Today is Bike To Work Day, and more than 1 million Americans nationwide are expected to make their commute by bicycle. Talking about bikes is a fitting way to wind down our blog posts for National Transportation Week because bicycling is an important part of the 21st century transportation mix.
Why does non-motorized transportation have a seat at the table?
Because people want to avoid the pinch they feel in their wallets at the gas pump. According to a new report from the League of American Bicyclists, bike trips in the US save riders more than $4.6 billion each year.
Because every mile walked or biked helps reduce tailpipe emissions. If American drivers were to make just one four-mile round trip each week with a bicycle instead of a car, they would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas each year, and every eight miles walked or biked keeps 15 pounds of pollutants out of our air.
Because making it easier and safer for people to walk or bicycle is a matter of fairness. Many Americans cannot afford a car or are physically unable to drive. According to a recent Brookings Institute report, more than 10 percent of Americans not only don't own a car, but don't even have access to a car. In our cities, that number is even higher.
As National Transportation Week continues, and we take the time to appreciate the transportation that gets us safely where we need to go, we should also think about the future of transportation. How can we encourage America's students to consider transportation-related careers? How can we channel the creativity and analytical skills of students in STEM subjects--science, technology, engineering, and math--toward improving our transportation system?
One way to get our students thinking about transportation is to simply challenge them. So today, I'm delighted to announce a new competition to recognize students who create unique scientific and engineering innovations in aviation and aerospace.
The Secretary's “Recognizing Aviation and Aerospace Innovation in Science and Engineering” Award, called RAISE, is a new tool to motivate high school, college and university students to develop creative solutions to aviation and aerospace issues, and to share their results with the broader community.
This new challenge recognizes innovative scientific and engineering achievements that will have a significant impact on the future of aviation and aerospace. It was developed in response to recommendations by our Future of Aviation Advisory Committee.
As I've written previously, DOT is celebrating National Transportation Week by highlighting the many ways we're working to keep America's transportation network and the people who use it safe. And as the peak spring and summer travel season begins, DOT remains committed to pursuing highway safety.
That means ensuring that commercial buses traveling between states are well-maintained and operated by men and women who are alert and driving responsibly. If necessary, that also means removing from our roads any bus or driver that places passengers and other motorists at risk.
That’s why this week, DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), with the help of its state and local law enforcement partners, is conducting safety inspections of motorcoaches, tour buses, school buses, and other commercial passenger buses in 13 states along the East Coast and also in the District of Columbia.
The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has worked hard to spread the message that pipeline damage from excavation can be prevented by calling 811 before digging. And yesterday, PHMSA took DOT's National Transportation Week emphasis on safety and our longstanding support for the national 811 "Call Before You Dig" hotline one step further with more than $1 million in grants to states' safe digging call centers.
Pipeline damage can be devastating to an entire community--causing property damage and tragic loss of life. But these potentially deadly incidents can be prevented.
With PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman
One-third of all serious pipeline accidents are caused by someone digging and hitting a pipeline by mistake. In fact, between 1988 and 2010, excavation damage was responsible for $438,785,552 in property damage. However, a simple, toll-free call to 8-1-1 before you start digging will connect you to your state's One Call center for important safety information.
By calling 811, anyone planning an excavation project--from contractors and landscapers to homeowners starting a simple garden--can get connected to local utility companies who will visit the property to mark the location of any underground lines, pipes and cables before a single shovel hits the dirt.
The number of dangerous pipeline leaks caused by excavation damage has declined considerably thanks to PHMSA, its safety partners, and the single, nationwide 8-1-1 number introduced in 2007. The $1,061,523 in awards announced yesterday will help state One Call centers continue that record of improved safety.
Safety is the number one priority at the US Department of Transportation (DOT), so National Transportation Week is the perfect time for DOT to help launch the Obama Administration's critical Safety Data Initiative--an historic effort to make government data relating to every aspect of safety, from transportation crime to consumer products much more accessible, and to stimulate the development of innovative apps and services fueled by those data.
We know that helping Americans gain access to practical information can help them make smarter, safer choices. So, coordinated by DOT, this new collaborative effort involving Federal agencies and members of the public aims to unleash Americans’ entrepreneurial spirit by encouraging participants to build a range of innovative digital tools and mobile applications to enhance public and product safety
To help kick off the Safety Data Initiative, today we are announcing two app challenges that take advantage of more than 700 open government datasets now available on safety.data.gov.
DOT has launched the Motorcoach Safety Data Student Challenge, which asks developers to use public performance data about interstate commercial bus companies found on safety.data.gov to help consumers make smart safety decisions about their bus travel.
And the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants your help in building tools to educate the public about safety in the workplace through its Worker Safety and Health Challenge. The goal is to develop apps that can reduce the number of work-related injuries, which affected more than 800,000 individuals in 2009 alone.
To mark National Transportation Week, we've been asking readers to think about safety. Whether it's traveling with children, making sure to approach rail crossings with caution, or buckling up every time you climb into a car or truck, safety often comes down to the choices we make.
Our safety also relies on other people's choices, and sometimes people act without thinking about the consequences of their actions, placing others in jeopardy. We saw this last Monday in the Faces of Distracted Driving video about 2-year-old Calli Ann Murray who was killed by a texting driver.
And we saw it 3,592 times in 2011, when people on the ground pointed lasers into the cockpit of an aircraft overhead.
That's right--in 2011 there were 3,592 reports of laser strikes on aircraft in America. That's up dramatically from 2,836 in 2010, and each one of those incidents threatens the safety of passengers and crew.
I understand that the laser pointers and other devices available to consumers are now more powerful and less expensive than ever. But I don't understand the decision to aim one at an aircraft full of people, potentially blinding the pilot and causing tragedy.
The law doesn't understand it either. That's why local, state and federal courts have sentenced laser violators to jail time, community service, probation and additional financial penalties for court costs and restitution.
As Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo wrote in this blog last Saturday, “if we continue strengthening passenger rail service, even more people will choose it.”
Under President Obama’s leadership, DOT is committed to continuing to do just that.
Yesterday, Administrator Szabo traveled to Maine, where he joined Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt and local business leaders in celebrating the completion of new train station platforms in Brunswick and Freeport. These new platforms are the latest steps in the expansion of Amtrak’s Downeaster line.
The extended line will begin serving Brunswick and Freeport this fall, providing both cities with passenger rail service for the first time since 1959.
The Downeaster line expansion was funded by a $38.3 million High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program grant from the FRA, and in August 2010, this terrific project was the first of its kind to break ground.
The Downeaster is already a big hit with New Englanders – its record-breaking ridership in 2011 was up 8 percent from 2010, and the number of passengers the line carried last year--more than half a million--is more than double what it carried in 2005. And when the expansion opens this fall, ridership will only increase even more.
Every year as the weather gets warmer and the school year winds down, the summer travel season gathers steam. It's a promising time, but it's not all fun and games; it's also a time to think about safety. And the Federal Aviation Administration is doing just that.
To usher in the busy travel season--and to continue our National Transportation Week emphasis on safety--the FAA is redoubling its efforts to educate air travelers about flying safely with children.
As FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will tell you, there is one simple step that all parents, grandparents, and caregivers can take: "The safest place for a small child on an airplane is in an approved child safety seat, not on an adult’s lap."
Choosing and installing the right safety seat can seem challenging, so the FAA has developed a new website and online toolkit for air travelers. Because not all safety seats are suitable for use in an aircraft, the site offers information about FAA-approved safety devices for traveling with kids. It also features a video demonstrating how to install those devices for maximum safety.
It's really very simple. Our smallest children deserve the same protection as the rest of America's air travelers.
Calli Ann Murray wasn't Al Andres' first grandchild, but she was something special. To hear him tell it, even her name held a significant meaning.
"The name itself, C-A-L-L-I: C-A stood for Chinese American, L for created in love, and L-I was her mother Ling's maiden name," Al said. "She was just a joy to be with and enjoyed life so much."
One of 2-year-old Calli's favorite places to visit was Sunrise Park, just a block and a half from her home in Rohnert Park, California. But on December 1, 2010, a trip to this beloved playground ended in tragedy.
Calli and her mother Ling were heading home from the park after an hour of playtime when they reached an intersection. As they began to cross hand-in-hand, a young driver texting on her cell phone barreled down the street.
With her attention on her phone instead of the road, the driver struck Calli and Ling with her car.
When you're preparing to get behind the wheel, do you have a favorite road song selected? When booking travel reservations, do you look for flights on a certain kind of aircraft? Got a favorite train station or transit stop? If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, then this is your lucky week.
Today is the start of National Transportation Week, an opportunity to celebrate the many modes of transportation we all use to get where we’re going.
We rely on transportation every day, but if you’re looking for a way to celebrate transportation this week, check out the many DOT Facebook and Twitter accounts.
All this week, transportation fans can test their wits on transportation trivia questions or share their favorite transportation moments in American culture.
Our social media accounts will post different interactive transportation-related features each day. Looking for a way to share your love for all things transportation this week? Look no further than the list below:
A lot of folks don't think about the roads that they drive along, the rails they ride along, or the runways they land on. But these rails, roads, and runways carry groceries and medical supplies, books and clothing--not to mention passengers--to every corner of our nation. So during this 50th anniversary of National Transportation Week, we're celebrating the critical arteries that keep America moving safely and efficiently.
National Transportation Week evolved through the hard work of Charlotte Jones Woods, who saw the need to educate students about the importance of transportation. As the educational chair of the Women's Transportation Club of Houston (WTCOH) in 1952, she was tasked with giving out a transportation-related scholarship of $500, a scholarship for which no one applied.
But Mrs. Woods was not discouraged by this lack of interest. She simply made it her mission to educate Texans about the many opportunities in transportation by dedicating one week a year to it.
In 1962, Congress and President John F. Kennedy recognized the potential value of the Women's Transportation Club's annual event and instituted a National Transportation Week to be held every year in May.
How is DOT marking this special week? By talking about our number one priority. During the next few days, we'll highlight our commitment to ensuring the safety of America’s transportation systems, a commitment we pursue all 52 weeks of the year.
We don't usually post a blog on the weekend, but today is National Train Day, commemorating the May 1869 driving of the golden spike that completed the nation's first transcontinental railroad. To mark this special occasion, let's hear what Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo said at a National Train Day celebration earlier today in Chicago.
First, let me say a hearty "Happy National Train Day!" to everyone involved in US rail and to all the fans of our nation's railroads.
Rail is thriving in the 21st century. Last year, for example, Amtrak carried more than 30 million passengers, setting its eighth ridership record in nine years. And, judging by the first half of this fiscal year, it looks like they’re on pace to set another record.
If you've been reading the Secretary's blog, then you also know how hard Amtrak has worked to upgrade its tracks and equipment to improve its service. All of those new passengers are riding passenger rail because they're looking for a transportation option that is safe, reliable, affordable, and convenient. And that's what Amtrak provides.
Flying in an airplane or driving on the highway –that’s transportation. But riding the rails –that’s how you travel.
For the past three years I’ve had the honor of informing the public about DOT’s historic investments in passenger rail. And it seems fitting today to reiterate President Obama’s message that strengthening passenger rail is vital to America’s economic future.
Earlier this week, on Teacher Appreciation Day, I tweeted my thanks to Dr. Kenneth Kolb of Bradley University. Sometimes, however, 140 characters isn't enough. As National Teacher Appreciation Week winds down, I want to emphasize the importance of America's excellent teachers.
Now, many people know that my first job after graduating from college was teaching, so I appreciate the work our nation's educators do each day. But, although I taught social studies and have spent much of my career in government, it might surprise you to learn that Bradley's Dr. Kolb was not my Poli-Sci or Econ professor; he taught me Chemistry.
Dr. Kolb did more than teach Chemistry; semester after semester, he taught students the value of science. And when you take students in a required course and get them excited about pursuing careers in science and technology, that's an important contribution.
Across the country, there are thousands of teachers like Dr. Kolb who are getting America's students excited about pursuing coursework and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics--or STEM. And now more than ever, we need those inspired students. We need them in many different fields, including transportation.
America needs new transportation ideas, and that requires students who know a thing or two about STEM. To draw up the plans that incorporate those innovative ideas, we need students who know a thing or two about STEM. And, to transform those plans into reality, we need, yes, students who know a thing or two about STEM.
One transportation professional who understands the need to encourage young people to pursue education and work in STEM fields is Captain Mark Kelly. You may recall Captain Kelly as the astronaut who piloted two Space Shuttle missions and commanded another two, including Endeavour's final mission in 2011, just four months after his wife, US Representative Gabby Giffords, was severely injured in an assassination attempt.
Captain Kelly began his academic work at the US Merchant Marine Academy, graduating in 1986 with a BS in Marine Engineering. After a career as a Naval aviator--including flying 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm--and before becoming a Shuttle pilot, he also earned a Master's Degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
Summer is coming, and even if you haven't given it much thought, America's youngest drivers have.
Across the nation, teens are counting the days until summer break; they're ready for beach trips, more free time, and summer jobs. We just want to make sure they're also ready for safe summer driving.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, summer is the deadliest time of year for teen drivers and their passengers. Seven of the top 10 deadliest days of the year occur between the Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays. An average of 422 teens die in traffic crashes each month during the summer compared to a monthly average of 363 teen deaths during the non-summer months.
When we designed our TIGER program here at DOT, we wanted a competitive grant process that rewarded communities for coming together to solve problems. Towns, cities, counties, regions--they know what they need to help get people from place to place and boost economic development, and we wanted to hear their ideas.
Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake City, and the Utah Transit Authority put together a strong partnership and submitted an innovative idea that made the most of the community's resources and strengths: the Sugar House Streetcar. And yesterday, I had the great pleasure of helping that community celebrate a very festive groundbreaking for the new line.
It was a great pleasure because I was fortunate enough to visit Salt Lake City when we first announced our TIGER II grants in October 2010, and I saw how excited the community was about this terrific project.
And for very good reason.
When completed, the Sugar House Streetcar will connect one of the region's thriving commercial centers--the Sugar House District--with its excellent TRAX light rail network. When the regional plan is complete, the streetcar will have direct connections with more than 130 miles of regional rail transit. At its seven planned stops, the line will also feature bus, pedestrian, and bicycle connections.
And throughout the two-mile corridor, the new streetcar will attract new, mixed-use development on vacant and underutilized land in the rapidly growing region.
National Train Day is a few days away, but there's plenty for rail fans and commuters to celebrate today. DOT, Amtrak, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have announced the award of a key contract to begin Phase 1 construction at New York's Moynihan Station.
This facility, sure to become one of America's great train stations, is being built from what was the James Farley U.S. Post Office, which readers may know from its famous inscription:
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
What could be more appropriate for the eventual home of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, whose trains are already the swiftest in the nation?
I've written before about the excitement of Walk To School days and about National Bike Month. Well, today those two come together in the first-ever National Bike to School Day.
The event is coordinated by the Federal Highway Administration's National Center for Safe Routes to School, and they've done a terrific job because--although it's just the first year--more than 700 schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia are participating. As Safe Routes director Lauren Marchetti said, "We knew there was support for a spring bike to school day. We couldn’t be more pleased with how many communities and families are coming together to promote biking to school on this one day."
Takoma Park, MD, Safe Routes coordinator Lucy Neher shows students from Piney Branch Elementary the proper way to adjust your bike helmet.
I couldn't agree more. At a time when our kids need more physical activity and we need to reduce vehicle emissions, walking and biking to school help put us on the path to a healthier future.
And when you see the "bike trains" and "walking school buses" as neighborhood kids and parents come together on the way to and from school, it's also clear that walking and biking to school strengthens communities.
That's why the National Center for Safe Routes to School is so important. Through the Center's efforts, more than 12,000 school communities have worked to make bicycling and walking to school safer and more appealing.
NHTSA Administrator David Strickland keeps Washington, DC, kids focused on safety.
Here in Washington, DC, at a multi-school gathering in Lincoln Park, National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland reminded a crowd of kids, parents, teachers--and bikes of all shapes and sizes--that despite all of the terrific benefits of biking, the day's most important lesson is safety.
At DOT we are constantly looking for new ways to tell people about safe driving practices. Speeches, videos, and blog posts all play their part in relaying our message of safety, but some of the most effective messages come from outside the department -- from the creative imaginations of children.
Yesterday FMCSA, in conjunction with NHTSA and the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership, announced the winners of the 2012 Annual "Be Ready. Be Buckled." poster contest.
The annual contest is open to children in grades K-6 with relatives in the truck and bus industries. It's a great way for the kids to learn about highway safety. It’s also a great opportunity for them to make a big difference by reminding their friends and family members in the commercial driving industry to buckle up--every trip, every time.
In the two categories--kindergarten through second grade and third through sixth grade--we received a number of terrific entries.
Sophia Chen, a second grader from Edison, New Jersey, is the grand prize winner of the younger category for the poster above.
In the older category, fifth grader Richard He from Parsippany, New Jersey, won with his entry below.
Yesterday, DOT helped launch a national dialogue on strengthening transportation choices for America’s military veterans, wounded warriors, and their families. This online conversation, “Strengthening Transportation Choices So We Can Serve Those Who Have Served Their Country,” is open until June 8, and we invite those interested in helping veterans and service members to participate by visiting veteransdialogue.ideascale.com.
The benefits Americans enjoy today wouldn't be possible without the courageous service of our nation's veterans. So when they return home, we must turn our sincere appreciation of the men and women who bravely protect and defend the United States of America into action. We must help them and their families find meaningful work, a good education, and quality medical care—none of which is possible without access to reliable, affordable transportation.
That's why the Federal Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility and the Department of Defense are sponsoring this first-ever online exchange of ideas about the transportation options veterans need and how we can help make those options available to our returning heroes and their families.
State, city, and county officials delivering services and outreach to veterans
County offices of Veterans Affairs
VA hospitals
Employers
Colleges and universities
As Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff said, “We are thrilled to support a national conversation that will, for the first time, enable veterans and service members to engage in a frank and creative exchange about their transportation needs with a wide range of organizations that can ultimately deliver solutions.”
Just a couple of weeks ago, we all marveled as the space shuttle Discovery circled the Washington, DC, region before arriving at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center. There, the shuttle will be celebrated by millions of visitors for the technological milestones it set and for the important service it provided.
Today, the DC area was visited by another winged celebrity, the 787 Dreamliner, which landed for the first time at Reagan National Airport.
And, just as the Discovery once did, the Dreamliner 787 ushers in the future, having already won the Collier Trophy awarded by the National Aeronautic Association in recognition of the greatest achievement in Aeronautics or Astronautics in America.
The 787 is a medium-size, commercial airplane and is the world's first major airliner to use composite materials for most of its construction. That construction--plus advanced engine technology--means the Dreamliner will be 20 percent more fuel-efficient than existing aircraft of comparable size and service.
It will also produce less noise and incorporate many capabilities of the Federal Aviation Administration's NextGen air transportation system.
As FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said, "The Dreamliner is an incredible technological achievement—one that sets a new standard for innovation on many levels."
But what really makes the 787 so special is what it says about America. This plane reflects decades of creativity, innovation and hard work. It’s a tribute to our technical know-how. Most of all, it continues our tradition of dreaming big dreams and building great things.
One of history’s greatest military strategists, Napoleon Bonaparte, once famously said that an army marches on its stomach, referring to critical role supplies play in determining success on the battlefield. Much has changed since then, but that statement remains as true as ever, as soldiers rely on supply chains to provide critical access to food, boots, equipment, and ammunition. During World War II, for example, the US shipped a total of 132,119,533 tons of cargo to the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
Since 1950, the role of supplying our troops has been managed by the Maritime Administration, a part of the Department of Transportation. Their Ready Reserve Force (RRF), Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) and Maritime Security Program (MSP) give the Defense Department reliable access to commercial sealift and other vessels needed to equip US forces in times of war and other emergencies. These three sealift readiness programs guarantee that our military gets the support it needs to meet America's security requirements.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, the US Merchant Marine was called upon once again to transport cargo to support America's military. And commercial carriers and their crews got the job done, transporting more than 31 million tons of cargo to sustain these two operations.
And now, they're bringing it home.
Today, the Ocean Crescent, a lift-on/lift-off heavy vessel operated by Patriot Shipping LLC will return to Beaumont, TX, marking the return of the final Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle from Iraq.
The Ocean Crescent and its crew have provided valuable support to American forces in Iraq. And now that this task is over, this commercial vessel and its crew will return their attention to another important mission: carrying the increasing volume of American goods expected under President Obama's National Export Initiative.
Today is a big day for public transit and energy innovation in Western Massachusetts as Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff joins Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Congressmen John Olver and James McGovern for the opening of the John W. Olver Transit Center in Greenfield.
This is no ordinary bus depot. It's what we call an intermodal hub because it was designed to offer people access to several different options and connections for getting where they need to go--all in one place.
The center will serve as bus terminal for the Franklin Regional Transit Authority as well as the region's inter-city bus service. In addition, it will be served by all private transit providers serving the region and all regional paratransit service for riders with disabilities. Taxi and bicycle access have also been incorporated into the state-of-the-art center.
And, when upgrades on Amtrak's Vermonter line are complete and inter-city rail service once again connects Greenfield with the rest of New England, the Olver Center will also feature a passenger rail platform.
The new center is built in the heart of downtown Greenfield. It returns the idle site of a former auto dealership to productive use and supports the region's economic development goals.
From tracks and cross ties to rail cars and new stations, DOT is committed to making sure that America’s revived inter-city passenger rail network gets built with American hands.
And this morning, at the Next Generation Rail Supply Chain Forum in Kansas City, Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo spoke about the importance of bringing rail equipment manufacturers and suppliers together so we can make these parts in America, too--helping support even more American jobs.
The forum was held by the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a Department of Commerce partnership with DOT to help develop a robust domestic supply base to support our nation’s transportation infrastructure. It was a terrific opportunity to connect manufacturers of passenger rail and locomotives with potential suppliers so we can foster an all-American rail supply chain that produces quality goods and puts our friends and neighbors back to work.
It follows on the heels of our recent announcement inviting manufacturers across the country to submit bids to produce the first American-made, standardized passenger rail cars.
FRA Administrator Szabo at the Kansas City MEP Forum
While America waits for Congress to pass a comprehensive, long-term transportation plan, DOT and the Federal Highway Administration continue to help communities stretch the value of scarce local and state resources with our Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program.
The TIFIA program provides credit assistance in the form of direct loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit to finance transportation projects of national and regional significance. States and local governments use the TIFIA assistance to get even more bang for their buck, leveraging the initial funds to secure access to capital markets, flexible repayment terms, and lower interest rates. Each dollar of Federal funds can provide up to $10 in TIFIA credit assistance and leverage $30 in transportation infrastructure investment.
Port of Long Beach, CA, Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement adding capacity to the congested main link between the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, which combine to form the largest port complex in the United States, accommodating 40 percent of the nation’s containerized cargo.
Riverside County, CA, SR 91 Improvements to extend two tolled Express Lanes and construct one general purpose lane on an eight-mile segment where more than 280,000 vehicles per day use SR-91, and traffic volume is expected to increase by 50 percent by 2035.
Colorado, US 36 Managed Lanes and Bus Rapid Transit to address the needs of the Denver metropolitan region, manage traffic capacity, and provide congestion-free, multimodal travel alternatives.
Tarrant County, TX, Interstate 35W Improvements including managed toll lanes and upgrades to existing lanes and frontage roads expected to support new investment and private sector growth in Fort Worth.
Northern Virginia, Interstate 95 Lane Development, an HOV-to-HOT lanes project designed to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in northern Virginia on the I-95 corridor, where travelers now experience significant daily delays
These projects were selected from 26 letters of interest seeking more than $13 billion in assistance.
The Real World Design Challenge team of six students from Baldwin High School in Baldwin, KS, was selected last month as the national winner of the annual Real World Design Challenge, sponsored by our Federal Aviation Administration.
The Baldwin students won for designing a light sport aircraft that maximizes fuel efficiency even as it enhances performance.
From left, freshman Quint Heinecke and juniors Abby Clem, Austin Kraus, Kaitlyn Barnes, Mackenzie Johnson and Carrie Deitz; photo courtesy Elvyn Jones, Baldwin City News
The awards were presented April 21 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Students from Commonwealth Connections Academy in Pennsylvania earned second place honors, and third place went to Rancho High School from Las Vegas.
The winning aircraft was designed by Team Baldwin to accommodate two team members for a flight from Kitty Hawk, NC, to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, at a minimum cruising altitude of 1,000 feet. The team's choice of coordinates was not random: Kitty Hawk is, of course, the site of Orville and Wilbur Wright's historic first flight in 1903, and Dayton is the site of the brothers' bicycle shop, home base for their earliest explorations in aviation.
For today's aviation pioneers from Baldwin, this is the second first-place victory in three years. The team won the national championship in 2010 and placed third in 2011. And I suspect we'll see more innovative design work from the school next year.
You don't have to have a Ph.D. to know that effective planning requires a reasonable amount of certainty. And on Monday, when I was talking to students at Western Illinois University about the need for a clearer picture of the future so transportation planners can design solutions, I saw a lot of heads nodding up and down.
Photo courtesy Western Illinois University
For the transportation community, this is the season. Relief from winter weather has arrived, and under normal circumstances, orange barrels and work zone signs begin popping up on road construction sites across the country.
Our friends and neighbors who work in construction are hard at it, improving America's transportation infrastructure so commuters can get to jobs and school more safely and effectively; so the goods that travel our nation's roads, rails, and waterways can get to markets; so the economy we've worked so hard to restore during the last few years can continue to grow.
But those transportation improvement projects--the ones that make our daily travel easier and that prepare America for a strong economic future--they require planning. And, as the audience at Western Illinois University seemed to understand, transportation planning at the local and state level requires some idea of a long-term national plan.
Two of the greatest leaders that the western part of Illinois claims--Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan--understood this. President Lincoln, whose attention was dominated by the need to hold our Union together, still worked with Congress to get construction started on the Transcontinental Railroad. And 30 years ago, President Reagan, a Republican, worked with a Democratic Congress to ensure a record level of funding for public transit.
Photo courtesy of Western Illinois University
That's the kind of vision we are fortunate enough to have today in the White House, a President who understands exactly how important our transportation system is to the lives we live each day and to the economy that is once again the envy of the world.
And that's the kind of vision we need from Congress. We need comprehensive, long-term transportation legislation. As we head into another busy construction season, our local partners need certainty from the federal government to decide if they can invest in a new road or rail line.
April and National Safe Digging Month may be over, but safety is a year-round responsibility. And since we all depend on underground utility pipelines to carry out daily activities, avoiding accidentally hitting and damaging them by calling 8-1-1 toll-free is everyone’s business.
"811" is the national, toll-free telephone number that should be used by anyone prior to digging. Calling 8-1-1 prompts local utilities companies to send someone to mark locations of underground pipelines and other utilities so they can be avoided during construction, landscaping, and other projects. Everyone from professional excavators to people working and gardening in their backyards should make the call.
For five years, DOT has been sending this safety message: Know what’s below. Call 811 before you dig. Today, our Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is taking another step to get that important message out by launching a new Public Service Announcement (PSA).
Called "Avoid a Grimm situation," the new PSA wraps the 8-1-1 message in an engaging and entertaining package.
I encourage everyone—the media, state and local governments, pipeline operators, emergency responders and concerned citizens—to view and share these announcements.
It's the first day of May, and that signals the beginning of National Bike Month.
Of course, when I was a kid, every month was bike month. Your bike was how you went everywhere. In those days, we didn't call ourselves bicyclists; we just rode our bikes. But somewhere along the way, things changed among kids as well as adults, and the percentage of Americans bicycling as a form of transportation declined.
Ready to ride with Rep. Earl Blumenauer
Today, I'm happy to be part of a DOT that recognizes the value of bicycling as a transportation option, and I'm proud of the people working hard to make sure that riding a bike is a safe and convenient way to get where you're going or just get some exercise.
Our Federal Highway Administration, for example, just released a report on its Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, a four-year effort required by Congress to construct a network of sidewalks, bicycle lanes, and pedestrian and bicycle trails connecting directly with schools, residences, businesses, recreation areas, transit centers, and other community activity centers. FHWA launched the program in four communities--Columbia, MO; Marin County, CA; Minneapolis, MN; and Sheboygan County, WI--and it has proven to be a great success:
Over four years, people in these four communities alone walked or bicycled an estimated 32 million miles they would have otherwise driven;
The communities saw an average increase of 49 percent in the number of bicyclists and a 22 percent increase in the number of pedestrians;
The percentage of trips taken by bike instead of car increased 36 percent, and those taken on foot increased 14 percent;
While each pilot community experienced increases in bicycling and walking, fatal bicycle and pedestrian crashes held steady or decreased in all of the communities; and
The pilot communities saved an estimated 7,701 tons of CO2 in 2010.
Last month, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched SaferBus, the smartphone app that allows bus travelers to view motorcoach safety data before buying their tickets or boarding their bus. That app has already been well-received and is making a difference for consumers across the country.
Today, FMCSA is challenging student developers to take our safety data one step further. The US DOT Motorcoach Safety Data Student Challenge asks software developers to create apps and online solutions that go beyond SaferBus in helping consumers make smart safety decisions about their bus travel.
DOT makes available to the public performance data about interstate commercial bus companies, but it will take a consumer-minded developer to transform that raw data into innovative, user-friendly tools for travelers.
What data do bus passengers need to make the smartest travel decisions? What information will travelers need to key in to get the results that serve them best? What's a useful format for the results?
When many of us were younger, walking or biking to and from school wasn't a choice; it was just what we did. Rain or shine, older siblings helped younger brothers and sisters cross the street, and friends met up along the way. It was good exercise and a chance to get out some extra energy before the school day began.
Today, this practice that we took for granted has become a distant memory. In 2009 only 13 percent of K-8th Grade students were reported as walking or biking to school. That's a huge shift from 40 years earlier when that number was 48 percent. In 1969, 89 percent of kids who lived within a mile of school walked or rode their bikes; in 2009 that figure was down to 35 percent.
Kids walking to Murchison Elementary School in Pflugerville, Texas; photo courtesy Docia Craft
We know that, when kids walk or bike to school, they get energized for their school day and they bring neighborhoods together. And every kid who isn't riding in a parent's car means less traffic congestion and lower vehicle emissions around our children's schools. We also know that--compared to school buses or walking and biking--riding to school in a parent or caregiver's car is the least safe choice for kids.
Fortunately, the Federal Highway Administration's National Center for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) has been working hard since 2005 to reverse this trend. Safe Routes programs are efforts by parents, schools, community leaders, and local, state, and federal governments to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school.
On Friday I was lucky enough to join Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard, Mike Cline, the Commissioner of the Indiana DOT, and my own grandchildren for a walk to school and a community conversation about Safe Routes. Although it was a bit chilly, it was a terrific way to start Grandparents Day.
Students walking to St. John's School in Marshfield, Wisconsin
For the past three years, DOT has been a fierce opponent of Distracted Driving. We have hosted two National Distracted Driving Summits, supported strong enforcement efforts, and launched a compelling Faces of Distracted Driving PSA series.
This effort has paid off. Law enforcement, the business community, and media have joined us in making distracted driving part of the national conversation. Connecticut, New York, and California have demonstrated that enforcement works. And 37 states--plus DC and Guam--have banned texting behind the wheel. These are great signs of improvement.
But, in light of two new studies, one by our own National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and one by Bridgestone, distracted driving is still a dangerous epidemic, particularly among our youngest drivers.
To continue the drumbeat, I traveled to San Antonio yesterday, for the Texas Distracted Driving Summit, hosted by the Texas Department of Transportation, USAA, and the Shriners Hospitals for Children. At the summit, I was honored to be introduced by my good friend and fellow safety advocate, Jennifer Smith. Jennifer lost her mother to a distracted driver in September 2008 and has become a great ally in our fight to end this deadly epidemic.
We were joined by several other advocates, who have also lost loved ones to distracted driving crashes. You may remember the family of Alex Brown--a 17-year-old who died in a texting crash--from our Faces of Distracted Driving series. And I was saddened by the story of Jennifer Zamora, whose husband Javier survived the dangers of combat service in Iraq only to be killed here at home by a distracted driver.
Raising awareness is a critical part of helping to curb this dangerous behavior. Passing good laws and backing them up with strong enforcement is also crucial. Unfortunately, our host state Texas is not one of the 37 states that have banned texting while driving. It is disappointing, but that makes raising awareness at summits like this one even more important.
In the meantime, dozens of communities in Texas have passed their own distracted driving legislation, including our host city San Antonio.
DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration knows that innovation can make our transportation system smarter and greener. And today, Acting Administrator Greg Winfree was in Arizona with Maricopa County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Intelligent Transportation System engineers and University of Arizona researchers to showcase their latest efforts to make intersections with traffic signals safer for emergency responders and the general public.
When you need fire or emergency medical assistance, precious moments count. Unfortunately, traffic accidents enroute to emergencies pose a serious danger for first responders. Nearly 13 percent of the firefighters and police officers who die in the line of duty are killed in vehicle-related incidents, and fire trucks are involved in ten times as many collisions as other heavy trucks.
We need our first responders--and the traveling public--to stay safe. That’s why I'm so pleased to see this program moving ahead.
DOT shares those goals, so last Tuesday, it was easy to talk with NARP members about the Obama Administration's rail priorities and to thank them for standing behind the President's bold vision for America that includes high-speed and inter-city passenger rail.
It was also a pleasure to join NARP in recognizing the achievement of University of Illinois professor Christopher Barkan. Dr. Barkan is the Director of the Railroad Engineering Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; under his leadership, the school has expanded the rail curriculum from one course to six, making it the largest of any North American university. In 2010, Dr. Barkan and his colleagues added a course on High-Speed Rail Engineering—a significant step forward for American high-speed rail.
We know --and NARP members can quote the statistics for you-- that more and more Americans are turning to passenger rail service to get where they need to go. For example, last year was a record-breaker for Amtrak ridership --its eighth in a row-- with 30 million passengers riding the rails. And Amtrak is on course so far this fiscal year to set yet another record.
In August 2010, I blogged about Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff attending the groundbreaking for Rhode Island's Wickford Junction rail station:
When you break ground on a rail link that will connect a community to Rhode Island's busiest airport and also to New England's two largest cities, that's good news. And when you create jobs in the process, that's good news.
It's a terrific project, and I was happy to celebrate the station's opening with Governor Lincoln Chafee, US Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen James Langevin and David Cicilline, and Rhode Island DOT (RI-DOT) Director Michael Lewis.
The 20-mile extension of MBTA commuter rail service to Warwick, Wickford, and North Kingstown will make a world of difference to commuters by improving access to thousands of jobs between Providence and Boston. Service will include 20 trips per day Monday through Friday to T.F. Green Airport, Providence, and Boston's South Station.
Earlier today, Bridgestone Americas presented the results from an important survey of teen attitudes toward distracted driving. It reveals a dangerous disconnect between what teen drivers know about the safety risks of distracted driving and how they actually behave behind the wheel.
We at DOT welcome Bridgestone's efforts as part of the national conversation that is taking place about the deadly epidemic of distracted driving. This survey and its findings are a valuable contribution to this critical issue.
Bridgestone surveyed 2,000 drivers aged 15 to 21 and found:
One-third of those surveyed admit to reading text messages while driving;
About one-fifth admit to typing text messages at least occasionally while driving.
Teens view typing a text message as less dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
A quarter of those surveyed do not believe that talking on the phone while driving is dangerous;
Overall, girls engage in distractions behind the wheel far more than boys; and
Teenagers and young adults say their parents engage in distracted driving more than themselves.
Bridgestone also launched its annual Teens Drive Smart PSA Contest this morning. You can see from the public service announcement below that the young people who enter this contest are very effective at getting the safety message across, and I look forward to seeing what this year's contestants have in store for us.
Today, I'll join Bridgestone Americas, Inc., at the National Press Club as the company unveils survey data about teen attitudes on distracting driving. You can tune in right here at 10 a.m. to watch streaming video of Bridgestone's announcement live.
Bridgestone developed the survey to help the company better understand the driving habits and behaviors of young drivers, with particular attention to distracted driving.
Beginning at 10 a.m. EDT, the Bridgestone release of its important findings will be streaming below. The company will also launch its its annual Teens Drive Smart Video PSA Contest. If you're safety-minded, please tune in and advise others to do the same.
Many thanks to Bridgestone Americas and the Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart program for producing and sharing this presentation.
One year ago, I gathered pipeline operators together and asked each of them to take a serious look at their infrastructure and to identify those sections that need to be repaired or replaced.
I pledged that if operators stepped up and created modernization plans, then DOT would do everything in our power to help cut bureaucratic red tape to put people to work and get shovels in the ground more quickly on these important projects to make America's communities safer.
NiSource, Inc., answered that call in Pittsburgh last Friday, and they are setting an example for the entire industry by investing more than $4 billion dollars in 1,000 miles of modern diameter pipeline. This massive modernization project will take place in Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, and it will promote the safe and reliable delivery of energy resources across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the U.S.
DOT will hold up our end of bargain as well. We all know how important it is to get these infrastructure projects moving so we can put Americans back on the jobsite and make our neighborhoods safer. That's why President Obama signed an executive order to fast-track crucial infrastructure through review and permitting, and that's exactly what we plan to do in these states.
Now, don’t get me wrong, at DOT we will never sacrifice safety. But we can make government work smarter, more efficiently, and faster to create jobs and help communities realize the benefits --including greater safety-- of infrastructure renewal.
In fact, by speeding up the approval process for replacing aging pipelines, we’re helping make residents of those six states safer much faster than expected.
Spring is here, and once again the orange barrels signifying road work have come out of hibernation. We all need to drive extra carefully through the zones where men and women are hard at work improving our roadways.
You see, in 2010, work zone crashes killed 576 people and injured an estimated 37,000. As you can imagine, road work is a dangerous occupation; in fact, 10 to 15 percent of work zone fatalities are workers. But, surprisingly, that also means that 85 to 90 percent of those killed in work zone crashes are drivers and their passengers.
One way we've worked to reduce work zone crash fatalities is through National Work Zone Awareness Week. Each year since 1999, our Federal Highway Administration has teamed up with the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on this April public awareness effort. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) are also partners.
Although Earth Day 2012 is still two days away, we at the Department of Transportation believe an emphasis on the environment is important each and every day, especially when it comes to transportation.
It cannot be denied that transportation is a big factor in the environment. Transportation accounted for 70% of petroleum use in the United States in 2010 as well as nearly one third of greenhouse gas emissions. Anything that moves needs fuel and produces waste. And while we cannot eliminate this waste, we can at least minimize its harmful impact.
And that is what the Obama administration and DOT have set out to do.
Our Fuel Economy Standard will increase average vehicle fuel efficiency to roughly 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. This means cars will use oil more efficiently and effectively -- saving the greenery along your route and the green in your wallet. In fact, the average American will save up to $6,600.
Every day, our roadways carry billions of dollars of raw materials and finished goods from coast to coast. And every day, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) works hard to make sure that cargo is protected inside safe commercial vehicles operated by safe drivers. Ensuring that commercial vehicles and their drivers are safe also means that FMCSA protects other users of America's roadways.
And when our nation's commercial vehicles transport the hazardous materials our economy needs, that safety mission becomes even more critical.
That's why this week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Southern Service Center put Operation Steel Box into action with inspection strike forces at key ports where hazardous materials carriers load their contents.
Keith Gibson of FMCSA with USCG, opening container
From Houston to New Orleans, Mobile, Tampa, Jacksonville, Savannah, Mt. Pleasant (SC), and Wilmington, inspectors were on the ground checking commercial motor vehicles, tractor-trailer combinations, equipment, and freight boxes as loads came off ships bound for motor carriers. We even had a team at the intermodal center in Memphis to check as freight was moved from railway to roadway.
As you probably know, the annual celebration of Earth Day takes place this Sunday, April 22. Today and through the weekend, DOT offices will mark Earth Day with different events and activities.
But when it comes to transportation, every day is Earth Day – an opportunity to find more efficient ways to get where you’re going, so in advance of the big day, the Federal Transit Administration has launched a new "environmental benefits" website highlighting the many ways transit helps us all “GO green.”
The new site collects in one place the FTA's work providing affordable, innovative, and sustainable public transit alternatives that reduce our nation’s carbon footprint and help secure an independent energy future. Among its features, the site shows the many environmental benefits of public transit and provides a calculator that tells you how much carbon dioxide riding transit keeps out of our atmosphere.
If you try nothing else on the site, I recommend the calculator--you might be surprised by how much CO2 you can save by riding transit, even for a short trip.
The site also offers a terrific, easy-to-use map that showcases fuel-saving, emissions-reducing investments across the country--like clean-fuel technologies and expanded light rail service. Just click on one of the pushpins in your state to see the sustainability progress the FTA is supporting near you.
In February 2011, the father of a young woman who was killed by a distracted driver sent DOT a video tribute to his daughter. Joel Feldman's powerful video about his daughter Casey was the first outside submission to become part of our Faces of Distracted Driving. And Casey's story has proven to be one of our most effective videos, capturing the attention of people around the world.
In the Fast Lane post about Casey's story, Joel wrote: "The families of those who have died as a result of distracted driving share a bond because of our loss. But we also share a bond because of our desire to have the deaths of our loved ones bring about some positive change."
Since then, Joel Feldman has not rested in his pursuit of that change. The organization he started, End Distracted Driving, has been a strong advocate in our fight to get drivers to keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their full attention on driving safely.
And, in honor of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, EndDD.org has launched the End Distracted Driving Student Awareness Initiative. This campaign seeks to educate students and other drivers throughout North America about the dangers of distracted driving. Perhaps more importantly, the Student Awareness Initiative gives drivers simple steps to keep them--and others--safe. Step number one? Drive without texting.
End Distracted Driving has an ambitious goal for its April initiative: to reach more than 100,000 young drivers.
If you were near the National Mall in Washington, DC, between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. yesterday, and happened to glance upward, what you saw may have surprised you – the space shuttle Discovery riding atop a 747.
On Thursday, Discovery will join the great aviation collection at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center, where she will continue to inspire and help tell the story of our nation’s many achievements in aviation and space exploration.
Shuttle during DCA flyover, photo courtesy FAA
But first, after leaving the Kennedy Space Center for the last time early yesterday morning, the shuttle-jet pair delighted spectators by taking a spin around the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Capitol, with a brief flyover near Reagan National Airport. The two finally landed at Dulles International Airport, where I had the opportunity to join officials from NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Smithsonian in welcoming Discovery to her new home.
Watching the shuttle and its carrier land at Dulles International, photo courtesy FAA
The longest-serving veteran of NASA’s space shuttle fleet, Discovery flew 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles between 1984 and its last completed spaceflight in March 2011.
As Discovery enters the Smithsonian, it’s important to remember the many accomplishments of which the shuttle program can be very proud.
It was an honor to speak at Discovery's final landing, photo courtesy Smithsonian Institute
Thirty years of flights not only helped the U.S. launch satellites, but those three decades also showed us that we could repair them in-orbit, too. In addition, the program opened doors to women and minority astronauts, was responsible for many scientific discoveries, and made possible the International Space Station.
Pam Melroy, the Senior Technical Advisor in the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation and a former astronaut who flew two of her three missions on Discovery, thinks the world of this extraordinary family of aircraft:
"The Space Shuttle is the most powerful, capable spacecraft ever built. It can launch like a rocket, act as an orbiting scientific space station, and dock to other vehicles. You can perform both robotics and spacewalks from her. And of course, you can land softly and smoothly like an airplane. Additionally, it is the only spacecraft that was capable of carrying large payloads home from space. We will not see another vehicle as capable or complex for at least another generation."
Discovery served our nation well, and I have no doubt that she will continue to inspire millions of visitors at the Udvar-Hazy Center for decades to come.
Watch video of the Reagan National flyover, courtesy of FAA
At the Department of Transportation, we are proud to work with many different safety partners to keep our nation’s roads safe. One group that’s been effective in helping keep drunk drivers off the road is Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). MADD has supported our recent "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" and "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving" campaigns, and MADD members have been powerful advocates for change at the national, state and local levels.
Last year, MADD launched its first-ever PowerTalk 21 day, a national day for parents to start talking with their kids about alcohol. I was happy to play a small part.
This year, on April 21st, MADD will renew its call for every parent to start an ongoing conversation with their children about the dangers of underage drinking. Of course, any day is a good day to start discussing this important topic with your kids, but MADD and DOT want April 21st to be the day it becomes a national conversation.
As the father of four, I know this is a difficult conversation to start. That’s why MADD'sPower of Parentshandbook is such a terrific resource. These research-based materials help guide you through the conversation one step at a time.
And, once you get the lines of communication open by starting the conversation, it will be that much easier to keep them open as your children grow older.
Last week, I met with business leaders in Minneapolis to talk about the transportation future of their city, and they overwhelmingly had one topic on their mind: the passage of a long-term national transportation bill.
The men and women I spoke with were a mix of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, but they all agreed that Congress's inability to pass a national transportation plan is not good for business. It's not good for jobs; it's not good for economic development; it's not good for America.
Not one person in the meeting pointed a finger at the party across the aisle; no one was interested in assigning blame for the lack of a long-term transportation bill. Instead, they asked one question: How do we break this logjam?
I wish I knew.
This is a critical time for transportation. To a person, everyone in Congress says our priority must be jobs. Well, according to the business leaders I met with in Minneapolis, these extensions are not creating jobs; they are holding back job creation.
We are right at the beginning of the construction season, and the fact that states cannot plan ahead beyond the next 74 days means that thousands of workers cannot get to work on the big projects America needs.
And--if our discussion in Minneapolis is any indication--America needs transportation projects.
An economy can't go anywhere without the transportation network to carry it. And the longer we avoid dealing with that network--the longer we keep patching things up--the longer it will take for us to increase the safety and efficiency of how we move people and goods in this country.
For example, one of the folks I talked with in Minneapolis is concerned about how to move more than 10,000 employees into and out of the city's downtown business core each day. How can he plan his company's future without being able to predict how they will get people to work?
Another business leader was concerned about already planned transportation projects. "We can't get local commitment," he said, "because there's no reason for the community to believe federal support will come through even though our residents are paying into the highway trust fund with their gas taxes."
To plan wisely, businesses need certainty. Forecasting is difficult enough; we can't afford to complicate it with politics. As the business leaders I met with in Minneapolis said, "90 days is not a plan."
Last week, I met a group of elementary school students in Minnesota, and I had a very clear safety message for them: "If you're riding in a car and the driver is texting or talking on the phone while driving, you tell them I said it's not safe."
And when I asked them if they would do that, if they would carry that important safety message home with them, they all nodded their heads enthusiastically and shouted, "Yes!"
That willingness to speak up is all the more important because, today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released new findings that indicate older kids--teens--are the least likely passengers to say something to their driver if he or she is texting or talking on a cell phone behind the wheel.
At the same time, we know that drivers in their teens report the highest level of phone involvement in crashes and near-crashes. And we know that young drivers are nearly three times more likely to be involved in sending or receiving a text at the time of an incident than drivers 25 and older.
So, when a NHTSA survey shows that 90 percent of passengers would consider a texting driver as very unsafe, it is troubling to learn that only one-third of younger passengers would actually speak up about it.
We can't control the deadly epidemic of distracted driving until we get drivers of all ages to speak up about the safety risks of texting or talking on a cell phone behind the wheel.
That's why DOT has launched a new social media icon contest for U.S. teens. The Distracted Driving Design Challenge invites students between the ages of 13 and 18 to create an original icon--with a distracted driving awareness message--that can be shared on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social networking sites.
The contest is open until July 31, and a panel of DOT experts and I will select the winning design. We're looking for icons that send a clear message: cell phones and driving don’t mix.
If you create the winning design, your work will be incorporated into our campaign to end distracted driving. This is your chance to help keep our roads safe for your family, your friends, and yourself.
So, get creative, design an eye-catching graphic that you’d be proud to show off on your favorite social network, and please send it in.
To learn more about the Distracted Driving Design Challenge visit challenge.gov.
Last week, while I was in Tucson helping break ground on the new Sun Link streetcar, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff was busy introducing transit innovations like Bus Rapid Transt in Austin, TX, and Roaring Forks, CO, and a BART commuter rail extension in San Jose, CA.
FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff speaking in Austin
BRT is an enhanced system with modern buses operating on separate lanes or other transitways. By running on special lanes isolated from traffic, BRT combines the flexibility of buses with the efficiency of rail. And with high-tech vehicles and advanced infrastructure, BRT operates at faster speeds than conventional bus service while also providing greater reliability and increased customer convenience.
In Austin, Administrator Rogoff signed a grant agreement providing $38 million to build a bus rapid transit system in Austin, bringing additional transportation choices to one of the most congested mid-size cities in the country.
The new MetroRapid bus service will include 40 new bus stations with 40 clean diesel buses running along a 37.5 mile route parallel to the region’s main highways, I-35 and Loop-1. The service will make it easier for riders to access the State Capitol, the University of Texas, and the opportunities available in downtown Austin’s central business district.
One of the very promising trends in transit these days is the growing number of American cities that are embracing the modern urban streetcar. And when DOT launched its first round of competitive TIGER grants, the city of Tucson jumped on-board the streetcar revival with both feet.
So yesterday, I was happy to be back in Tucson to help the entire community turn over the first shovel of dirt for the new Sun Link streetcar.
Breaking ground with, from left to right, U.S. Rep Raul Grijalva, Oro Valley Mayor and RTA Chair Satish Hiremath, me, Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, U.S. Rep. Ed Pastore, and Ed Carranza FTA Region 9 Deputy Regional Administrator
Now, of course, everyone in greater Tucson did not attend yesterday's groundbreaking. But, the entire community was represented because so many different stakeholders really came together to make this exciting project happen. From the area's Congressional delegation, the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Mayor's office to the University of Arizona, the business community, and neighborhood advocates, the city of Tucson created a dynamic partnership of diverse interests working together toward a common goal.
That's something we can all learn from, and it's exactly the kind of cooperation that our TIGER program has been encouraging around the country for the past three years.
Transportation is a gateway to opportunity. Tucson's Sun Link will take its riders to work, where they can earn a decent living to support their families. It will take its riders to a very good university, where they can earn the kind of education that increases their future possibilities. And it will take its riders to Tucson's downtown business center, where they can get the goods and services they need while also supporting local job creators.
DOT’s Federal Transit Administration understands that access to more transit options leads to more ridership, and today, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff joined Bay Area leaders in breaking ground on a project that will provide a new choice for residents who commute to the Silicon Valley high-tech corridor each day – a 10-mile extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) rail system.
Ground is broken for BART extension.
The Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project will bring transit service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara County, relieving highway congestion and giving commuters the option to leave their cars at home. The extension includes the construction of two new stations, in Milpitas and Berryessa, and the purchase of 40 new passenger rail cars.
And according to BART, the project will create more than 2,500 construction-related jobs.
This is a big win for the region – creating thousands of construction-related jobs, spurring millions of dollars in new residential, retail, and commercial development out to Silicon Valley, and reducing congestion and saving gas as more drivers decide to take transit.
I wrote yesterday about the important work of our partners in the fight for safe driving. And today it's a pleasure to congratulate one of those safety partners in particular, Project Ignition.
Project Ignition supports student-led school campaigns that address teen driver safety. Now, we know from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data that traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens in the United States. But, through Project Ignition, teens are working to change that.
I met with students from Project Ignition last January in Washington, DC, and last night in Minneapolis I had the opportunity to present 10 school programs from around the country with Project Ignition National Leader awards. These schools were honored as the nation's most effective student-led teen driver safety programs:
Belton High School Freshman Center, Belton, MO
Fieldcrest High School, Minonk, IL
Freedom High School, Bethlehem, PA
Hoosick Falls Central School, Hoosick Falls, NY
Idabel High School, Idabel, OK
London High School, London, OH
Plymouth/Whitemarsh High School, Plymouth Meeting, PA
ROWVA High School, Oneida, IL
Shelton High School, Shelton, WA
Springlake-Earth High School, Earth, TX
The awards announcement was part of the National Service Learning Conference, a terrific showcase of the many ways America's students are developing important skills while also making a real difference in the world. Service and education make a powerful combination, and the kids I've met from Project Ignition really appreciate its value.
With the group from Fieldcrest High School, Minonk, Il
Of course, I appreciate the work of Project Ignition because it's focused on our highest priority, safety. And many of the schools recognized last night chose to educate their peers about the dangers of distracted driving.
