't afford to own a car, but like the freedom cars offer.

One innovative way of getting around urban and suburban areas that allows people to save money while reducing emissions and congestion is car sharing.  It's a phenomenon that's really gaining steam across the country.

And last Wednesday, one of the pioneers in this service, City CarShare in San Francisco, celebrated its 10th anniversary.  City CarShare was launched in 2001 by a group of Bay Area transportation activists, with the help of several local nonprofits and the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.  These folks had the vision to create a service that was so convenient, affordable, and reliable that people wouldn’t even need to own a car.

City CarShare also got a boost from DOT through the Federal Highway Administration's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program.

ITS World Congress showcases game-changing, job-creating technologies

Imagine that you're driving down the highway and a truck a half-mile ahead sends your car a signal advising that drivers ahead are slamming on their brakes.  Or, imagine you're waiting for a bus when the bus stop receives a signal that the driver on your route has run into traffic and your bus will be delayed by three minutes.

This is the world of Intelligent Transportation Systems, and, based on what I saw at last week's ITS World Congress in Orlando, that world is just around the corner.

I'm excited about ITS technology for two important reasons: safety and jobs.

 

Amtrak celebrates 30 millionth passenger for FY 2011

One of the best advantages in our push for 21st century American high-speed rail service has been the terrific passenger rail system already operated around the country by Amtrak.  To increase speed and reliability, in many corridors we can put Americans to work upgrading the existing Amtrak network. Simply put, Amtrak's hard work makes our work a little easier.  And there's no better proof of Amtrak's hard work than the milestone it recently celebrated: its 30 millionth passenger for the Fiscal Year of 2011. 

Amtrak's 30.2 million passengers was its highest number ever and its eighth ridership record in the past nine years. And the numbers are up across the nation.  Last year, Amtrak broke ridership records for 26 of its 44 services.  Since 2000, ridership has climbed an impressive 44 percent.

 

Lucky number 30,000,000 went to Rochelle Lathan, a suburban St. Louis mother of 5, who travels on Amtrak frequently to Springfield and Chicago.  Rochelle received an oversized commemorative Amtrak ticket and two 30-day rail passes. 

She describes her regular travel on Amtrak as, “so relaxing and smooth.”  And I couldn’t agree more.

Riding the rails with one of Amtrak's other celebrated passengers, Vice President Joe Biden

What makes this a doubly great milestone is that Amtrak is also celebrating its 40th year of service.  Amtrak was created in October of 1970 by Congress to “fulfill a vital national transportation need and to connect the nation in ways no other mode of transportation can.” 

And there's no doubt in my mind that the folks at Amtrak have done exactly that.

More transportation answers for Dr. Gridlock readers

Cross-posted from The Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock column

This month, my "On the Go" question-and-answer video features several questions from readers of the Washington Post's "Dr. Gridlock."  Today, I'm going to answer a few questions from Dr. Gridlock himself.  And, although the good doctor's usual beat covers commuting in the metropolitan Washington region, these are thoughtful questions that easily apply to communities nationwide.

1) Some commuters who identify themselves as drivers, transit users, bikers or walkers, resent government efforts to aid people who travel by methods other than their method. Drivers resent transit projects, bike lanes and pedestrian safety initiatives. Transit users and cyclists resent spending on new highways.  As a transportation policy maker, how do you explain to one group of travelers why an expenditure or program is worthwhile if it doesn’t appear to benefit them directly?

This is an easy one: we simply can't have everyone using the same way of getting around.  If we did, our trains and buses would be packed like sardine cans, or our roads would be impassable with congestion, or pedestrians would be overrun by bicyclists. 

Investing in transit helps take cars off the road; that actually benefits those who choose to drive or bike.  And the plain truth is that people in this country like their cars; I still remember my own first car with more than a little fondness. 

The Obama Administration has worked hard to help our cars get better gas mileage and operate more cleanly, and so we will continue needing good, well-maintained roads for many years to come.   Everywhere I go, people tell me they want more options for getting around, not fewer, and that's what we're trying to do.

 

At Rail-Volution 2011, calls for livable communities and transit options

This week Washington, DC, hosted Rail-Volution 2011, a conference for people "who want to engage in thoughtful discussion about building livable communities with transit."  And Tuesday, it was my great pleasure to share the conference podium with two of the best friends the transit community in the U.S. ever had, Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Bill Millar, the outgoing president of the American Public Transit Association.

Bill Millar had good news for public transit advocates: In 2010, for the fifth consecutive year, America’s public transit systems carried more than 10 billion passenger trips.  The nation's transit fleet of buses, vans, and rail-cars has grown from 116,000 in 1995 to more than 172,000 in 2010.

But he also pointed out that we can't afford to stop there.  Our population is expected to grow sharply during the next 20 years, with 400 million expected to live in America by 2040.  Most of those people will live in or near cities whose roads are already at capacity.  Public transit will have to grow to accommodate this boom, and we owe it to the next generations of Americans to support that growth.

That's why the kind of transportation investments that the American Jobs Act and a multi-year transportation bill will provide are so crucial.  All we need now is for Congress to act.

October "On the Go with Ray LaHood" answers your transportation questions

This morning, I'm happy to be able to share with you another episode of one of my favorite projects, "On the Go."

Every month, I try to answer a handful of questions from readers here on the Fast Lane and on Facebook and Twitter.  For this month's video, we received a number of questions from readers of "Dr. Gridlock," a popular columnist in The Washington Post.

So, just click on the video below to hear my responses on a number of issues ranging from sidewalks to the Super Committee to high-speed rail. Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to ask your questions for next month's installment!

 

New Study Underscores Economic Benefits of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System

The St. Lawrence Seaway is an essential gateway that moves cargo between North America and international markets.  I've written many times that this marine highway, though often overlooked, is vital to the health of the U.S. economy.

But a groundbreaking new study released today demonstrates that the economic benefits the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway navigation system provides are even more valuable than we knew.

According to the comprehensive study, "The Economic Impacts of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System," more than 225,000 good-paying jobs are dependent upon commercial maritime activity in the geographic area that stretches over 2,300 miles between Duluth-Superior and Montreal.  The majority of these jobs–more than 128,000–are in the United States.

As Terry Johnson, Jr., Administrator of the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation said, “The jobs sustained by the maritime industry include not only those located directly on the waterfront, but also many industrial sector jobs such as construction workers, miners and steelworkers, many of which would disappear if it was not for a vibrant, healthy maritime industry operating along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System.”

In addition to creating necessary jobs, the Seaway system generates billions of dollars in income and revenues annually in both the U.S. and Canada.  The new study found that maritime activity on the waterway supported $34 billion in business revenue, $14 billion in personal income, and $4.6 billion in federal, state, provincial, and local tax revenue.

New air traffic control tower to create jobs, keep Cleveland's Hopkins International on the cutting edge

To a transportation secretary, visiting Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is like visiting hallowed ground. This airport was the United States’ first municipal airfield, opened in 1925, and was home to the world’s first air traffic control tower and airfield lighting system.  More recently, it was home to the world’s first direct link between an airport and a regional rail transit system.

Yesterday, I joined Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt in the Forest City to break ground on a new air traffic control tower at Hopkins.  The new tower will serve the more than 194,000 aircraft arrivals and departures at Hopkins every year and its radar will manage all air traffic within a 30-mile area around greater Cleveland.

As Administrator Babbitt said, “The new location for the Cleveland tower gives controllers a better view of airport operations and will ensure that they are prepared for the future of air traffic control.”

That future is the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen.  This technology will give air traffic controllers more precise, system-wide information about weather and flight data.

 

Projects like CLE’s new tower, which will create 100 construction jobs, are a big reason why I’ve been so excited about the American Jobs Act.  As soon as Congress passes this legislation, we can put $1 billion to work reducing travel times and delays while improving safety through further investments in NextGen.  With $2 billion to invest in projects like modernized runways, taxiways, and terminals, we can also put construction workers back on the job upgrading airport facilities.

FTA grants will support more than 300 transit projects across America

While millions of Americans were making their morning commute on public transportation today, I was meeting with Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing to talk about the future of transit in the greater Detroit area. 

I was happy to tell Governor Snyder and Mayor Bing that 16 Michigan transit projects were awarded a total of $46.7 million as part of the $928.5 million in total Federal Transit Administration Alternatives Analysis, Bus Livability, and State of Good Repair grants announced today for transit projects across the country.

“This is a significant investment in Michigan's future,” said Governor Snyder. “A modern transportation system is key to a stronger economy and enhanced quality of life in our state."

All told, these federal funds will go to more than 300 public transportation projects in urban, suburban, and rural areas, where they will help create jobs and make it easier for people to get where they're going.

The City of Detroit Department of Transportation will receive $6 million to replace buses that are beyond their useful lives.  In Seattle, the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority will replace old buses with hybrids, providing safer, cleaner service to riders.  In Pennsylvania, SEPTA will repair a century-old bus facility to ensure that it lasts well into the next 100 years. 

The competition for these grants was steep; communities across the country submitted more than 800 project applications requesting nearly $5 billion for the transit upgrades they know they need.

Unleash American excellence, American workers to rebuild America

Last Friday, the Norfolk Southern railroad and the Washington Post hosted a conference called "Fixing America's Foundation: Rebuilding Transportation Infrastructure."

As Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman said, "The nation's transportation infrastructure is at a tipping point. We need to chart the way ahead with resolve, and with concrete, achievable plans. It's a critical discussion -- for every mode of transportation."

And if you've been reading the Fast Lane, you know that President Obama and I agree with him.  So, I was happy to speak at Friday's conference about the Administration's ideas for modernizing America's transportation systems--from roadways to railways to runways--while putting Americans back to work.

Solving our transportation problems has often been one of the issues where Americans can count on bipartisanship from their elected legislators.  For example, when I was elected to Congress in 1994, we had a very reform-minded class, 82 new people, and they came here to do something, to solve problems.  Almost always in the past when people have run for Congress, they sought an opportunity to help solve the problems of America.

In 1982, President Reagan faced an opposition Congress, and what did they do?  They passed a surface transportation bill that put people to work on the jobs this country needed done.

Today the prospect is different, but it doesn't have to be.  This is still a nation capable of building big, capable of innovating to meet its challenges.

Happy Birthday to US DOT

Earlier today, I quoted President Ronald Reagan from 1982 about the connection between investing in America's transportation and creating jobs.  And earlier in the week, I quoted President Harry S. Truman, who understood that transportation was an essential function of government.

Now, as DOT celebrates its 45th anniversary I'd like to quote another former Commander In Chief--President Lyndon B. Johnson--on the occasion of signing into law the bill that created the Department of Transportation on October 15, 1966:

"In a large measure, America's history is a history of her transportation. Our early cities were located by deep water harbors and inland waterways; they were nurtured by ocean vessels and by flatboats. The railroad allowed us to move east and west. A thousand towns and more grew up along the railroad's gleaming rails. The automobile stretched out over cities and created suburbia in America. Trucks and modern highways brought bounty to remote regions. Airplanes helped knit our Nation together, and knitted it together with other nations throughout the world."

Recognizing the importance of the nation's transportation system to our economy and our way of life, President Johnson thanked Congress for "bringing together 31 agencies and their bureaus, going in all directions, into a single Department of Transportation."

Listen to President Lyndon Johnson's remarks

Work that needs doing, workers ready to do it

I’d like to start today's blog post with the words of a newsmaker from another time:

One of America’s great material blessings is the outstanding network of roads and highways that spreads across this vast continent. Freedom of travel and the romance of the road are vital parts of our heritage.  They also form a vital commercial artery unequaled anywhere else in the world.

But let's face it: Time and wear have taken their toll.  So, I'm asking the Congress to approve a new highway program.  It will stimulate 170,000 jobs, not in make-work projects but in real, worthwhile work in the hard-hit construction industries, and an additional 150,000 jobs in related industries. 

We will be preserving for future generations of Americans a highway system that has long been the envy of the world.

Those are the words of President Ronald Reagan on November 27, 1982, just 40 days before he signed the Surface Transportation Assistance Act into law.  Reagan’s transportation jobs bill passed a Congress controlled by an opposition party that, only weeks before, had picked up 27 seats in the 1982 midterm elections.

A lot has changed here in Washington over the past 29 years.  But nothing’s changed more than the evolution of a culture in which elected officials today are rewarded for intransigence.

Photo courtesy Noel St. John, National Press Club

When then-President-elect Obama, a Democrat, asked me, a lifelong Republican, to serve as Transportation Secretary, he asked me to help solve the American peoples’ problems--to stand up for compromise and cooperation in those areas where Democrats and Republicans have almost always agreed.  And, as President Reagan and his opposition Congress showed, there’s no better example of a traditionally bipartisan issue than transportation.

I've said many times, there’s no such thing as a Democratic road or a Republican bridge. And when those roads and bridges are in danger of falling down, there’s no such thing as a Democratic or Republican job repairing them.   That's why I've been barnstorming the country over the past few weeks to discuss the American Jobs Act.

Construction workers in St. Paul and businesspeople in Kansas City alike agree that rebuilding American infrastructure is a great way to make needed transportation improvements and put Americans back to work.  The AFL-CIO and the US Chamber of Commerce agree.  And for years and years, Democratic and Republican legislators in Congress have agreed--until now. 

For too many, compromise has become a dirty word – and cooperation an unforgivable sin.  When the only goal in Congress is preventing the other side from achieving anything, the American people surely lose.

 

Young NASCAR racer fights distracted driving

In our fight against the deadly epidemic of distracted driving, some of our biggest allies are not even old enough to drive yet.

I’ve written before about Zach Veach of the Andretti Autosport team, a terrific young advocate who’s raising awareness of this dangerous problem.  Today, I want to introduce you to another young auto racer who’s helping to educate drivers on the dangers of distracted driving – Andrew Murray.

Andrew just turned fifteen years old earlier this month, making him the youngest-sanctioned racer in NASCAR history.

This Saturday, he’ll compete in NASCAR’S K&N Pro Series West race at All American Speedway in Roseville, California.  He's still six months away from getting a provisional driver's permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, so he’ll need a ride to the track first.

But not having a driver’s license hasn’t stopped him from advocating for a cause he believes in – ending distracted driving.  As a spokesman for Mercury Insurance’s “Don't Text and Drive Pledge” campaign, he visits high schools across the region at least once a week, encouraging young drivers to put down their phones while driving.




Andrew says he wants the students to understand that “texting while driving is very, very dangerous.”  He says, “when I talk to (my friends) about all the stats, it impacts them.”

Faces of Distracted Driving: Erica Forney, 9 "That phone call wasn't worth my daughter's life"

"I was driving up, and my neighbor was flagging me down.  I could see the fire trucks and the ambulances.  I got out and parked, and saw a child lying on the ground--with no clue that it was my daughter."

These are the haunting words of Shelley Forney, a mother who experienced a heartbreaking loss because a driver was looking at a cell phone instead of the road.  She shares her story in the latest installment of our Faces of Distracted Driving series.

On November 25, 2008, Shelley's 9-year-old daughter Erica was riding her bike just steps from her home. A neighbor, who was driving an SUV at 25 miles per hour, looked down at her cell phone as she finished a call.  She never saw the child in her path. 

Erica was struck by the car and thrown 15 feet, landing on her neck. She died two days later--on Thanksgiving Day.

More roads going high tech

Even as highway budgets are forced to do more with less, the number of vehicles on our roads continues to climb.  We need to work smarter with what we already have.  So, I'm happy to see so many state and local agencies relying on the latest technology to improve service for all motorists.

For example, many of you have seen traveler information on digital message boards along the highway, or have used a wireless toll system like EZPASS to pay a toll without stopping your car.  These technologies are saving us all time and money, in addition to making travel more convenient. And fortunately, according to a new report from our Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), these high-tech transportation services are becoming more and more prevalent.  

Drivers with EZPASS zip through the left lanes of the Delaware Toll Plaza at highway speeds

The 2010 Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Deployment Tracking Survey looked at the rate of ITS technology use in our largest metropolitan areas, including responses from 1,600 transportation agencies in 108 cities.  The survey included state and local transportation agencies involved with freeway, arterial, and transit management; public safety; and toll collection.

You might be surprised by some of the results:

• More than 90 percent of our nation’s toll lanes and plazas use some type of Electronic Toll Collection system. These technologies have improved the safety, mobility, and accuracy of toll collection, while reducing costs and toll plaza backups.
• Public agencies place a high emphasis on reaching their customers before they leave home, and they are trying new methods to do so, like personalized messaging and posting on Twitter or other social networking sites.
• New technologies to track and dispatch transit vehicles have made it possible to greatly improve customer service by providing travelers with real-time schedule information, supporting demand-responsive operations, and improving route planning.
• Some of the fastest-growing ITS technologies include those supporting real-time data collection and traveler information dissemination (such as closed-circuit television and dynamic message signs), and those supporting transit management (such as automatic vehicle location and computer-aided dispatch). 

The key finding for me is that three-fourths of agencies plan to add new technologies to their highways, and about half plan to make those investments over the next three years.  This is promising news because it will allow our highways to become smarter and safer than ever.

DOT and the States: knee-deep in the business of American high-speed rail

It’s no secret that investing in modernized passenger rail is one of the top priorities of the Department of Transportation and of the Obama Administration.  We’re committed to building a 21st century rail system that creates jobs now and lays the foundation for economic development tomorrow.

Last week, DOT awarded $196.5 million to the Michigan Department of Transportation for track and signal improvements between Detroit and Kalamazoo.  These improvements will allow speeds up to 110 mph on 77 percent of Amtrak’s Wolverine and Blue Water trains between Detroit and Chicago.  The result will be a 30 minute reduction in travel time between those destinations.

In addition, these rail upgrades will create 800 new construction jobs in Michigan.  And, as we rebuild our rails with American-made materials, we're giving an extra boost to America's newly resurgent rail manufacturing industry.

This important investment will reduce travel time, improve reliability and on-time performance, and attract even more passengers to Amtrak. 

As Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said, "A faster, reliable passenger rail system is vital to Michigan's ability to compete globally as businesses look to locate or expand.  Rail improvements will also hasten the transport of freight, a priority for Ford Motor Company and other Michigan businesses along the route."

And U.S. Senator Carl Levin agreed: “This funding will help move Michigan and the nation forward by making high-speed rail a part of our economic infrastructure.  Our economic competitors around the world have long enjoyed the benefits of high-speed rail. They have demonstrated that high-speed service can create jobs and promote economic growth."

He is exactly right.  This nation cannot afford to move a 21st century economy on a 20th century transportation network.   Fast, reliable passenger rail is crucial to boosting manufacturing, spurring growth, and keeping America competitive in a global economy.

Kansas City says, "Let's move some dirt!"

Everywhere I go, and every time I speak with state, regional, county, and municipal transportation leaders around the country, I hear the same thing: we have roads that need attention, and we have transit lines to build, but we just don't have enough resources to get it done by ourselves.

And last Friday at a roundtable at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, I heard the same resounding message from leaders in the metropolitan Kansas City area.

I had a message of my own for the folks gathered around the table: If you want to put people to work fixing your infrastructure and modernizing transportation, we know how to do it, and you know how to do it.  All we need to do is get Congress to pass the American Jobs Act.

That message was echoed by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, who brought it home to Independence by saying, "If Harry S. Truman were here today, he'd say, 'Let's move some dirt.'"

 

Well, the unfortunate truth is that America's states and counties and towns can't move that dirt alone.  But we cannot let that be the end of the story because--as Missouri's own President Truman understood from his earliest days as a Jackson County judge--keeping roads safe and laying the transportation foundation for our economy is an essential service of government.

Englewood Flyover a real problem solver

The Englewood neighborhood of Chicago features one of the most hopelessly tangled railway bottlenecks in North America.  Hopeless, that is, until yesterday, when I paid a visit to my home state of Illinois to celebrate the groundbreaking of a rail project that will untangle that infamous bottleneck and quickly put 1,500 men and women to work.

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, U.S. Congressmen Bobby Rush and Dan Lipinski, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined me in the honor of launching this project to improve performance and efficiency for the region's freight, passenger, and commuter rail.

 

The Englewood Flyover is part of a larger initiative, the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program or CREATE.  Once finished, the Englewood Flyover will eliminate congestion and backups for the 78 daily Metra commuter trains, 14 Amtrak trains, and 46 freight trains that run through the corridor.  This will ease rail traffic to and from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, as well as other parts of Illinois.

And easing rail traffic means greater economic competitiveness.  We can move parts to factories faster.  We can move goods to market faster.  And we can move people to their jobs faster.  The new Englewood bridge will also expand capacity for future high-speed rail service.

But the part of this project I am most excited about is that it will immediately begin putting Americans to work.  A strict “Buy America” requirement ensures U.S. manufacturers and workers receive the maximum economic benefits from this federal investment.  This means that the Englewood flyover project will create nearly 1,500 jobs.

Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day

Cross-posted from the Kansas Transportation Online Community's Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day blog

I’d like to thank the folks at KDOT, not just for inviting me to write another blog post, but for making such a strong commitment to road safety through this 20-day run-up to Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day.

Safety is our number one priority at DOT, and events like Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day are a great way to remind everyone of the simple steps they can take to make our roadways safer for everyone who uses them.

Fortunately, people are listening.  In 2010, traffic fatalities dropped to the lowest levels since 1949, and that’s in spite of Americans driving 21 billion more miles than they did last year. In the region covering Kansas as well as Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska, fatalities dropped by 2.6% from 2009.

But, as anyone who has lost a loved one in a traffic crash can tell you, any number of fatalities other than zero is too high. If one of the 33,000 people killed on the road last year was one of your friends or family members, then you know all too well that we cannot rest on our laurels.

Other writers on this blog have talked about common-sense ways that you can keep yourself safe while on the road.  Candice Breshears and Bill Self talked about the importance of wearing a seat belt.  Rick Heinrich talked about not drinking and driving.  We’ve tried to echo this with national awareness campaigns like “Click It or Ticket” and “Over the Limit, Under Arrest.”

I’d like to focus on the epidemic of distracted driving.  Whether it’s visual (taking your eyes off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel) or cognitive (taking your mind off what you’re doing), distracted driving slows your reflexes and puts you at much greater risk for a crash.

APTA meets to talk transit in New Orleans

Earlier this week, members of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) gathered in New Orleans to talk about the current issues facing public transportation.  As Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff told them, “New Orleans is precisely the right venue for us to meet, and derive some strength from this city's inspiring success.”

FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff and Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan tour
the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority streetcar project

The Big Easy setting gave Administrator Rogoff and FTA Deputy Administrator Therese McMillan a chance to tour the Union Passenger Terminal / Loyola Loop Streetcar extension, which is being funded through DOT's TIGER program.  This project is creating jobs and, when finished, will provide a transportation option that gets commuters where they are going quickly and efficiently, without the harmful emissions of the cars and trucks riders might otherwise use.

With the American Jobs Act, we can build even more of these projects and put even more men and women to work.  As Administrator Rogoff said, “The reward for good work is often more work. And that is the opportunity we have now with the American Jobs Act.” 

2011 Combined Federal Campaign kicks off

The thousands of employees at DOT are always a source of inspiration for me.  I'm consistently impressed by their professionalism and dedication to their work, and I'm amazed at what they're able to accomplish on the job.  But I'm even prouder to say that the people here are committed and caring individuals.

That's why I'm looking forward to the 2011 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) for the National Capital Area.  The CFC brings out the best in our employees - and more importantly, our annual federal employee giving program serves a crucial role in delivering services to people who need it.  It's the largest workplace charity program in the country and has raised more than $6 billion since 1961.

At the 2011 CFC kick off in DOT headquarters

Yesterday, I joined Deputy Secretary John Porcari and a number of our administrators to officially kick off the DOT's participation in the 2011 CFC.  We had the opportunity to meet representatives from some of the agencies involved and hear about how the generosity of federal employees helps their organizations and their clients.

My favorite part of the campaign is that our employees go to such creative efforts to raise money and get involved. At yesterday's CFC launch, the Maritime Administration raffled off gift baskets for donations, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration team sold cotton candy, which was a real crowd-pleaser.

PHMSA volunteers sell cotton candy to raise money at 2011 CFC kick off

For federal employees, contributing is incredibly easy.  Just log into Employee Express and click on "Combined Federal Campaign."  You can direct your donation to the general fund or to the specific charity of your choice.

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety asks drivers to stay focused

This week, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is calling on drivers to eliminate distractions in the car during Heads Up Driving Week. It's a great reminder for drivers across the country to drivers to put away their distractions and remember the most important task behind the wheel -- driving safely.

Heads Up Driving Week (October 2-8) comes as the AAA Foundation released its 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index, which revealed both good and bad news.

The good news is that. today, ninety-five percent of drivers surveyed recognize that text messaging behind the wheel is a serious threat, while 88 percent feel the same way about cell phone use.

But, at the same time, 35 percent of those drivers said they have read or sent a text message while driving in the last month.   And, 67 percent said they've talked on a cell phone while driving in the past month.   In fact, almost a third said they do this regularly.

To me this shows that, while we've come a long way the last two and a half years in raising awareness about distracted driving, we still have a long way to go to stop it.

 

Almost everyone agrees that texting while driving is dangerous, yet more than a third of Americans continue to do it anyway, at great risk to themselves and those around them.  That a third of respondents talk on their cell phones regularly even though they know it's dangerous is equally disappointing -- and unsafe.

Walk to School Day celebrates walkable communities and active kids

Congratulations to all of the kids who got out today to celebrate Walk To School Day. And a big thanks to all of the parents and other community members who joined their local schools for the big day.

Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez and I walked a group of kids to Anne Beers Elementary School, not too far from our DOT headquarters here in Washington, DC.  To be honest, the kids really walked us because they already knew the way from experience.

And that's good news.  After all, kids who walk to school are safer and get more exercise than their peers who are driven to school.  That's right--apart from riding the familiar yellow school bus, walking to school is the safest way to get there.

There are health benefits from walking to school, too.  Studies show that walking or biking to school helps young people wake up their brains for a day of schoolwork, and more activity leads to better health.  Plus, when more students walk or bike to school, that means fewer cars stuck in traffic or idling their engines while waiting in the drop-off line.  And that means cleaner air for our kids to breathe.

You can see that the benefits of getting to school under their own power are significant for America's children.  That's why DOT takes Walk to School Day seriously.

American transportation, built by American workers; Let's pass this bill

Earlier this week, President Obama called on Congress to recognize the needs of unemployed Americans by taking up the American Jobs Act this month. 

I was reminded of my trip to St. Paul, MN, where I saw the progress being made on the Central Corridor Light Rail Line, which will connect St. Paul and Minneapolis.  That project is expected to create 3,300 jobs – and that doesn’t even include the local businesses that will benefit from being located near the line’s 18 new stations. 

We're talking about American transportation, built by American workers, and strengthening an American city.  It can and should be a model for the rest of the country.  And that's why I'm so excited about the American Jobs Act.

 

Odometer fraud convictions a reminder that consumer vigilance can be a used car's best safety feature

In a blog post last April, I wrote that "If an unscrupulous seller rolls back the odometer, you could end up driving a car that is considerably less valuable and less safe than you thought."

At the time, Seattle police officers had just arrested four suspects on federal charges of odometer fraud.  These arrests resulted from a joint investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Odometer Fraud Investigations, the Department of Justice, the IRS, and the Seattle Police Department.  The four men were suspected of tampering with odometers in more than 75 vehicles.

And last week, all four suspects pleaded guilty.

According to their pleas, the men purchased vehicles with high mileage and rolled the odometers back.  Then, they resold them falsely as low mileage vehicles with higher prices and greater safety risks than their buyers suspected.  For example, in 2006, Ricky and Bob Ristick bought a Chevrolet Silverado with 192,000 miles for $7,800; they rolled the odometer back to 64,521 miles and later sold the vehicle for $15,000.

The other pair of conspirators, Miller and Stanley Stevens, rolled the odometer of a pickup truck with 126,000 miles all the way back to 39,500 and resold it.  When their buyer discovered the fraud, he demanded his money back.  The two men simply sold the truck to another unsuspecting buyer.

Now, for NHTSA's Office of Odometer Fraud Investigations, this is about more than just a discrepancy in the represented value of the vehicles.  It's about safety. 

Plans announced for Sherman Minton Bridge repairs

Across America, aging roads, bridges and transit systems are in desperate need of repair.

A few weeks ago, I visited a bridge connecting Louisville, KY with New Albany, IN that is the epitome of this situation. In case you haven’t heard, the Sherman Minton bridge on I-64 across the Ohio River, has been shut down indefinitely because of dangerous cracking after decades of overuse.

Last Friday, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez returned to the bridge and announced some exciting news: the team of professionals who have been laser-focused on this bridge for several weeks have developed a fix that will repair it and ensure it will once again safely serve the tens of thousands of drivers who use I-64 on a daily basis to cross the river.

To repair the Sherman Minton, new steel plating will be installed along both sides of the bridge tie that runs horizontally along the entire 1,600-foot structure. This will increase the bridge’s safety and reliability, and the repairs will give the bridge at least 20 more years of useful life.

Photo courtesy US Sen. Dick Lugar

Workers affected by FAA shutdown to receive back pay

I have good news for all of our employees who were furloughed as a result of the Federal Aviation Administration's lapse in funding this summer--you'll soon receive back pay for the time you were forced off the job.

During the partial shutdown from July 23, 2011 through August 5, 2011, nearly 4,000 FAA professionals were left unable to work and without a paycheck.  And restoring these lost wages to our hardworking employees has been one of my top priorities.

FAA Town Hall Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska.

Under provisions of the FAA extension passed by Congress in August, we'll be able to do just that. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt has authorized payments from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, and affected employees will receive compensation in their next paychecks on October 18th.

This is sure to be a relief to the hundreds of FAA employees I've had the pleasure of speaking with over the last few months at town hall meetings from Atlantic City, New Jersey to Anchorage, Alaska. 

Nevada takes a huge step toward safer roads with new distracted driving law

Over the weekend, the U.S. got one step closer to eliminating distracted driving.  On October 1st, a new law banning handheld cell phone use for all drivers went into effect in Nevada, making it the 9th state, along with DC and the Virgin Islands, to do so. 

At an event on the steps of the Nevada State Capitol in Carson City on Thursday, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland, Governor Brian Sandoval, and a group of Nevada officials all spoke with enthusiasm about the safety benefits of the new law.

“The bottom line is: it is safer for kids, safer for families to put down the cell phone when driving," said Governor Sandoval.

It's estimated that 20 percent of the 1.5 million injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. According to Nevada Department of Public Safety Director Chris Perry, Nevada had 50 highway fatalities involving distracted driving between 2006 and 2009.

Jenifer Watkins at the Nevada State Capitol. [Photo: Las Vegas Review-Journal]

Sadly, each of these deaths and injuries was one hundred percent preventable. And no one knows this better than Jenifer Watkins, who was on hand Thursday to celebrate the passage of a law she advocated for for years.