Washington,
D.C. – New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following opening
statement for this morning’s hearing on the Need for Transportation Investment:
“Thank you Madam
Chairman. I want to begin by thanking our witnesses for being with us today. In
particular, I want to recognize our first witness Secretary LaHood. Secretary
LaHood and I had the pleasure of meeting early last week, and I am so thankful
for his leadership on the critical issues facing our nation’s transportation
system. I look forward to hearing from the Secretary as well as our other
witnesses, Governor Rendell and Mayor Novak. Thank you all for being here.
“The state of our nation’s infrastructure, as one leading advocacy
organization has stated, “is poorly maintained, unable to meet current and
future demands, and in some cases, unsafe.” (American Society for Civil
Engineers 2009 Report Card) Given the great economic challenges this nation
faces, our core infrastructure needs should be seen as an opportunity to put
Americans back to work, address the issue of global climate change, and invest
in long-term economic development opportunities.
“For states like New York, the numbers illustrate the importance of our
transportation infrastructure:
- The New York City area is home to nearly one in every three
Americans that use mass transit. - In terms of passenger rail, two-thirds of the nation’s rail riders
reside in New York - While 90% of Americans commute to work via automobile, nearly
two-thirds of those who commute to the New York City from surrounding
areas use mass transit.
“Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels
through the development of alternative energy vehicles and encouraging the use
of mass transit systems are critical to our nation’s future.
“Investments in our mass transit systems are critical to prevent service
cuts and further increases in transit fares, which will only further burden
American families who rely on mass transit for their primary transportation needs.
“Congestion issues in our metropolitan areas have a significant impact on
our economy and our ability to move goods.
- By the year 2020, traffic congestion could cost the
City of Buffalo more than $150 million dollars annually. - For Rochester, $70 million, Albany, nearly $100
million dollars.
“At research centers like SUNY-Stony Brook’s
Center for Excellence in Wireless & Information Technology on Long Island,
researchers are developing technology to better measure transportation
infrastructure usage to aide city planners and emergency personnel. This type
of innovation will save money and save lives.
“The challenge before us is finding the funding mechanisms that will meet
America’s growing infrastructure needs from maintaining our critical freight
rail systems, developing the high speed passenger rail lines of the future, to
ensuring the safety of our bridges and roads.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues and with the counsel of
individuals like the distinguished panel that we have before us today, to
improve our nation’s transportation and our ability to move people and goods
across this nation.”
Witnesses
at today’s hearing included U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, and the President of the National
League of Cities and Mayor of Northglenn, Colorado Kathleen M. Novak.