February 11th, 2004 - Mr. President. Our transportation infrastructure is one of this country’s most important investments. It is literally the foundation of America. Each day, our roads, bridges, buses, and railways help countless Americans travel to their jobs, visit a far away relative or take a day trip with their kids. As a former Secretary of Transportation, I was constantly in awe of the vast reach of modern day transportation. I can still recall, from my tenure at the Department, the completion of the Interstate 40 corridor which runs from Wilmington, North Carolina to Southern California, an enormous stretch of highway that literally links us from coast to coast.
It’s these kinds of investments that are vital to sustaining our communities and our economy. By ensuring that our roads, bridges and infrastructure are prepared for the future, we provide economic stability. And for my home state, that’s a crucial component of our economic recovery.
As many of you know, North Carolina is going through painful economic times as traditional textile, furniture and other manufacturing jobs are diminishing. Improving our transportation infrastructure is a vital part of getting North Carolina’s economy back on track. Let me give you an example: construction is already underway for Interstates 73 and 74 in North Carolina and planning has begun for Interstate 20. The Department of Transportation estimates that the projects in this bill would create 86,900 jobs in North Carolina. And further, these roads go through areas that are among the hardest hit by economic difficulties, creating jobs, especially in rural parts of North Carolina, where mobility between towns and cities is essential for commerce. These routes of opportunity make our communities more attractive to businesses and promote investment in our neighborhoods.
Additionally, there is an 89 percent increase in funding to address North Carolina’s growing transit needs with a special emphasis on our rural areas. This money can be used to provide more buses as our rural residents travel from home to work each day. And for urban areas, like Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, I am proud that the Banking Committee, on which I serve, has included much needed dollars to relieve congestion by investing in buses, streetcars and in some cases, light rail. And we all know that relieving congestion creates a cleaner environment, improves worker productivity, combats stress and gives employees more time with their families and less time struggling with a long commute.
This legislation also addresses a problem that exists with the Highway Trust Fund. Right now North Carolina gets just 90.5 cents from every dollar we put into the trust fund. This legislation would guarantee that North Carolina’s share increases to 95 cents over the next five years. That will mean an additional 50 million dollars a year for transportation construction. And we all know how much good can be done with those dollars.
The bill also expands the “small starts” program to include mass transit projects under $75 million dollars. Our state and local leaders’ biggest complaint is the mounds of paperwork and regulatory hurdles that must be completed – even for the smallest transportation project. It simply isn’t fair that these smaller projects must jump through the same large hoops as the biggest projects in the United States. This “small starts” project will allow for simpler, less costly review for these projects, and that’s good news for our states.
Now let me touch on another area of the legislation that is near and dear to my heart. Safety was at the forefront during my five years as Secretary of Transportation. Our Rule 208, as we called it at Transportation, encouraged the passage of state seat belt laws and the inclusion of air bags in new cars. In 1984, there were only a handful of air bag equipped cars on the road. Not a single manufacturer was currently offering air bags. I remember a long search for a car with an air bag to use in a demonstration on the White House lawn. But today, Mr. President, that number stands at 40 million, and as we all now know, air bags save lives and prevent crippling, disabling injuries. And, at that time in 1984, there was only a 14 percent usage rate for seat belts, and there was not one single state seat belt law in the United States. Our regulation 208 changed all of that, and today, 49 states and the District of Columbia have seat belt laws. As of 1998, the national seat belt use rate was 69 percent. Some states, like my home state of North Carolina, have a use rate of over 80 percent! It is estimated that 11,900 fatalities and 325,000 serious injuries are prevented each year due to seat belt usage. Mr. President, it is said that Rule 208 literally changed the climate of highway safety in America. And, it was also a privilege back then to work with my friend Senator Frank Lautenberg to champion legislation encouraging states to raise their drinking age to 21 thereby helping to eliminate drunk driving and blood borders between our states.
There are many safety provisions included within this bill. Funding is there to ensure that our secondary roads are safer, something that is vitally important to rural areas. Too often accidents occur on the small, two-lane secondary roads, in many cases leaving death and destruction in their wake. The money in this bill will make those roads safer for our families and our children. There are also provisions for installing skid-resistant surfaces at intersections, traffic signal upgrades and improvements in pedestrian and bicyclist safety. All of these are sorely needed. Safety on our roads must continue to be a priority.
Mr. President, it is imperative that we act now to pass this critical legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support it. It’s a win-win for all of our states, for businesses and especially for the millions of Americans who rely on our transportation infrastructure every day. Thank you.
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