The Secretary of Transportation unveiled a plan to “refocus, reform and renew” the federal government’s approach to federal highways and transit. Secretary Mary Peters spoke to a crowd at the Georgia Tech Research Institute about program consolidation and flexible funding for state highway programs. The underlying theme of Peters’ speech was that the federal government would improve safety and efficiency in the nation’s interstate highways without enforcing draconian policies on state governments.
This chord was struck several times throughout the speech as Peters wove in statements about the interstate highway’s importance to the American economy. The secretary called for 102 federal transportation programs to be consolidated into eight transit programs in an effort to cut down timetables for project completion. These programs would focus on issues of highway, fueling and enforcement infrastructure rather than analogous systems for trains, light rail and alternative vehicles. Peters snuck in a dig at experts who want to increase gas taxes to maintain highways by calling for expanded use of tolls and other revenue sources.
Peters presented several new initiatives that are designed to fulfill the federal government’s transportation initiatives. The Federal Interest Highway Program will support interstate trade by funding studies and renovation projects to keep the nation’s long-haul trucks on the road. The Metro Mobility Program may be the most interesting initiative announced by Peters since it would give cities with more than 500,000 people grants based on the performance of local transit systems. Peters also announced the Mobility Enhancement Program that will keep a pool of funding available for local and state projects that address regional transportation issues.
The speech given on July 29th, 2008 echoes values and ideas that have been prevalent in the federal government since the 1950s. Peters and the Department of Transportation are ignoring the larger problems in America’s transportation industry including a lack of foresight and an excessive reliance on gasoline. It is understandable for the federal government to cite the fact that 25% of long-haul cargo is carried over federal interstate highways when rationalizing its latest catchphrase. Mary Peters should understand that hybrid vehicles, alternative fuel sources and a touch of creativity are needed to fulfill the goals of “refocus, reform and renew.”
