AASHTO report calls for increasing transportation system capacity
Several states participated in the national release today (Monday, Aug. 30) of "Connecting Rural and Urban America," the third in a series of reports by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) that identify the need to increase capacity in the transportation system.
The report’s bottom line suggests:
“Inadequate roads to serve growing agricultural and energy output, rising congestion in popular tourist destinations and emerging cities that are not connected to the Interstate system all require immediate attention and investment to ensure that our rural areas stay connected and serve the 60 million Americans who live there.
“Yet, too often, policy discussions overlook the need to improve connectivity mobility outside metropolitan areas.”
The report offers a three-point plan to ensure the connectivity of rural and urban America. Specifically, in any reauthorization of federal transportation legislation:
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Continue to fund rural portions of the Interstate Highway System and other Federal-aid highways that connect America;
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Double federal investment in rural transit systems to meet rising demand; and
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Expand the existing capacity of the Interstate system; upgrade rural routes to Interstate standards; and connect newly urbanized areas to the Interstate system.
Accompanying the report is a website that contains many examples of urgent capacity needs provided to AASHTO by 34 states. The national news conference to release the report was held in conjunction with the SASHTO annual meeting in Little Rock, Ark.
A second regional news conference is planned in Kansas. Wyoming will sponsor an executive briefing for the media on the report. We greatly appreciate the participation of these states in assisting us to spread this important message.
Published 8-27-2010