AASHTO President plays role in major U.S. DOT event.
Press Release Summary:
AASHTO President and Mississippi DOT Executive Director, Larry L. "Butch" Brown, shared the stage with U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, at the first Surface Transportation Reauthorization Tour. In remarks introducing his session, "Economic Development and State of Good Repair," Brown said that preserving the transportation system we have and adding needed capacity to meet continuing population growth should be one of nation's top priorities.
Original Press Release:
AASHTO President Plays Role in Major U.S. DOT Event
(New Orleans, LA)-AASHTO President and Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Larry L. "Butch" Brown shared the stage with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at the first Surface Transportation Reauthorization Tour, hosted by the U.S. DOT in New Orleans, LA, yesterday.
Brown moderated one of three panels held at the outreach tour. In remarks introducing his session, "Economic Development and State of Good Repair," Brown said that preserving the transportation system we have and adding needed capacity to meet continuing population growth should be one of the nation's top priorities.
"Over the next 20 years, this country's population is expected to grow by at least 50 million. That is the equivalent of adding over 100 cities the size of New Orleans to the national economy," Brown said.
AASHTO's president also urged consideration of a four-part freight strategy, which includes the development of a national multimodal strategic freight plan, funding for projects of national significance, funding for every state to help build a national freight network, and support for multi-corridor organizations that cross state lines.
Brown also expressed his strong support for retaining the current federal-state partnership. "What we have today is described in statute as a 'federally assisted, state-administered program.' It is working and working well...But it would be a mistake to make changes which shift decision-making away from the states and back to Washington."
For more information on AASHTO's Authorization Plan, see AreWeThereYet.transportation.org.
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the "Voice of Transportation" representing State Departments of Transportation in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation.
