Welcome to the FastLane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Road safety funds another example of our commitment to tribal communities

In his State of the Union address, President Obama called on us to 'Fix it First' by targeting the most urgent upgrades for roads and bridges. Today, we're making sure that roads on tribal lands are part of that equation.

And to make that happen, our Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of more than $8.6 million from its Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds (TTPSF). These grants will help fund much-needed road repairs, improve safety, and create jobs.

They're also a good example of our steadfast commitment to America's tribal communities.

These funds will address a need to improve road safety on tribal lands, which have consistently endured road fatality rates among the nation's highest. As FHWA Administrator Victor Mendez said, "Over the years, I've met with many tribal leaders who share our interest in improving road safety. These funds will do much to help keep roads on tribal lands safe for all who depend on them."

I'm also pleased to announce that the FHWA is leading webinars on May 1 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT and on May 8 from 4 to 5 p.m. EDT. The webinars will help potential applicants navigate the funding process. Links to the webinars will be available on the FHWA Tribal Transportation Program web page.

Motor vehicle crashes leave an indelible mark on virtually every community, and we're doing what we can to make our nation's roadways as safe as we can. That's true for interstate highways and rural byways.

And, thanks to MAP-21 which authorized the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Funds, it's also true for tribal roads.

In the Year of the Bike-Share, a call for safety

Let's face it; America is undergoing a major outbreak of bike-share.

Earlier this month, the wildly popular Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) in the Washington, DC, region hit a new record, with more than 11,000 rides taken in a single day. Two weeks ago, in just two days, New York's Citi Bike signed up more than 5,000 members for its inaugural year, far surpassing its initial goal. That's more than double the number of members who signed up for DC's CaBi when it launched in 2010. In the Midwest, Chicago's Divvy program is slated to put its bikes on the road this June, and Mayor Emanuel has promised to make Chicago the "best big city in America for cycling."

As of April 2013, there were 41 cities in the United States have or are launching bike-shares, and that number is only expected to increase in the coming years. So here at DOT, we've taken to calling 2013 the Year of the Bike Share.

But, with all of those folks across the country using bicycles as a way of getting where they need to go, we need to make sure we're doing what we can to keep them safe.

That's why we held our second Bike Safety Summit yesterday in Minneapolis. We wanted to get planners, safety experts, engineers, educators--anyone with something to add to the safety discussion--together in one place to share what we know about protecting bicyclists. Then, we can take those ideas back to communities across the nation.

Doing this in Minneapolis just made sense. Bike ridership in Minneapolis has skyrocketed, up 56 percent in the last six years. The Nice Ride bike-share has been a big success, with nearly 600,000 trips taken since 2010. And--bucking a worrisome national trend--the number of bicyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes in Minneapolis has actually declined.

President Obama nominates Mayor Anthony Foxx as 17th Secretary of Transportation

This afternoon, it was my great pleasure to stand with President Obama as he nominated Charlotte, NC, Mayor Anthony Foxx to be the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

When the President said today that I had enjoyed this job, he was absolutely right. This has indeed been the best job I've ever had, and I don’t leave it lightly. Mayor Foxx will soon learn what I have had the good fortune to learn, that DOT boasts some of the smartest, brightest people in transportation and in public service. 

He will also learn that the President is a terrific man to work for, a man with a vision and a man who gives his nominees the license to achieve. There really is no way to thank my very good friend, President Obama, for having given me this tremendous opportunity.

If you've been following this blog over the past four years, the President's nomination of Mayor Foxx should come as absolutely no surprise. Whether I was blogging about highways, aviation, rail, or transit, I've had no shortage of reasons to say something good about what's happening transportation-wise in Charlotte.

For winter Seaway work, safety remains number one priority

Although the St. Lawrence Seaway has been open for the 2013 navigation season for more than a month, there's terrific news today as our Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation takes stock of its off-season infrastructure modernization.

The SLSDC announced that this past winter’s Asset Renewal Program work was accident-free.

For infrastructure work spanning January through March, there were zero hours lost to safety-related incidents. During that time, three major construction projects were completed at the U.S. Seaway with no time lost to safety incidents. Sustained over nearly 130,000 work hours in harsh winter conditions, that's a pretty good achievement.

It's a testament to the Seaway’s effective safety protocols and to DOT's pursuit of our number one priority, safety--not just in transportation, but also in the critical work that supports our nation's transportation system.

“This past winter was the busiest time at the U.S. Seaway locks since their construction in the 1950s,” said SLSDC Acting Administrator Craig H. Middlebrook.  “Our staff  worked collaboratively with contractors to ensure that intensive timelines and milestones were met at every step along the way to get these important projects completed safely prior to the Seaway’s opening.” 

West Rail Line a promising step toward RTD's FasTracks future

Today the Regional Transportation District of Denver is opening its West Rail Line, 12.1 miles of light
rail running between Denver's redeveloped Union Station and Golden's Jefferson County Government Station.

The new line features 11 new stations, six Park-n-Rides, and three new Call-n-Rides. What exactly does that mean for Denver-area residents? It means opportunity. It means that DOT support for this public transit project will have helped millions of families, seniors, veterans, students, and others gain access to the jobs, education, and services they need.

The line's new stations include stops near employment hubs like Denver Federal Center and Jefferson County Government Center as well as the Auraria Higher Education Campus and Red Rocks Community college, which together serve more than 50,000 students. In addition, St. Anthony’s Hospital recently relocated, allowing medical professionals and patients to take advantage of the new line's convenience.

And, it's just the beginning. The West Rail Line is only the first completed line of RTD's ambitious FasTracks project. FasTracks is a comprehensive transit expansion plan to build 122 miles of new commuter rail and light rail, 18 miles of bus rapid transit, 21,000 new parking spaces and bike amenities at light rail and bus stations, and enhanced bus service for easy bus-to-rail connections. The project will extend across eight different Colorado counties.

After all, the Denver area is currently home to 2.8 million people, and that number is expected to grow to 4.2 million by 2035. Area residents know that improvements in transportation infrastructure are critical to maintaining the quality of life that attracts so many to this area.

Passenger rail an economic driver

When I wrote about the latest round of funding for our TIGER program earlier this week, I mentioned the multi-modal "transportation centers that have revitalized downtowns by offering a range of transportation options."

And just yesterday, leaders from our Federal Transit Administration and our Federal Railroad Administration were in Seattle to help Mayor Mike McGinn and Congressman Jim McDermott celebrate the grand reopening of one such center, Seattle's King Street Station.

After a decade of repairs and revitalization, the 107-year-old station--one of the busiest in the Pacific Northwest--has been transformed into a modern transportation hub providing travelers seamless connections to Amtrak, commuter trains, light rail, and bus lines. Eventually, it will link to Seattle streetcars as well.

But the station is not just pulling transportation duty. Other downtown transportation centers have anchored economic development in their communities. For example, Brunswick’s Downeaster station is on its way to attracting more than $325 million in new investment by 2030. Expectations are high for the King Street Station to give a similar lift to Seattle's Pioneer Square, helping create jobs and boosting economic growth. 

King Street Station: improving--not replacing--what exists.

Thanks in part to strong support from President Obama and record ridership on Amtrak, rail has once again emerged as a people's choice for transportation. As Mayor McGinn said of the historic station, “It’s not just about the past, but about a future where we recognize the best of the past ways of doing things.”

And, as I told the National Association of Rail Passengers recently, that's exactly what the President's proposed budget for the Department of Transportation would continue doing.

Minneapolis here we come; Midwest bike summit seeks answers to safety challenges

Next week, DOT is hosting the second of our two Bicycle Safety Summits. Our host city this time is Minneapolis, where the number of bikes on the roads has increased by 56 percent over the past six years, according to the 2012 City of Minneapolis Bicyclist and Pedestrian Count Report. During the same six years, the number of pedestrians has increased by 22 percent.

With the number of bicyclists and pedestrians on the rise, it's more important than ever to think about their safety. That goes for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians themselves, as well as the City of Minneapolis and the US DOT. And with next Monday's Midwest Regional Bike Safety Summit, that's exactly what we're doing.

No one is more pleased than I am about the steady increase in the number of bikes that have appeared on our nation's streets, paths, and trails over the past few years. Here at DOT, we've worked pretty hard to help nurture the resurgence of bicycling--not just as recreation, but as transportation.

However, we have also seen an increase in the number of bicyclists killed in motor vehicle crashes.

Data released earlier this month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that, in 2011, 677 cyclists were killed on our nation's roadways, a 9 percent increase from 2010 to 2011. Every single fatality is one too many, and this increase in the number of bicyclists killed is especially alarming.

New in-vehicle technology guidelines are latest effort in fight against distracted driving

For the past two weeks, I've welcomed guest contributors to this blog in honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month. I cannot thank each and every one of them enough for their generous work. I also want to thank everyone who read these informative and heart-wrenching blog posts, particularly those who shared one or more of them with others.

After all, that's how we continue spreading awareness of this deadly epidemic.

As technology evolves, however, it's clear that distractions behind the wheel don't end with cell phones. And here at DOT, neither do our efforts to prevent distracted driving.

Many carmakers are now developing in-vehicle electronics systems that can post to social networking sites, text message, search the internet, and give directions. And while there’s no doubt that drivers appreciate these amenities, we have an important obligation to balance the innovation consumers want with the safety we all need.

That's why, today, we're issuing voluntary guidelines for in-vehicle electronics systems.  These safety guidelines were first proposed last year and now include feedback from stakeholders across the country. They include:

• Limiting --to 2 seconds at a time and 12 seconds total-- the time drivers must take their eyes off the road to operate in-car technology;
• Disabling texting, social media, and web browsing features unless a vehicle is stopped and in park; and
• Disabling video-based calling and conferencing unless a vehicle is stopped and in park.

Intelligent transportation: better performing infrastructure means greater safety, efficiency

At DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), dedicated professionals are working hard to make sure our transportation systems get smarter and smarter.

Why do we want to improve the intelligence of American transportation? To help you travel safely. To help you avoid congestion in your daily travels, saving time and fuel. To help move raw materials to factories and finished goods to market as efficiently as possible.

As our Undersecretary for Policy, Polly Trottenberg, said this week, "Even as we work to bring American transportation into the 21st century, we have to coax better performance out of our 20th century infrastructure."

A smart road will safely alert drivers in advance of changing pavement conditions. A smart transit network will let you know how long you'll wait for the next bus. A smart highway will alert commercial drivers to delays ahead and redirect them to alternative routes, saving time and fuel.

Intelligent transportation systems read and interpret data and communicate useful information--information that you can act upon-- to vehicles, traffic signals, message signs, drivers, and passengers. It might seem obvious, but when drivers and transit riders have more transportation information, we can make more informed transportation decisions. The same holds true for traffic signals and other devices that keep vehicles moving smoothly and safely.

This week, the intelligent transportation community--the thousands of leading transportation officials, technology providers, policymakers and researchers who are doing this important work--holds its annual ITS America meeting in Nashville. There is a lot of brain power gathered in Music City this week, and there is plenty to talk about.

Click on the image to learn more about the ITS America 2013 Annual Meeting.

Maritime shipping; relatively green, and getting greener

Earth Day has been an American institution since its founding in 1970. Each year, we recognize the many efforts made across the nation to reduce our carbon footprint and move toward a greener economy.

This year, with our economy growing and shipments of everything from raw materials to parts and equipment to finished products increasing, I'd like to call attention to recent improvements in the shipping industry.

For example, Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE), a marine transportation company, is planning to build two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered container ships to operate between Jacksonville, FL, and San Juan, PR.  With cleaner-burning LNG, we can significantly decrease emissions on our waterways.

Photo credit General Dynamics NASSCO and TOTE, Inc.

According to TOTE, the 764-foot vessels will be the largest ships in the world primarily powered by LNG. In addition, the company is also planning to convert two existing diesel-electric powered vessels to liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion.

Announcements like these are a proud moment for me because it demonstrates that the maritime industry is not only setting the bar high for greener transportation, but also taking the Obama Administration’s commitment to a clean energy economy seriously.

Foss hybrid tug in Long Beach

DOT, transportation community happy to see long-awaited return of a TIGER

President Obama has challenged us to make sure our nation’s transportation infrastructure provides the mobility options necessary to attract and support the businesses and families that rely on them. And through four rounds of DOT's popular TIGER program, we've supported 218 projects that are helping do just that in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Today, we're taking the next step to keep moving our transportation infrastructure into the 21st century with a fifth round of TIGER funding. And, as excited as we are about TIGER 2013 here at DOT, I know that communities across the country are even more thrilled over this latest version of DOT's favorite cat.

The $474 million available for TIGER 2013 will help increase mobility--for people and for freight. The new and upgraded transportation facilities that will be built as a result will also strengthen our economic competitiveness and create jobs.

And because the Appropriations Act that funds TIGER requires that funds be obligated by October 1, 2014, this round of TIGER will begin making a difference soon. The limited amount of time means the Department will give priority to projects that are ready to proceed quickly. The deadline for project applications is June 3.

In addition to project that are ready to go, DOT is looking for surface transportation projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or metropolitan area--projects that will:

• Improve existing transportation facilities and systems;
• Contribute to American economic competitiveness;
• Create and preserve jobs;
• Increase transportation choices and access to transportation services for people in communities across the U.S.;
• Improve energy efficiency, reduce dependence on oil, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
• Improve safety.

If the past is any indicator, the competition for TIGER 2013 awards will be strong.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor NAMIC: Preventing harm is the bottom line

Most people only think of auto insurance when they need to file a claim or shop for new coverage, but many American insurance companies have joined DOT in the fight against distracted driving.

Preventing losses is even more important than insuring them. Distracted driving advocacy and education isn’t just good for preventing losses though; for the members of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), it’s also part of our commitment to protecting our policyholders and their loved ones from real harm.

For Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the nation's auto insurance companies have been working to get the message out.

Companies like American Family, SECURA Insurance Companies, EMC Insurance Group and Amica Insurance have been taking to social media to provide statistics illustrating the risks of distracted driving--for example, taking your eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds is the equivalent of driving blind for the entire length of a football field. Through their Twitter feeds and Facebook pages, America’s auto insurers also provide consumer with links to more information and advice to avoid distracted driving on their own websites, Secretary LaHood's Fast Lane blog, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Distraction.gov website.

America's insurers know that the statistics are chilling--according to NHTSA, more than 3,000 people were killed in distracted driving related crashes during 2010--and we want to make sure consumers know it, too.

Many companies have also taken their message directly to drivers--particularly younger, tech savvy but less experienced drivers--by funding awareness events at schools, providing grants to distracted driving awareness programs, and running their own awareness campaigns.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor Capt. Shannon Trice, Syracuse Police Department: High visibility enforcement improves safety

The traditional way to address traffic safety issues is with the three E’s: Education, Engineering, and Enforcement. These strategies are proven to work well when combined.

Using these tools with distracted driving, there are some caveats. First, engineering that changes the roadway infrastructure or leads to new smartphone safety technology will not alter outcomes if drivers will not pay attention to the roadway or use the technology. Second, although we've made tremendous gains in distracted driving awareness efforts, education only goes so far in changing behavior.

At the Syracuse Police Department, we know that what adds value to education; pushes people to technology; and gets people to pay attention is enforcement.

Behavior and perception shape our culture, and law enforcement is in a unique position to influence behavior and perception. Our tool to change an unsafe driving culture? High Visibility Enforcement.

And it's not a new idea.

Ohio sets the Safe Digging Month example as DOT spreads the message to Call 8-1-1

Whether it’s watching cable television, showering, or just keeping the lights on, public utilities are vital to our daily activities and are part of our country’s critical infrastructure. Many of these--like energy transportation pipelines--are buried right beneath our homes, schools, and offices. For everyone's sake, they need to be protected from potential damage.

From DIY backyard landscaping to large construction projects, striking buried pipeline is a leading cause of pipeline-related death and injury and can lead to service outages for entire communities.

But all of that is preventable with a call to 811 before digging.

811 is a toll-free nationwide number that excavators should call 2 to 3 days before digging. The call prompts local utility operators to send a representative to mark underground utilities with paint, flags and other color-coded markers. All of this is free, and it can save your life.

Last week, the Administrator of DOT’s pipeline safety agency, Cynthia Quarterman, joined the Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) for their 3rd Annual Ohio Damage Prevention Summit to thank them for their safety efforts, and to remind everyone to call 811 before digging. In my absence, Administrator Quarterman also read a letter of appreciation from me to Summit organizers and participants.

The only one of its kind in Ohio, the OUPS Summit gathers excavators and utility companies together to enhance communication between them. The ultimate goal? Safe, undisrupted utilities...even when there’s nearby digging activity.

Nearly every state requires excavators to place a prior call so local operators can mark buried utilities. State damage prevention laws protect construction and utility workers as well as everyday people from the risks of damage. This year’s Summit also drew lawmakers who have successfully advocated for the first updates to Ohio’s damage prevention law in 22 years.

The Summit keynote speaker, two-time Olympian Cliff Meidl, delivered perhaps the most compelling story yet about the importance of calling 811 before you dig.

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Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor Jeanne Brown: Alex's choices can save your life

The fall day was warmer than normal – a little overcast, but beautiful nonetheless.  School was in session, and I was busy with several items on my “To Do” list – adding more than marking off.  Just after 9:30AM, an aide from the high school stopped by to ask whether my senior daughter, Alex, would be coming to class that day.  I assured her Alex should be there and called Alex on her cell.

No answer.

After several attempts to reach her by phone, I called my husband and asked if Alex had overslept. He said Alex was up and ready for school when he left the house at 8:30AM for work. Since she wouldn’t answer her phone, I left campus to drive home and find her. As I left, my heart told me to take the back way home.

Four miles from school, I found Alex’s truck sitting in a field.  It wasn’t what I expected to see. I thought maybe she had car trouble and just had her phone on silent so she didn’t hear my calls.  But reality wasn’t that kind.

I ran to the truck.  It was sitting right side up, but it had obviously rolled.  Alex wasn’t there.

My mind raced: Where did she go? She must have gone to get help! Which direction did she go? I need to find her – she doesn’t know where houses are out here. She could be miles away from anyone. What direction should I go? How did she get out of the truck? What is that noise?

As I walked around the truck trying to locate the noise, I found Alex – several feet from the truck. She was laying in the weeds and dirt, going in and out of consciousness.

FMCSA urges consumers: "Protect your memories; protect your move"

This year alone, more than 35 million Americans will move, and Spring is the season when many of those families and individuals begin thinking about what moving company to hire.

If you're planning a move, it's also the time to protect yourself from unlawful carriers.

Moving is an exciting, but hectic time – the last thing you and your family should have to worry about is whether or not your personal belongings will arrive at your new home. That's why our Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched a campaign warning consumers about the red flags that may be signs of an unscrupulous interstate carrier and advising you to "Protect your memories; protect your move."

 

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor UNC Center for the Study of Young Drivers: Parents can help teen drivers limit distractions

There is little question that texting while driving is one of the most dangerous things a person can do behind the wheel. Not surprisingly, it’s also one of the greatest concerns among parents of beginning drivers.

Texting is dangerous for all drivers, but particularly for young, novice drivers.

Teen driver, eyes focused where they belong--on the road (all photos courtesy Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)

It’s not until teens have considerable experience under their belt that they begin to see and respond to the driving environment in the same way as more experienced drivers. Because driving is less of an automatic behavior for teens than experienced drivers, teens must focus more of their attention on driving. That means they are less equipped to manage potential distractions like a cell phone, a car full of passengers, or even loud music.

Reducing distracted driving among teens is not an easy problem for parents to address. But, through the troubling statistics and many tragic stories we've heard in the past few years, we know it's a problem parents can't afford to ignore.

Hours of carefully supervised driving make a difference in a young driver's preparation

First and foremost, parents must put down their own phones while driving. Whether you know it or not, your teens are watching your driving behavior. And though your teens might be the last to admit it or even know it, parents are the primary role models for driving. Stepping up by putting your own electronic devices down is one of the simplest and most important safety actions you can take.

But that’s not the only thing parents can do to help. Enhancing the amount and quality of driving practice during the learner's permit stage provides the experience teens need begin to developing an ingrained intuitive understanding of driving.

 

When it comes to work zone safety, we're all in this together

As National Work Zone Awareness Week kicks off, I'm asking all drivers to protect America's road workers --this week and every week-- by driving carefully in work zones.

In 2011, 587 people died in highway work-zone fatalities. That's an increase of 11 fatalities compared to 2010, and it's 587 too many.

Here in Washington, DC, Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez marked National Work Zone Awareness Week by attending a local event honoring Alice Ward, a highway worker from Royersford, Pa., who nearly died when she was struck in a work zone last year. He also honored Laurie Moser, the widow of a highway worker killed in a work zone near Frederick, Md., in 2007.

As the weather gets warmer, highway construction shifts into high gear, and we see more and more orange cones on our roads. For those traveling or commuting by car, the appearance of new work zones is as much a milestone of spring as opening day in a local ballpark or the blossoming of tulip bulbs in a neighbor's garden.

The men and women working in these road construction zones are helping maintain and improve our highways and bridges to make travel smoother and safer for you, for your passengers, and for everyone who uses our roadways. They deserve to be able to do that work safely.

FHWA Administrator Mendez and DC DOT Director Terry Bellamy apply memorial ribbons to orange work zone cones

NEC FUTURE makes tracks toward faster rail service

The Obama Administration has invested over $3 billion –more than any previous Administration– to improve rail service along the Northeast Corridor (NEC). We've helped develop stations and track; modernize power systems; replace aging infrastructure; and support purchases of new equipment.

Through the Federal Railroad Administration, we have also set in motion the first comprehensive planning effort to determine the future of America’s busiest rail corridor in more than three decades. We call it NEC FUTURE, and it is happening now.

The Corridor is a key component of the Northeast region's transportation system and is vital to the area’s sustained economic growth. Today, the 457-mile NEC—anchored by Boston's South Station in the north, New York's Pennsylvania Station in the center, and Washington's Union Station in the south—is one of the most heavily traveled rail corridors in the world. The NEC is shared by intercity, commuter and freight operations and moves more than 259 million passengers and 14 million car-miles of freight per year.

While improvements continue to be made, the NEC faces serious challenges, with century-old infrastructure, outdated technology, and inadequate capacity to meet current or projected travel demand. With similar capacity issues on the region's highways, and some of the most congested airports in the nation, the Northeast's economic future could be hampered by transportation constraints.

NEC FUTURE will coordinate and prioritize future investments in the Corridor so we can free the region from some of those constraints.

Recently, we published our Preliminary Alternatives Analysis Report. The report presents 15 alternatives that represent a wide range of possible futures for the NEC.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor Jennifer Smith: You are not alone

It wasn't until September 30, 2009, that I realized I was not alone. And, while I may have arrived at the first Distracted Driving Summit alone, I left with new friends and resources to support me as I came to grips with the devastation of losing my mother to a distracted driver.

That day was about a year after the crash that killed my mother, an event that obviously changed my life and the lives of my family forever.  At that first summit, I was asked to speak, along with six families who were feeling the same loss and devastation. I was thinking mostly about what the crash that killed my mother had put an end to. Little did I know that this Summit would be the beginning of something new for me.

It was that day I met Secretary LaHood. Through his generosity and his desire to do something about this deadly epidemic, we created a friendship. A friendship built on the desire to put an end to cell phone driver distraction. And, in 2010 at the second National Distracted Driving Summit, he honored me by asking me to deliver the closing remarks on behalf of victims' families across the country.

For thousands of families every year, distracted driving takes the life of mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, husbands and wives, significant others, friends, and the list goes on. By sharing our stories since that first summit, we've been trying to motivate you to make a change in your driving behavior.

I am privileged to share my commitment with the many families who have shared a similar loss, but none of us are happy to have had this dumped into our lives by someone else's single moment of inattention. Forming a bond with these families has been the fuel to keep me working to bring grassroots awareness to the state level.

 

On the Go with Ray LaHood: April 2013

Today, I'm happy to present the latest episode of "On The Go." Many thanks to all those who sent in their questions.

This time around, I'm answering questions about inland ports, farm-to-market infrastructure, and how the public can advocate for high-speed rail. I also have a response to the question, "Where can the next Secretary do the most good?"

But although I answered that one, let's not put the cart before the horse. I'm still here, and I'd like to do one last episode soon. So, start thinking about what question you want to ask and stay tuned to the Fast Lane

In the meantime, enjoy this episode. For those of you curious about such important issues, there's even an answer to the oft-asked, "How many times have you said 'lookit' in your four years as Secretary?"

 

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor National Organizations for Youth Safety: Making some NOYS to stop distracted driving

Traffic crashes remain the leading cause of death for youth in the United States. There is much we can and must do to reduce their risks and keep them safe on our highways.  We now have a generation of young drivers who are coming into the driver learning experience with a device they hold dear--and have a hard time disconnecting from when behind the wheel.

Our challenge at National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and its member organizations is to engage and empower youth leaders to work together with their peers to become a generation of texters who text responsibly and not when they are behind the wheel of an automobile.

Youth from around the country apply and are chosen to attend the Washington, DC Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Summits and become the leadership teams that host summits in their states and communities.  In the tradition of NOYS, these Summits are youth-organized and youth-led. You can watch someof the activity from the 2012 Teen Distracted Driving Summit here. As you can imagine, they put bring a lot of youthful energy and spin. 

 

As part of their efforts, some of our young leaders developed a distraction driving prevention toolkit for adults trying to reach young people.

NOYS would like to take this opportunity to invite you to join us in Washington, D.C. on May 8^th for the launch of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month™! For more information on Global Youth Traffic Safety Month and the 2013 Teen Distracted Driving Summit, or to get involved, email [email protected] or visit www.noys.org.

As part of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, teens around the country are hosting Act Out Loud rallies.  To find a rally near you visit www.actoutloud.org.

Southeast Bike Safety Summit: the starting line for a long, important ride

Every day, more and more people are hopping on a bike and heading out to work, school, the grocery store—wherever they need to go--using their bikes not for recreation, but for transportation. Every day, more communities are taking bikes into consideration when they plan transportation projects—creating livable neighborhoods, building bike paths, and launching bike share programs.

In fact, 41 cities nationwide have bike shares today—with more cities joining the ranks this year. One of those cities is Tampa, FL, where DOT held its first Bike Safety Summit today.

 

But as more people turn to biking for their transportation needs, it is increasingly important that we do everything we can to ensure their safety, just as we do for all other forms of transportation.  Recent data shows that in 2011, the number of bicyclists killed jumped by nearly 9 percent. In Florida alone, 534 cyclists died in traffic crashes between 2006 and 2010.

So, as thrilled as we are that more people are riding bikes—and that more communities are thinking about bikes as they plan for the future—we have important safety work ahead.

And that’s why we’re having these Bike Safety Summits--our second summit will be in Minneapolis on April 29. We need to look at how we can make our infrastructure safer for everyone. Because even one cyclist killed is one too many.

 

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor Jacy Good: Ripple effects multiply the number of victims

On May 18, 2008, the family I knew ceased to exist. A three-vehicle collision initiated by a cell phone distracted driver took the lives of my parents, Jean and Jay Good, and left me on the brink of death. I wasn't expected to survive.

Miraculously, I did survive, but was left with several permanent handicaps.

Obviously this crash has had an overwhelming impact on me and my loved ones, but such tragedies don't merely impact the people in the cars. Like dropping a stone in a pond, there is a far-reaching ripple effect on people who have been deeply impacted by the preventable pain caused by a single moment of inattention.

Thankfully my brother was not in the car that day, but that meant he had the responsibility of gathering our aunts, uncles, and grandparents to tell them that their sibling or their child was gone forever. While clinging to the hope that I’d survive, they were left with the task of planning my parents’ funeral.

This is the raw pain felt within the first ripple of tragedy.

Jean and Jay Good.

But the effects go so much further than that. My mom was the awesome eighth grade English teacher everybody wanted to have at Ephrata Middle School. The day after she was killed, a substitute teacher, along with several guidance counselors and school psychologists brought in to assist the school’s own support team, informed 300 13-year-old students that Mrs. Good wasn’t there and was never going to return.

For so many of those students Mrs. Good was a foundation of their education. She genuinely loved every student equally and provided support that many of them never saw at home. These students graduated high school four years later in June 2012, and at that ceremony four students were selected as speakers. Three of those four talked about Mrs. Good--how much they loved her, how much they missed her, and how much losing someone so important to them at such a critical age had changed their lives forever.

I was lucky enough to get to share my story and the power we have to prevent such horrible pain with these students last spring. I have spoken at more than 150 high schools through my career as a Hang Up And Drive public safety advocate, but I have never hugged so many crying young adults.

Through the last four years, every one of those grieving students needed friends and family for support; as the ripples traveled outward from my single incident, the number of “victims” spiraled into the thousands.

 

President's proposed budget seeks the transportation system America needs and the people deserve

Since day one, more than four years ago, President Obama and all of us at the Department of Transportation have been committed to putting people back to work rebuilding and repairing our infrastructure. 

Beginning with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the most significant public works program since the New Deal, we awarded $48 billion for more than 15,000 transportation projects across the nation which created tens of thousands of  jobs.  The Recovery Act projects lead to nearly 42,000 miles of road improved, over 2,700 bridges improved or replaced and the purchase or rehabilitation of over 12,220 transit vehicles.  And we continued that work over the next four years, from our TIGER grants and our new fuel-economy standards to our passenger rail improvements, to help put people back to work and help them get where they need to go as efficiently and affordably as possible.

Today, the President laid out a budget that builds on the progress we’ve made by investing in the things we need to grow our economy, create jobs, and strengthen the middle class, all while further reducing the deficit in a balanced way. The President’s budget funds critical investments in our nation’s infrastructure, furthers our promise to deliver 21st century transportation, and continues our deep commitment to safety.

The President’s 2014 budget requests $77 billion for the Department of Transportation. 

On top of that, the budget requests an additional $50 billion for immediate investments to sup­port critical infrastructure projects, such as improving America’s roads, bridges, transit systems, border crossings, railways, and runways. This includes $40 billion in “fix-it-first” investments for im­proving existing infrastructure assets and $10 billion to help encourage State and local innovation in infrastructure development.

Together, these proposals will help us create jobs and invest in the 21 century transportation that our businesses need to compete. They deliver on the President’s vision in his State of the Union address to prove there’s “no better place to do business than the United States of America.” 

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor Joel Feldman: Celebrating my daughter’s 25th birthday

This past weekend, on April 6, we celebrated my daughter Casey’s 25^th birthday. But Casey wasn’t there. She was killed in 2009 by a distracted driver, a 58-year-old man behind the wheel of a van. He took his eyes off the road for just a few seconds.

Pink was Casey’s favorite color, so we released pink balloons in her memory. As the balloons drifted upwards, I thought of her smile, the last time I heard her say “daddy,” how caring, compassionate, and loving she was, and her incredible zest for life. I also thought of her last moments, how she suffered, how afraid she must have been, and the last words she spoke before she died: “I want my mom.”

Following Casey’s death, our family established the Casey Feldman Foundation and created EndDD.org, “End Distracted Driving.” We are keeping Casey’s memory alive through EndDD.org by raising awareness about distracted driving and changing driver behaviors – especially among young people. We want to spare other families from the suffering we have endured.

Two years ago, Casey became one of Secretary LaHood’s “Faces of Distracted Driving.”  I created the video to share the story of Casey’s life and death with the world, and I was proud to see it become the first public submission in the “Faces” series.

Today, that same video is the centerpiece of EndDD.org’s Student Awareness Initiative.  We worked with experts to develop this interactive presentation with the goal of change driving attitudes and behaviors of teens and their parents. By the end of 2013, nearly 200,000 people – mostly teenagers – in more than 40 states will have participated in the EndDD.org program.

 

Distracted Driving Awareness Month guest contributor Kansas State Trooper Casey Simoneau: The Final Text

On October 23, 2008, I had the unfortunate task of working a fatality that involved a young male driver.  The circumstances surrounding the crash are all too common. The young man had been texting on his cell phone and attempted to pass a vehicle. He had failed to check carefully for oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle head-on.

The other vehicle was brand new; a young woman had it out for a simple test drive with an auto salesman.

The scene that day was more disturbing than usual. The roadway was littered with debris strewn from both vehicles. Both vehicles showed extensive front end damage. The vehicle being passed did not sustain any damage.  The young man who was driving the passing vehicle did not survive the crash. The young lady and the car salesman sustained severe injuries.

Upon entering a scene of this severity, performing a trooper's duties can be daunting.

But we got the survivors ready to travel by ambulance to the hospital, where a long road to recovery would be certainly be required. We conducted a detailed accident investigation as usual, noting the witnesses' observations and the roadway's 65 mile-per-hour speed limit. We notified the young man's family.

The roadway was cleared, and soon traffic moved through the area as if nothing had ever happened. 

But something had happened. Several families had their lives forever changed. Obviously, a crash of this nature is tragic for the people directly involved and their families. But the memories of every crash stay with every person involved--every trooper,  every emergency medical technician, and every witness.

April brings National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and not a moment too soon

Americans continue to use electronic devices while driving, despite warnings that it causes their own driving to deteriorate and can lead to crashes, injuries and even death.

So, if you didn't know that April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, you will soon. For the next two weeks, I'm turning over one blog post a day to a series of guest authors who are deeply involved in the fight for road safety.

 

According to the new Safety In Numbers newsletter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at any given daylight moment across America, about 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices behind the wheel. With that many people texting or talking while driving, 3,300 people were killed in distraction-related crashes in 2011 and another 387,000 were injured.

Distracted driving is a deadly epidemic on our nation's roadways.

Because of the dangers electronic device distraction poses to everyone on our roads--drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians--I am devoting the next two week on the Fast Lane to a variety of compelling voices.

Post-Sandy elevation requirements ensure we build to last

Hurricane Sandy showed us that our coastal communities are vulnerable to flooding. And, as we saw last fall, the storm also dealt a devastating blow to the transportation system in the Northeast. Flood damage to infrastructure caused travel delays for our airport, transit, passenger rail and bus systems.

At the Amtrak electrical substation I visited yesterday with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, major flooding caused the station to lose power. That power failure affected both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit--as well as the many travelers and commuters who depend on those important systems.

Secretary Donovan, Deputy Transportation Secretary John Porcari, and I were in New Jersey yesterday to discuss new standards from the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force to help ensure that flood damage from future storms won't have the same impact.

With Secretary Donovan and Deputy Secretary Porcari, photo courtesy Alyssa Ki, Jersey Journal

The new building elevation standards mean that any structure more than half destroyed by Sandy--and being rebuilt with federal funds--must be lifted higher than before. Building owners seeking federal support will consult an updated FEMA flood map, find the new recommended height for their structure, and raise it a foot above that.

Transportation stakeholders in the region understand that the federal investment in rebuilding should be used to help prevent the kind of infrastructure damage and delays we experienced after Sandy.

Listening to Amtrak deputy chief engineer Verhelle, photo courtesy John Munson, Star-Ledger

Guest blogger FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff: Transit provides a lifeline for residents in rural America

I was in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, last week tell a Senate Banking Committee hearing what our new surface transportation law, MAP-21, can do for folks living in rural communities, small cities like Sioux Falls, and on tribal lands.

Demand for public transportation in rural America has risen steadily over the last four years in response to trends like rising gas prices and the higher proportion of rural Americans choosing to age at home.

So it makes sense that under MAP-21, we’ve boosted funding for rural programs by nearly 30 percent; doubled tribal transit assistance; and increased funding to enhance mobility for seniors. These increases come on top of FTA’s success in roughly doubling investments in rural transportation between 2005 and 2010.

This is great news for seniors, veterans, and hard-working families living in rural and tribal towns where transit is not a luxury but a lifeline—often the only way to travel to work, school, and other key destinations.

When I was in Sioux Falls, I met Cosette Fester, a local resident who was disabled in a car accident in 1997. Today, she depends on being able to call for a ride in a wheelchair-accessible van, known as paratransit, to get to work and to participate in her community.

DOT launches "Women In Transportation" video series at White House forum, invites the public to submit their own stories

Today on our YouTube channel, DOT is launching a new series of videos about women in transportation. Unlike the valuable historical resources we added to DOT's Women And Girls website last month, the Women In Transportation series is very much about the present...and the future.

The new series shares the stories of women who are working--and thriving---in the transportation field – what they do each day, how they’re making a difference, and how they got where they are today. By showcasing the exciting career opportunities available, and the tremendous possibilities for success, we hope more women and girls will consider choosing careers in transportation.

 

I was happy to announce the new series this morning at a White House forum on Women In Transportation, where I was joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Today's forum is focused on increasing opportunities for women in transportation through education, recruitment, retention, and leadership development. We hope these discussions will help generate strategies for overcoming the gender disparity in transportation careers.

After all--regardless of gender--everyone uses our transportation systems. And those systems will serve us more effectively when they're planned, designed, engineered, and built by professionals who represent all of us.

Transit center opens in converted factory; Macomb facility puts McDonough County on the map

I had plenty of reasons to be happy about Monday's opening of the Macomb Transit Center in western Illinois.

First, when I was growing up in Peoria, we thought of McDonough County as something of a neglected land --we even called it "Forgottonia." The roads were crumbling, and they seemed to have been forgotten by state and national leaders.

Photo courtesy Jackie Smith, McDonough County Voice

So seeing how things have changed in the last couple of decades was very impressive. Macomb was always somewhere important to those who lived there, and the transit center that welcomed area residents Monday is a testament to their vision and persistence. Macomb Mayor Mike Inman and McDonough County Public Transportation have done an outstanding job of making sure that Macomb is truly on the map. 

Second, this 70,000 square foot facility, funded in part by this Department and by the Illinois DOT, will be a hub of activity for area transit--a place where vehicles will be maintained and drivers will be trained. Last year, MCPT provided approximately two million rides. The new center will ensure that MCPT can continue to serve the hardworking families, seniors, and Western Illinois University students who depend on GoWest buses and Bridgeway vans to get them where they need to go.

With TIFIA support, Chicago's Riverwalk promises a new economic corridor

In times of budgetary cutbacks, it's often difficult for leaders to make the bold plans we need to ensure a competitive future. Although long-proposed development of a former industrial waterway and its shoreside acreage would transform the Chicago River into a new economic corridor for the Windy City, funding the city's innovative Riverwalk has been frustrating for Chicagoans and their elected officials.

The City of Chicago plans to transform this gray riverscape

That's why DOT's Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program (TIFIA) is so important. With TIFIA support, communities like Chicago can leverage loans and credit assistance from the federal government into further financing from other sources. Since its launch, the TIFIA program has made possible 31 projects and turned $10.5 billion in DOT support into more than $42 billion in infrastructure investment across America.

Last year, when President Obama signed MAP-21, he made TIFIA a centerpiece of the new transportation law.

And last week, I was pleased to invite the City of Chicago to apply for a loan from the expanded TIFIA program to help complete its terrific Riverwalk project.

TIFIA capital assistance is intended for projects of national or regional significance, like the Chicago Riverwalk. And when complete, the Riverwalk will be a model for how infrastructure investments can revitalize communities. It represents the kind of big and bold thinking we need right now in America.

Sequestration requires Federal Aviation Administration to cut costs; commitment to safety remains Co-authored with FAA Administrator Michael Huerta

Cross-posted courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer

America's aviation system is the largest and the safest in the world, and at the U.S. Department of Transportation, we work around the clock to keep our nation flying safely.

As we undergo the difficult process of making drastic, across-the-board budget cuts required by Congress under so-called sequestration, we will not deviate from our safety mission.

It's important to remember that these cuts were never meant to go into effect. Sequestration was intended by Congress to force action on the deficit - not ever to become law. So it's no surprise that these cuts are painful.

Under sequestration, the DOT is required to cut nearly $1 billion. The majority of that money - $637 million - has to come from the Federal Aviation Administration's budget in the next six months.

The FAA is cutting costs by furloughing employees, instituting a hiring freeze, slashing travel, and significantly cutting contracts.

As part of that effort, the FAA must close 149 air-traffic control towers around the country that are run by contractors. These towers control traffic at airports with lower activity levels. Together, they handle less than 3 percent of commercial operations nationally, and less than 1 percent of air passengers.

Bike safety summits get an enthusiastic green light

The resurgence of bicycling in America is apparent from coast to coast and north to south. And DOT is proud to have played a role in re-establishing bicycling as a way of getting from place to place. But, we also know that even more people would take to two wheels if they were confident that the nation's roadway infrastructure helped keep them safe.

Last month at the National Bike Summit, I said "It's time to take the bicycling renaissance to the next level." And I proposed to help do that by changing the conversation from "Bicycling has earned a seat at the transportation table," to "Like all forms of transportation, bicycling must be safe."

Today, we're announcing the latest steps in our effort to help protect bicyclists from harm on our roadways: two bike safety summits--one in Tampa on April 11 and one in Minneapolis on April 29.

I want to thank Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak for their generosity and their partnership. At each of these two sessions, we'll hear from the respective mayor about the bicycle safety steps his city has taken, and we'll hear from experts in the industry and from the people who ride and walk our roads.

We're going to learn from communities what works and what doesn't work. And once we figure out what the best practices are, we're going to team up with the bicycling community to help ensure that when cities, towns, states, and counties think about creating new bike infrastructure, they'll have the tools to implement those practices and keep all users of our roads as safe as possible.

After all, whether you're driving a tractor-trailer, sitting in the back seat of a minivan, or pedaling a bike, the road safety you enjoy shouldn't depend on the number of wheels you're riding on.