Remarks of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at the National Association of Counties (NACO)

"I am delighted to be here with you this morning to talk about the success of the Recovery Act and share some thoughts on the future of transportation in the United States. But first, I want to highlight the fact that county government has been at the center of American civic life for more than 350 years."

"We all count on you to help preserve and protect the qualities that make our urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods special. We look to you to create a friendly climate for business, for families, and for the institutions we all care about – from libraries and schools to vibrant downtown streets and safe rural roads. I respect the fact that county officials have their ears to the ground because you govern where people live. Your actions matter."

"The Obama Administration shares your concerns about the toll the economy is taking on local budgets. It's true the economy is in rough shape – but there is a real bright spot, and it's the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This is landmark legislation – the most sweeping, complex, and ambitious domestic aid package we have enacted in generations. The nation's counties benefit from the billions of recovery dollars the Administration is investing in infrastructure, tax relief, and social services."

"Over the course of 18 months, the Department of Transportation is investing 48 billion dollars in recovery funds to rebuild roads, bridges, transit systems, airports, and seaports around the country. We're helping to save or create hundreds of thousands of jobs in your communities. So far, we've made over 22 billion dollars available for more than 6,600 transportation projects. And more than 3,200 projects are underway, as we speak. As a result, your counties will enjoy better roads, safer runways, new clean-fuel buses, and many other long-term improvements that make communities livable."

"For example, today, right here in Nashville, workers are rebuilding a major interchange on I-40. This long-delayed, 32 million-dollar project is funded entirely by the Recovery Act. It's creating up to 350 jobs for workers and suppliers. And the new noise barriers being erected will help bring peace and quiet to the neighborhood."

"More investments are on the way. In a few months, we'll begin awarding a portion of 8 billion dollars in Recovery Act funds to jump-start a national network of high-speed rail corridors in this country. These rail lines will provide new ways of linking regional corridors at the city and county level – while giving travelers new options and opening the door to new economic opportunities. Most importantly, all of these projects create jobs that may help to reduce layoffs in your communities."

"The Recovery Act is essential to bringing our economy back – but it's also a dress rehearsal for an even more ambitious effort. We want to ensure that transportation plays a major role in our ability to create the kinds of neighborhoods people want to live in; to reduce our dependence on private vehicles and foreign oil; and promote a cleaner, greener environment. And we want to ensure that rural communities have access to high-quality transportation."

"For too long, federal policy has unfortunately encouraged sprawl and congestion and pollution, rather than quality public transportation and smart, sustainable development. We intend to change that. To do so, we need to re-think our federal spending priorities and focus on transportation investments that more effectively meet the needs of our communities. It's up to Congress to address these issues in the upcoming transportation reauthorization package – and I assure you, getting this done right is a high priority for President Obama."

"Let me share some of the Administration's priorities. For many years, federal transportation spending has mainly been driven by rigid formulas and divided by modes of transportation – with separate funding for each type of need, from highways to subways to ferries. We need to turn this around, so that our priorities, and the outcomes people care about, drive our investments."

"For instance, we think it makes sense to coordinate land-use planning and transportation, and build transit and affordable housing closer together. It makes sense to put more fuel-efficient transit buses, rail cars, and streetcars in our cities, suburbs, and villages. Federal funding should flow towards priorities like these."

"To help communities reduce their carbon footprint and become more livable, they need more convenient transit hubs with available parking. As you know from experience, these are the seeds of smart economic development."

"We also want to reduce congestion on our highways. In some parts of the country, that means moving more cargo by rail and barge, rather than by truck. Again, our investments should align with these goals."

"In order for this to happen, we have to change the way we operate. We need to make our national priorities clear – and then empower state and local jurisdictions and other stakeholders to make them a reality. The good news is, we already have a model for this – it's the 1.5 billion dollar discretionary TIGER grant program funded through the Recovery Act."

"We've made it clear that the TIGER discretionary grants will reflect national priorities for projects that make us more competitive and enhance livability. In other words, we will not arbitrarily divide this money between highways and transit. Nor will we pit one mode against another. Instead, we're asking communities to put outcomes first – and then determine the type of transportation infrastructure that works best to meet those outcomes."

"We're hoping and expecting that this will be an effective way to strike a new balance among all forms of transportation. That it will help us to better connect people and goods with the places they need to go, whether it's by plane, train, car, truck, bus, bicycle, or their own two feet."

"To build on programs like the TIGER grants, and transform the way DOT operates, we need more direct relationships between our Department and local governments. Right now, as you know, counties and cities have only a modest say in how DOT dollars are spent. We want to allow counties and cities to work together to develop regional plans reflecting both regional and national priorities. Then we'd fund them directly."

"The fact is, metro areas hold over 80 percent of the U.S. population. They're major centers of economic activity. And they account for most of the congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. Empowering metro regions to tackle their transportation and energy problems will move us closer to enjoying cities and suburbs that are cleaner, less congested, and less polluted than many are today."

"We think all this can be accomplished without sacrificing the important investments that also need to be made in rural towns. What's really important here isn't the size of a project or a jurisdiction. It's whether we can succeed in investing in transportation projects that enhance our quality of life and help us compete economically."

"The President and I are committed to doing just that. But we think the effort is too important, and too complex, to be rushed through Congress with so many competing priorities. We've asked Congress to provide an 18-month, 20 billion dollar extension of the Highway Trust Fund to ensure it remains solvent through March 2011. In the meantime, we'll continue to map out our plan to ensure the Department of Transportation is able to invest in the transportation network that our citizens need and deserve in the 21st century."

"With help from Congress, and support from you, I'm confident we'll succeed. Thank you."

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Briefing Room