Obama Pushes Transport Agenda

President Obama gave a strong push to a transportation infrastructure program that builds on the 2009 stimulus program to repair roads, re-engineer the rail system and “maintain a world-class logistics network.”

Obama made the remarks Friday as he proclaimed May 15-21 as National Transportation Week, and May 20 as National Defense Transportation Day.
 Although such proclamations often salute the industries involved, Obama used it to push his aggressive transportation agenda at a time when key congressional committees are trying to draft a six-year bill for surface transportation priorities.

► Transport Bill's Blind Curve

Some observers fear the budget-cutting environment may allow no significant expansion of federal transportation spending, which already is declining as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects wind down from their high points.

The president, however, said, “We must do more than preserve the status quo. “Together, we can continue the work started by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to maintain a world class logistics network, create new jobs, and win the future for our children.”

He said that agenda is a key to U.S. competitiveness in the world economy. “New companies around the world look for the fastest and most reliable ways to move people and goods. To attract new businesses to our shores, we must rebuild crumbling roads and bridges and continue to invest in the modernization of our infrastructure.”

His 2012 budget plan proposed a large, six-year spending program that would combine rail investments, freight projects and other programs with traditional highway spending, but the administration has yet to say how to pay for it.

“We must repair our highways, reengineer our railroads into high-speed rail networks and ready ourselves for the next revolutionary breakthroughs in transportation technology,” Obama said. “We must provide increased transportation options that cut commuting time, ease traffic congestion, reduce oil consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions and expand access to job opportunities and housing.”

-- Contact John D. Boyd at jboyd@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @jboydjoc.