Transportation for a competitive America

35625154Transferred from EDL on 5/14/2008PDFResearch PaperUnited States. Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation SystemsAASHTO-AGC-ARTBA Joint Cooperation CommitteeNTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-PLANNING AND POLICYIntelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program OfficeThe transportation system in the United States is at a critical juncture. The systemcarries more people and goods than ever before, and travel demand is certain tocontinue to grow. Failure to accommodate that demand will threaten our ability tocompete in the international marketplace, and it will jeopardize jobs, the nation\ue2\u20ac\u2122seconomic stability, and our quality of life.The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, which provided the basis forour current transportation programs and funding, expires in 1997. As Congress beginsstructuring the next transportation legislation, it will be taking a hard look at the who,what, when, where, and even why of federal involvement in transportation.AASHTO members-the departments of highways and transportation in the 50states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia-are responsible for planning,designing, building, and operating the infrastructure needed for our nation\ue2\u20ac\u2122s transportationsystem. After extensive discussions and deliberations, they recently approved aseries of policy statements on the next generation of federal surface transportationlegislation:Federalism: Federalism and Reauthorization of the Intermodal SurfaceTransportation Efficiency ActPlanning: Issues in Planning and RecommendationsEnvironment: Environmental Issues and TransportationResearch: Innovation for TransportationFinance: Alternative Financing ProposalsThe Bottom Line: Transportation Investment Needs 1998-2002This report summarizes the recommendations contained in those policy statements