Despite the arrival of another storm last night, hurricane recovery efforts continue throughout the Northeast.  For DOT, this means working with state and local officials to help commuters get where they need to go and ensure families have access to housing and other resources they need.

For example, our Federal Highway Administration is working with our Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) to speed up permitting for carriers moving temporary mobile housing units from Maryland and Alabama to New Jersey.

Transporting temporary housing (Photo credit: U.S. Department of Transportation)

Under normal circumstances, carriers have to work with states to get permits from each state they travel through. In this instance, FHWA is coordinating with AASHTO to cut through some of the red tape and get all necessary permits at the same time. In addition, FHWA is also working with states to allow nighttime moves, which aren’t normally allowed.

This partnership will help people move into badly needed temporary housing even faster.

Working with the Department of Homeland Security, our Maritime Administration has provided FEMA with several nearby ships to provide lodging, food, and power for emergency response teams who have traveled to New York. 

The TS Empire State, a training vessel berthed at SUNY Maritime Academy, is currently supporting FEMA community relations surge personnel. The Ready Reserve Fleet vessel Wright--out of Baltimore--and the TS Kennedy--out of Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts--are being used to house and feed FEMA community relations surge personnel and teams from the American Red Cross.  Both vessels are docked at Home Port Pier on Staten Island.

Our Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is also helping speed the transport of hazardous materials--including much-needed fuel--to and from hurricane disaster areas with fast tracked emergency special permits.

Several permits have been issued to expedite gasoline and diesel transport into New Jersey and New York. Another permit has been issued that allows a large retail store to move goods quickly from damaged stores to temporary facilities nearby so people still have access to needed goods.

Yet another special hazardous materials permit will speed up clean-up and removal of debris.

And, in news that should bring some relief to travelers throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, Amtrak plans to reopen by late Friday three tunnels that provide access to and from New York's  Penn Station.

Four of the six tunnels that carry Amtrak trains under the East and Hudson Rivers were left flooded by Sandy. Two of the East River tunnels stayed dry. Amtrak workers pumped one of the two Hudson River tunnels and reopened it on October 31. It has taken another week for Amtrak to finish drying out the other three tunnels.

One of those crosses the Hudson River and will allow extra Amtrak service to New Jersey and points south. That tunnel also carries trains for NJ Transit, which means more commuter service can be restored. Like many of you, I watched reports of the most recent nor'easter with alarm. And while there's no doubt that the roads in the Sandy-stricken region are slick, it's also clear that the critical work of recovery continues.

I'm very thankful for the efforts of everyone who has worked tirelessly to help this region resume normal activity, even in the face of this latest storm. Keep up the terrific work!

No one who was working at the Department of Transportation 11 years ago will forget the morning of September 11, 2001. Whether it was the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic controllers, who helped bring every aircraft in U.S. airspace safely to ground, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's midshipmen, who went into the chaos of Lower Manhattan to support the maritime evacuation of Wall Street workers, 9/11 is permanently etched into the Department's memory.

To commemorate that day, the FAA's Washington Metroplex Team has named two arrival sequences to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to honor those who died that day and those who have served our country from that day forward. Each arrival sequence is part of our new NextGen descents, which use satellite-based information to make more efficient arrivals and departures at airports. The sequences contain a series of five-letter waypoints – points in the sky through which an aircraft must fly to remain on course – and together, they spell out messages of support and remembrance for 9/11. 

Aircraft flying the Freedom route to National from the northwest pass through waypoints named “WEEEE,” “WLLLL,” “NEVVR,” “FORGT” and “SEP11.” Those flying the Troops route from the southwest pass through waypoints named “USAAY,” “WEEDU,” “SUPRT,” “OOURR” and “TRUPS.” Depending on the runway configuration, aircraft might also pass through waypoints named “STAND” and “TOGETHER” or “LETZZ,” “RLLLL,” “VCTRY” and “HEROO."

Freedom/Troop Satellite Navigation Waypoints (Photo Credit by U.S. Department of Transportation)

This not the first time a waypoint has been designated to recall 9/11. A waypoint published last year over Shanksville, PA, was named “GARDN” (Guardian) in honor of United Flight 93, which crashed after passengers fought with hijackers for control of the plane and prevented it from reaching Washington, DC.

The men and women of America's airways were also deeply affected by the events of September 11, and airline pilots and crews have responded strongly to these new waypoints. Recently, for example, on a morning flight from Detroit to Reagan National, a Delta Air Lines pilot came over the Public Address system and began sharing the story of the new arrival procedure with his passengers. As the flight crew began their precision descent into the capital area, the pilot read aloud the names of the waypoints they would be passing through prior to arrival: HONNR, BRVRY, COURG; MORLL PLDGE: WEEEE WLLLL NEVER FORGT SEP11, ALWYZ FRDMM.

"As he was reading them," reported one passenger, "the people were all quiet, and we all stopped talking or reading or whatever else we were doing. Everyone just listened. We could hear the pilot starting to get choked up as he talked about how proud he was to read those points off as we entered DC."

The FAA’s Metroplex initiative is creating satellite-based procedures to transform our national airspace system, making it more flexible and decreasing our carbon footprint. NextGen flight tracks, like the procedures commemorating 9/11, will relieve bottlenecks, improve safety and efficiency, and foster the flow of commerce. NextGen will deliver more on-time and fuel-efficient flights, and continue to ensure that our system remains the safest air transportation system in the world.

These descents are also powerful proof that we at DOT remember 9/11 365 days a year.

Ed. Note: This is cross-posted from The Fast Lane -- the official blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. 

This is a monumental day for the American people, the U.S. auto industry and the Obama Administration’s efforts to make our cars more efficient. Today, DOT and the Environmental Protection Agency are finalizing national standards for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions for passenger cars and light trucks built in the years 2017 through 2025.

Thanks to their work, the car or light truck you'll be driving in 2025 will not be your grandfather's Oldsmobile. The Administration’s combined fuel economy efforts represent the first meaningful update to fuel efficiency standards in decades. By 2025, the average car will achieve a fuel economy performance equivalent to 54.5 miles per gallon, nearly double that of cars on the road today.

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson review a fuel economy window sticker on a new car (by U.S. Department of Transportation)

This will help American families keep more of their hard-earned paychecks into their pockets and spend less at the pump while still preserving the features and vehicle choices consumers want. In total, the Administration’s national program to improve fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions will save consumers more than $1.7 trillion on gas over the lifetime of a 2025 vehicle.

It will also slash U.S. oil consumption by 12 billion barrels, dramatically reducing our reliance on foreign suppliers.

President Obama understands that when Americans have the option of using less fuel, everybody wins. As our cars become more efficient, we spend less money refilling them, we preserve a crucial resource, and we reduce harmful carbon emissions. And he's exactly right. Consumers have already responded to the Administration's fuel efficiency standards for Model Years 2011 through 2016, and it shows in the popularity of cars like GM's Chevy Cruze and trucks like the Ford F-150 equipped with an EcoBoost engine instead of the conventional V-8.

The American automobile industry wins as well. With today’s rule, we have given American manufacturers the regulatory certainties they need to build efficient cars of all types that consumers want today and in the future. That's why our rule has the support of 13 major automotive manufacturers, who build 90% of the cars sold in the U.S.

We’ve worked with the auto industry--as well as environmental groups, consumer groups and state governments--to develop the rule, so we know that America's carmakers are ready for these new standards. Many of the tools and technologies that will help them comply with these standards already exist, and we expect automakers to develop even more innovative approaches in the future.

Americans will still have the option of buying the kind of vehicle they want--whether it’s a truck, SUV or smaller sedan. At the same time, these new standards will promote innovation and lead to new technologies. And that means even more consumer choices, new jobs, and even new industries.

It also means cleaner air and an opportunity to lessen our role in climate change. As EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said, “The fuel efficiency standards the administration finalized today are another example of how we protect the environment and strengthen the economy at the same time.”

Finally, throughout the rule-making process, safety has remained our guiding principle, and it will continue to be our number one priority. We have concluded that manufacturers can meet these standards without sacrificing vehicle safety.

Simply put, this groundbreaking program will result in vehicles that use less gas, travel farther, and provide more efficiency for consumers than ever before—all while maintaining safety, protecting the air we breathe, and laying the groundwork for automakers to create jobs, develop advanced technologies, and improve quality of life for America's families.

In energy and emissions, our nation faces two serious challenges, but we don't shy away from challenges. With these new standards, its all-of-the-above energy approach, and a range of other initiatives, the Obama Administration is stepping up to the plate and meeting those challenges head-on.

At DOT, we know that America’s transportation infrastructure is in need of attention, while construction workers across the country remain eager to get back on the job repairing, replacing, and modernizing our roads, rails, and runways.

Over the last decade, Congress has set aside $473 million in transportation funds that were never spent. These idle earmarks have sat on the shelf as our infrastructure continues to age and fall into disrepair, and hundreds of thousands of construction workers look for work. That ends today.

I’m excited to announce that this Administration is freeing up this unspent money and giving it right back to the states so that they can spend it on the infrastructure projects they need most.

As President Obama said today, "My administration will continue to do everything we can to put Americans back to work.  We’re not going to let politics stand between construction workers and good jobs repairing our roads and bridges." Forty-nine states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, will receive funds, giving them the flexibility to put this money toward infrastructure projects that will make a real difference in their communities.

In these tough economic times, it’s important we get the most out of our federal investments, and it’s about time we put these idle funds to good use.

Today’s announcement is a great example of what President Obama meant when he said, “We can’t wait,” to take action to put people back to work. This stalled money will be used this year--states must identify the projects that will receive the funds by October 1 and obligate it by December 31.

Together with the new transportation bill, MAP-21, this funding will put more people across the country back to work on our roads, bridges, railways, and runways--strengthening our economy as a result.

At a time when one in five construction workers is out of work, these are the jobs we need, and we need them right now.

It’s simple--when we put federal dollars toward our infrastructure, we create jobs today and strengthen our economic competitiveness for the long-term.

Together, let’s put people back to work building a transportation system that’s the envy of the world.

It was my distinct pleasure to welcome the 2012 Transportation Champions of Change recognized yesterday by the White House. The 14 individuals selected for this honor comprise an amazing roster of transportation excellence and leadership.

We've accomplished a lot at DOT in the past few years, but we did not do it alone. In communities across the country, we have found bold, innovative leaders who have taken up the important cause of changing the way we think about transportation and have created jobs in the process.

These Champions are making a difference every day in their local communities and across the country. And, thanks to them, it is a new day for transportation in America.

Transportation today is not simply about building new roads or widening bridges. It's about looking at how people want to get where they need to go and how they are affected in different ways by the decisions we make.

It's about putting men and women back to work doing the work we need done. It's about incorporating the needs of employers who must have a reliable way of getting workers to their jobs. It's about saving aviation fuel and increasing the efficiency of our airspace and runways. It's about considering how a set of new transit stations will generate economic opportunity and help revitalize a neighborhood.

It's about examining the transportation requirements of people who have traditionally been overlooked or underserved. It's about reminding Americans that the rivers and rails that moved our freight for more than a century and a half are still thriving and keeping our economy moving forward in 2012. It's about transportation workers and their changing needs--whether it's training for new manufacturing opportunities, greater security at rest stops for truck drivers, or safer work zones for road crews.

And it's about building the kinds of communities where people can work, live, and play.

Meeting our nation's transportation challenges requires innovative thinking and the leadership skills to translate plans and dreams into greater mobility, better jobs, and more livable communities. And that is exactly what these Champions of Change have demonstrated--each and every one.

There just isn't enough space to recognize all of the great work these 14 individuals have accomplished, so each of their names below is linked to an article on obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/champions examining their work more closely. I congratulate our Champions, and I urge you to read their stories.

Again, I can't tell you what an honor it was to join these Champions of Change. I am so proud that this great country is still capable of producing outstanding thinkers and leaders, and I'm proud to work in an Administration that celebrates that kind of achievement.

• David Barger, Jet Blue Airlines (FAAC and Next Gen Leadership)
• David Bennett, for Proterra, Inc.  (First Electric Buses)
• Veronica Davis, Nspiregreen, DC (Bicycles and Livability)
• Jerry Enzler, for RiverWorks Discovery Organization (Youth Education Program about Shipping on American Rivers)
• Susan Martinovitch, Nevada Department of Transportation (DOT Innovation and National Leadership in Transportation)
• Lowell Porter, Governors Highway Safety Association (Leadership in Reducing Traffic Injuries and Fatalities)
• Dan Richard, California High-Speed Rail Authority (Leadership for High Speed Rail)
• Jason Roberts, Oak Cliff Transit Authority, TX (Livability and Streetcars)
• Beverly Scott, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (Public Transportation)
• Bob Sloane, Walk Boston, (Livability)
• Rebecca M. Townsend, Manchester Community College, CT (Environmental Justice Strategies)
• Ellen Voie, Women in Trucking (Women in Skilled Transportation Careers)
• Phillip Washington, Regional Transportation District, CO (Transportation Workforce Development)
• Jacque Whitsitt, for Roaring Fork Transportation Authority, CO (BRT in Rural America)

.

Last Friday afternoon, President Obama signed legislation that will put thousands of construction workers on job sites across the country and supports our commitment to restoring America's infrastructure.

This transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), will sustain our Highway Trust Fund and provide states and communities with two years of steady funding to build needed roads, bridges, and transit systems. It also builds on DOT's efforts to improve safety across all forms of transportation and to make progress on transportation alternatives as we have done during the last three years.

President Barack Obama signs HR 4348, the Transportation and Student Loan Interest Rate bill during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. June 7, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

It's a good, bipartisan bill that will strengthen America's transportation system and grow our economy. As the President said:

"The construction industry, for example, was hit brutally hard when the housing bubble burst. So it's not enough to just keep construction workers on the job doing projects that were already underway. For months I've been calling on Congress to take half the money we're no longer spending on war and use it to do some nation-building here at home."

Watch the President's full remarks here.

Many people are going to go to work as a result of this, building roads and bridges. As Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley noted, in that state alone, more than 10,000 men and women will be on the job thanks to the projects this legislation will support.

Now, of course, we have more hard work ahead of us. We look forward to putting this bill to work quickly and effectively in communities across the nation.

We're committed to working closely with our stakeholders to make progress on transportation alternatives as we have done over the last three years. We want to ensure that local communities are able to build the multimodal, sustainable projects they want–options ranging from passenger rail and transit to bicycle and pedestrian paths.

(by Francis Rivera)

• Take the $1.75 billion Congress has made available for our TIFIA loan program and leverage it into $34 billion in private sector and other investments for needed transportation projects.
• Develop a new transit safety program, a long overdue step that will provide Americans with the confidence that the buses, subways, streetcar, and light-rail systems they ride every day are the safest in the world.
• Step up our safety efforts, including our fight against distracted driving and our push to improve truck and motorcoach safety.
• And we will consolidate our highway and transit programs, eliminating duplicate or outdated programs and saving taxpayers' hard-earned money.

These are the kinds of challenges transportation professionals look forward to; at DOT we call them opportunities.

Opportunities to help folks get back to work building a thriving 21st century American transportation system that supports a thriving 21st century American economy. Opportunities to keep all users of our transportation network as safe as we can. Opportunities to keep this great nation moving forward.

That's the task ahead, and that is what this DOT will do.

We know that helping Americans gain access to practical information can help them make smarter, safer choices. So, coordinated by DOT, this new collaborative effort involving Federal agencies and the public aims to unleash Americans’ entrepreneurial spirit by encouraging participants to build a range of innovative digital tools and mobile applications to enhance public and product safety.

To help kick off the Safety Data Initiative, today we are announcing two app challenges that take advantage of more than 700 open government datasets now available on Safety.Data.gov.

DOT has launched the Motorcoach Safety Data Student Challenge, which asks developers to use public performance data about interstate commercial bus companies found on Safety.Data.gov to help consumers make smart safety decisions about their bus travel.

And the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants your help in building tools to educate the public about safety in the workplace through its Worker Safety and Health Challenge. The goal is to develop apps that can reduce the number of work-related injuries, which affected more than 800,000 individuals in 2009 alone.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, DOT, DOL, and other agencies are looking forward to seeing the safety apps that you’ll develop for America’s public safety officers and concerned citizens. Are you building apps that empower people to make informed decisions about their safety and the safety of others using data from Safety.Data.gov?  We want to hear about them!  Tell us about the safety apps you’ve built using the form on the White House site. In September, the Safety Data Initiative will host a Safety Datapalooza at which a cross-section of the most innovative safety applications submitted will be highlighted.

DOT and the rest of the Federal agencies with safety missions never stop working on your behalf. And now, with the Administration's new Safety Data Initiative, you can join us in keeping America safe.

Yesterday, DOT helped launch a national dialogue on strengthening transportation choices for America’s military veterans, wounded warriors, and their families. This online conversation, “Strengthening Transportation Choices So We Can Serve Those Who Have Served Their Country,” is open until June 8, and we invite those interested in helping veterans and service members to participate by visiting veteransdialogue.ideascale.com.

The benefits Americans enjoy today wouldn't be possible without the courageous service of our nation's veterans. So when they return home, we must turn our sincere appreciation of the men and women who bravely protect and defend the United States of America into action. We must help them and their families find meaningful work, a good education, and quality medical care—none of which is possible without access to reliable, affordable transportation.

Secretary LaHood invites you to join the conversation online:

That's why the Federal Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility and the Department of Defense are sponsoring this first-ever online exchange of ideas about the transportation options veterans need and how we can help make those options available to our returning heroes and their families.

Managed by Easter Seals Project ACTION, this dialogue is open to:

• Veterans, service members, and their families
• Military and veteran service organizations
• Transportation providers (public and private)
• Human service providers
• State, city, and county officials delivering services and outreach to veterans
• County offices of Veterans Affairs
• VA hospitals
• Employers
• Colleges and universities

As Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff said, “We are thrilled to support a national conversation that will, for the first time, enable veterans and service members to engage in a frank and creative exchange about their transportation needs with a wide range of organizations that can ultimately deliver solutions.”

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood speaks in Pittsburgh, April 23, 2012. (by Photo courtesy Michael Henninger/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from the Department of Transportation's Fast Lane blog

One year ago, I gathered pipeline operators together and asked each of them to take a serious look at their infrastructure and to identify those sections that need to be repaired or replaced.

I pledged that if operators stepped up and created modernization plans, then DOT would do everything in our power to help cut bureaucratic red tape to put people to work and get shovels in the ground more quickly on these important projects to make America's communities safer.

NiSource, Inc., answered that call in Pittsburgh last Friday, and they are setting an example for the entire industry by investing more than $4 billion dollars in 1,000 miles of modern diameter pipeline. This massive modernization project will take place in Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, and it will promote the safe and reliable delivery of energy resources across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the U.S.

DOT will hold up our end of bargain as well. We all know how important it is to get these infrastructure projects moving so we can put Americans back on the jobsite and make our neighborhoods safer. That's why President Obama signed an executive order to fast-track crucial infrastructure through review and permitting, and that's exactly what we plan to do in these states.

Now, don’t get me wrong, at DOT we will never sacrifice safety. But we can make government work smarter, more efficiently, and faster to create jobs and help communities realize the benefits --including greater safety-- of infrastructure renewal.

In fact, by speeding up the approval process for replacing aging pipelines, we’re helping make residents of those six states safer much faster than expected.

By NiSource‘s estimate, we'll also help create 8,000 jobs more quickly. In Pennsylvania alone, NiSource will spend $400 million and create more than 1,000 jobs. And the benefits of this ambitious project will ripple across America because the 1,000 miles of new pipeline will be manufactured with steel produced right here in the United States.

I’m proud of the collaboration between NiSource and the DOT, but this is only the beginning.  I hope that this project will encourage other pipeline operators step up and replace aging pipelines. I also hope other states will follow the lead of the Pennsylvania General Assembly in passing laws that improve pipeline safety.

An America built to last starts with modern, efficient, and safe infrastructure. And that includes the network of pipelines that connects our communities with the energy they need to prosper and grow.

It has been more than two years and four months since America's transportation funding expired. Congress has extended the law with short-term patches eight different times. But, with bridges crumbling and highways choked with congestion, our nation needs the planning certainty that comes from a long-term transportation bill, a bill that puts people back to work rebuilding our roads, bridges, transit systems, and airports.

So this week, President Obama outlined a six-year surface transportation proposal–part of his blueprint for an America built to last. The transportation budget the President proposed has three broad goals:

• Creating jobs and investing in infrastructure for our future;
• Modernizing transportation through focused research and technology; and
• Pressing forward on our number one priority--safety.

An America built to last needs a strong transportation infrastructure.  Without the ability to move goods and people safely and efficiently, we're stuck standing still. That’s why the President’s budget will improve America’s highways, rail lines, and transit networks, allowing for growth and continuing to ensure that these systems are safe. 

Of the President’s proposal, $305 billion would fund road and bridge improvements. Now, that's a long overdue 34 percent increase over the previous transportation bill. And this proposal will also streamline and simplify our highway system by consolidating more than 55 different programs down to just five.

Our roadways cannot bear the burden of America's growing population on their own; investing in the nation's transit systems is another critical need, which is why President Obama’s budget includes $108 billion over six years for transit -- a 105 percent increase -- prioritizing projects that rebuild and rehabilitate existing transit systems, and including an important new transit safety program.

President Obama’s budget also provides $2.5 billion in 2013 as part of a $47 billion six-year investment to continue construction of our national high-speed rail network.  The Federal Railroad Administration has been working with stakeholders to plan and develop high-speed rail corridors across the country that will create new choices for travelers.  And work is already underway on eight projects, which are on-time and under budget.

President Obama’s 2013 budget will support the research and technologies that America’s next generations will need to sustain a thriving economy.  As we rebuild, we can no longer afford to continue operating our transportation systems the same way we did 50 years ago, with outdated processes and financial tools that were made for yesterday’s economy. 

For example, the Federal Aviation Administration is in the midst of the largest transformation of air traffic control ever. The President’s budget requests more than $1 billion to advance modernization of our airspace through “NextGen” satellite air traffic control technology that will increase on-time arrivals and make flying more efficient.

His proposal will also elevate the vital role research plays in transportation decision-making by moving the Research and Innovative Technology Administration into a new Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology. This change will provide a prominent centralized focus on research and technology that will improve collaboration and coordination among the research programs of DOT's operating administrations. 
 
Keeping our transportation systems safe will always be DOT's top priority. In keeping with this commitment, President Obama has proposed a record level of investment in safety.  That includes $7.5 billion over the next six years to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to promote seatbelt use, get drunk drivers off the road, reduce distracted driving, and ensure that traffic fatality numbers continue dropping from current historic lows. The budget will also dedicate $4.8 billion to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to ensure that commercial truck and bus companies maintain high operational standards and that high-risk carriers and drivers are off our roadways.

Our safety focus must also include the transportation of hazardous materials and our network of pipelines. So the President’s budget requests $276 million for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to help ensure that families, communities, and the environment are unharmed by the transport of chemicals and fuels on which our economy relies.

The 2013 budget proposed by President Obama reflects the central role transportation plays in the lives of Americans and in the continued vitality of our economy. I appreciate the President's confidence in DOT and in the dedicated public servants who work hard every day to run the Department's programs, and I look forward to seeing Congress pass this budget so we can put the President's proposals into action.

For further information, please read the Department of Transportation's 2013 Budget Highlights on their website.

Detroit is sacred ground for any transportation fan. It's the birthplace of the automobile, and of the freeway.  A century ago, Woodward Avenue was the first street paved with concrete anywhere in the world.  And every year, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the world's automakers roll out their best new models and designs. 

The Detroit Auto Show always offers an impressive display of innovation. But, when I attended in 2010, the atmosphere was subdued.  A palpable cloud of economic uncertainty hung over the auto industry then.  This year, however, the show has a different buzz.  Today when I toured the exhibits, people were gathered not only to see the latest prototypes, but to celebrate the resurgence of the American auto industry.

The Motor City is back in business.  And for that I am happy to extend my gratitude and my congratulations to President Obama.

When President Obama took office, America was staring down the worst recession since the Great Depression, a recession that hit our auto industry particularly hard.  During the year before the President’s inauguration, this industry lost more than 400,000 jobs. Two great American companies -- Chrysler and GM -- stood on the brink of liquidation.  President Obama had two choices: He could do nothing, or he could take action.

Had this Administration sat on our hands, a bad recession could have become an even worse depression. Right away, 1 million people would have been put out of work.  America’s manufacturing sector would have spiraled into freefall.

Instead, President Obama said that if GM and Chrysler were willing to take the difficult steps of restructuring and making themselves more competitive, the American people would stand by them.

Now, America’s auto industry has reinvented itself for the 21st century.  As we learned on Friday, America’s manufacturing sector has spearheaded our economic recovery, adding jobs in both 2010 and 2011.  Until last year, the U.S. hadn’t added manufacturing jobs since 1997.

• Today, each of the Big Three--General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford--is yielding a profit for the first time since 2004;
• Today, each is gaining market share for the first time since 1988;
• Today, each is adding shifts and creating jobs at the fastest rates in memory; and
• Today, experts project that car companies will add more than 60,000 U.S. jobs next year, and 190,000 by 2015.

These are American workers, applying American know-how to build some of the best cars in the world.

So, as you read about, or see firsthand, the breathtaking new vehicles at the 2012 Auto Show, remember that they represent more than just four wheels and an engine.  They represent American factories bustling and humming; American workers churning out cars; and American families once again earning paychecks. 

They represent another example of what happens when we lend each other a hand and refuse to sit idly by while Americans lose their jobs.

Yes, we're still feeling the sting of a very tough economy.  Our economic problems weren’t created overnight, and they won’t be solved overnight.

But on display in Detroit this week is more than just an impressive new fleet of cars and trucks; it's a vision of what’s still possible in Detroit, in Michigan, and in America.

Secretary Ray LaHood is the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

When we say at DOT that safety is our number one priority, we are not kidding around. And today, as part of that important goal, President Obama signed into law the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act. 

Last April, following several fatal pipeline accidents, we called upon U.S. pipeline owners and operators to conduct a comprehensive review of their oil and gas pipelines to identify areas of high risk and accelerate critical repair and replacement work.  We also convened a Pipeline Safety Forum with state officials, industry leaders, and other stakeholders to discuss steps for improving the safety and efficiency of America's pipeline infrastructure. 

In one of their final actions for 2011, the House and Senate passed a pipeline safety bill consistent with the legislative proposal we submitted to Congress last year.  This legislation gives the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, an important part of DOT, stronger enforcement tools and increases civil penalties for pipeline operators who do not meet safety regulations. It's another terrific step forward for greater pipeline safety. 

Not only will this legislation help keep America's communities safer; it also helps give pipeline operators the certainty they need to run their systems more effectively.

To advance pipeline safety, the bill doubles the maximum fines that pipeline operators face for safety violations. The Bill requires PHMSA to issue new pipeline safety standards requiring operators to install automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves and excess flow valves in new or replaced transmission pipelines.  As U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller said, "Communities can rest a little easier knowing that Congress has implemented tougher safety rules."

The bill authorizes PHMSA to award $110 million in safety-related grants each year. These include state damage prevention programs, technical assistance to local communities, emergency response training, and one-call system improvements.  And PHMSA is authorized to add a number of new pipeline inspectors to support its investigation and enforcement obligations. 

To promote regulatory certainty for the pipeline industry, the new bill prohibits PHMSA during a two to three year Congressional review period, from issuing regulations establishing leak-detection requirements or expanding integrity management requirements beyond high-consequence areas.  However, this restriction would not apply if a condition poses any risk to public safety, property, or the environment. 

As the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee observed, "By providing greater regulatory certainty, the bill will help create a better economic environment for U.S. businesses to create jobs." 

This bill is a win for safety and a win for America's communities. And, by signing it into law on the first business day of the new year, President Obama has sent a clear message that this Administration believes we can achieve greater safety and stronger economic growth at the same time. 

I can't think of a better way to start 2012.

City of Cincinnati

Cross posted from the Department of Transportation's blog.

This week, the Department of Transportation continued its TIGER grant program, sending $511 million to 46 transportation projects in 33 states. Already the response has been tremendous.

At City Halls in Philadelphia and Cincinnati, and on the phone with major and local media outlets across the country, folks seem excited about the benefits these projects will provide and the jobs they'll create. I expect even more enthusiasm in Chicago shortly.

In the historic Philadelphia City Hall's Reception Room, I was happy to share with Mayor Michael Nutter and others the news of a $10 million grant for the city's IMPaCT project. This award will help pay for upgrades to 100 traffic lights and connect these controllers to the city’s traffic management system through fiber optic cable. The project includes technology to extend green lights for buses and trolleys when they need more time to get through an intersection. The money will also support upgrades to handicapped ramps and pedestrian countdown signals at crosswalks. 

When completed, this $32 million program will improve traffic flow for transit vehicles, synchronize signals to keep motorists moving, and increase safety for pedestrians and people with disabilities. That sounds like a big win for all Philadelphians.

In Cincinnati, I joined Mayor Mark Mallory to announce a $10.9 million grant to build the Riverfront Streetcar loop.  This is the second route in the works for the Cincinnati Streetcar, and it will connect to the Downtown Circulator route already in design.

This modern streetcar system promises to revitalize Cincinnati’s urban core. By providing a public transit alternative, this investment will shape Cincinnati development patterns into a more walkable, livable, and affordable community.

I also joined Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to announce $20 million in TIGER funds to help complete repairs on 3.6 miles of track on the CTA’s Blue Line connecting the city's downtown Loop with O’Hare International Airport. The project will also expand the city's exciting new bikeshare program.

All of the 46 projects represent the Obama Administration’s commitment to get grants out the door quickly so we can get projects started and workers back on jobsites rebuilding the transportation systems that American families and businesses rely on.

Even still, the American people are counting on us to do more. 

America needs a transportation jobs bill--long-term legislation that puts people to work rebuilding our roadways, railways, runways, transit systems, sea ports, airports, and pipelines.

And America needs the transportation provisions in the American Jobs Act, which provides an immediate investment in construction jobs upgrading 150,000 miles of road; laying and maintaining 4,000 miles of train tracks; restoring 150 miles of runways; and putting in place a next-generation air traffic control system that reduces travel times and delays.

These steps require action from Congress, so I hope our elected officials in Washington can learn a thing or two from today's TIGER recipients about overcoming adversity and coming together to solve problems.

We are not a nation that just talks about building big things only to get mired in the smallness of politics. TIGER reminds us that we’re better than that. We can put our friends and neighbors back to work, and we can make our nation’s transportation system once again the envy of the world.

But, we can't wait.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at Georgetown Waterfront Park by the Key Bridge, which spans the Potomac River between Arlington, Va., and Washington, D.C., regarding the infrastructure piece of the American Jobs Act, Nov. 2, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Ed. Note: Cross-posted with the Department of Transportation blog, Fastlane.

It was an honor to stand with President Obama earlier today by the Francis Scott Key Bridge between Washington, DC, and Virginia.  There, the President urged Congress to pass the infrastructure provisions in the American Jobs Act.

 I've been pretty vocal about how important it is to put these transportation investments into action and get hundreds of thousands of construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads, bridges, airports, and transit systems. So it was my pleasure, today, to hear the President make the case for what has been historically the kind of bill that gets bipartisan support.

I hope the United States Senate heard his call and will pass the transportation provisions of the American Jobs Act this week.

It was entirely fitting that the President made his case at the Key Bridge because this important crossing, which carries 62,000 vehicles each day, is one of America's more than 70,000 bridges in need of repair.  Like many of the other bridges on the Federal Highway Administration's list of structures that need to be monitored, inspected, and repaired, thousands of people rely on this bridge to get to work and school and to deliver goods every day.  And, like many of the other bridges, the Key Bridge is years away from getting the rehabilitation it requires.

However, if Congress passes the transportation pieces of the American Jobs Act, state departments of transportation across the country can finally begin long-deferred repairs on many of these aging bridges and put construction workers back on the job.

America's economy relies on transportation infrastructure; without a well-functioning system of roads and highways, public transit, railways, seaports, and aviation, much of our economic activity would simply grind to a halt.  But, to meet the needs of a growing economy, we must maintain, upgrade, and expand that infrastructure.

That's not a Democratic idea or a Republican idea--it's a common-sense idea: Investments that create, maintain, or expand transportation networks create construction jobs even as they promote economic activity.

To demonstrate this, the White House released a report (pdf) today that highlights the economic value of improving the nation's transportation system.  The report documents the terrific benefits of projects in 20 different states and the District of Columbia.

The Administration has also asked DOT to step up our awarding of TIGER grants by several months, so we can get workers back to their jobsites more quickly.  And, we're shortening the 2012 TIFIA application process to accelerate private financing for bridges, tunnels, transit, and other projects. 

President Obama and the Department of Transportation are doing what we can to connect the men and women who need work with the work America needs to get done.   But we can't do it alone.  We need Congress to pass this bill.

Earlier this week, President Obama called on Congress to recognize the needs of unemployed Americans by taking up the American Jobs Act this month. 

I was reminded of my trip to St. Paul, MN, where I saw the progress being made on the Central Corridor Light Rail Line, which will connect St. Paul and Minneapolis.  That project is expected to create 3,300 jobs – and that doesn’t even include the local businesses that will benefit from being located near the line’s 18 new stations. 

We're talking about American transportation, built by American workers, and strengthening an American city.  It can and should be a model for the rest of the country.  And that's why I'm so excited about the American Jobs Act.

Two weeks ago, President Obama presented his American Jobs Act to a joint session of Congress and to the people of America.  Today, I was pleased to join him at the Brent Spence Bridge across the Ohio River, a functionally obsolete crossing on one of North America's busiest trucking routes. Replacing this bridge is exactly the kind of project that the American Jobs Act could support. 

And the Brent Spence Bridge from Cincinnati, Ohio to Covington, Kentucky is just one example.  As the President said, "The same is true in cities and towns all across America.  It’s not safe.  It lengthens the commute to work.  It costs our businesses billions when they can’t ship parts or products as quickly as possible."

President Barack Obama shakes hands with construction workers after delivering remarks on the American Jobs Act at the Brent Spence Bridge, that spans the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Ky., Sept. 22, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

We were joined beside the bridge by ironworkers, laborers, and carpenters from the area, some of whom have been out of work for months on end.  They would be happy to get back on the job rebuilding the Brent Spence or any of the tens of thousands of bridges in America that need repair, replacement, or modernization.  If only Congress would pass the American Jobs Act.

Carpenter Ronnie King--who has been mostly unemployed since 2007--told us today, "Roads and bridges desperately need work, and there are a lot of people out there who desperately need work."

Well, as soon as Congress passes the American Jobs Act, we can get people like Ronnie back to work.  But we need Congress to act soon, and it's not clear that they will.  As laborer Johnnie Jacobs, who was also with us today, said, "This is supposed to be the land of plenty, but people are too busy bickering to help the people who are really suffering here.”

I hope that's not the case.

Built in 1963 to handle up to 85,000 vehicles a day, the Brent Spence Bridge now carries nearly twice that number of vehicles each day.  Commuters regularly face backups of nearly three miles on both sides of the bridge.

These backups also affect all of us because the bridge is on I-75, a primary highway for America's truckers.  Three percent of the nation's gross domestic product crosses the Brent Spence Bridge each year.  Shipping companies try to have their trucks avoid the bridge, but that only ends up costing them--and the rest of us--more money.

If Congress passes the American Jobs Act, we can speed up the environmental and other approvals necessary and get shovels in the ground for the Brent Spence Bridge by 2013--that's more than a full year ahead of schedule.

And there are tens of thousands of other bridges like this across America waiting for immediate attention.  Just down the river from Cincinnati is the Sherman Minton Bridge, where I'll visit tomorrow.  Two weeks ago, this bridge that carries 75,000 vehicles a day on I-64 had to be shut down indefinitely by the governors of Indiana and Kentucky because it's no longer safe.

When can we begin replacing the Sherman Minton Bridge?  When can we begin modernizing the Brent Spence Bridge?  When can we begin to put America's construction workers back on job sites rebuilding roads, rails, and runways across the country?

As soon as Congress passes the American Jobs Act.

Ray LaHood is Secretary of Transportation.

Last week, as President Obama addressed Congress on the American Jobs Act, Kirk Bergstrom, a construction engineer from Centennial, Colorado, who personifies our economic challenges, sat in the First Lady’s box.

Here's what I mean.  Kirk Bergstrom is a stand-up guy, one of those Americans who has played by the rules all his life.  He went to college to improve his opportunities. He developed his skills and experience through more than a decade working in his field.  He got married and began raising a family.  He was doing all the right things.

Then, when the recession began, he was laid off from a company he'd been with for 11 steady years.  He was picked up by another construction company, but was laid off again.  Hired back by his original company, he was again let go when the projects dried up.

For long stretches during this period--three months, six months, another six months--Kirk was unemployed.  But even then he would not give up.  He took part-time work in a warehouse while his wife struggled to hold down different part-time jobs.  The bills--mortgage, utilities, groceries--piled up.

"My wife and I," Kirk says, "would sit up at night and just stare at each other, not knowing what to say."

The Bergstrom Family (Photo from US DOT)

In September 2010, Kirk was hired by Ames Construction to work on a highway project--in Kansas.  He knew it would be difficult to leave his family, and they knew it would be a hardship for them, but they were ready to endure whatever they could to help ease their financial stress.

Then, Ames Construction won a bid to build a light rail line between Denver's Union Station and the Denver International Airport, part of a major transit project funded in part by the Federal Transit Administration.  Now, Kirk says he enjoys more security than he's felt in years, once again earning a professional salary and working in his field.

"Oh, I feel really good about this job," he says. "I'm actually adding some value again, rather than just going through the motions.  And my wife and I are sleeping at night now, which is good."

That opportunity would not have come if it were not for significant federal investments in transportation.  Kirk agrees: "Without all the transportation construction in Denver, I wouldn't be employed right now."

In Denver and across the country, we have invested in transit projects to improve cities and communities by connecting people to where they need to go.  Today--thanks to federal investments like those proposed in the American Jobs Act--there are Kirk Bergstroms from coast to coast, men and women who are back on the job, working on good projects that solve transportation problems in their communities. 

And if Congress acts quickly to pass the American Jobs Act, we can put many more people like Kirk Bergstrom back to work soon.

Ray LaHood is the Secretary of Transportation.

Find out more about the American Jobs Act

Yesterday I wrote about the air traffic professionals who safely cleared America's airspace on the tragic morning of September 11, 2001.  Today, the Maritime Administration is proud to share a new video about the merchant mariners of the New York City area who used their skills and vessels to help evacuate more than 300,000 people from the chaos of Lower Manhattan.

"Rescue at Water's Edge" tells the story of the tugs, ferries, and tour boats--manned by selfless captains and crew members--who sailed into an uncertain situation to shuttle people away from the horror downtown.

Watch the video "Rescue at Water's Edge: The U.S. Merchant Marine Response to 9/11" here.

Instead of heading for safety, the watermen and women of New York and New Jersey steered toward the thick clouds of smoke.  They began picking up shocked passengers and transporting them away from the devastation.  Joining them were cadets, faculty, and staff from the US Merchant Marine Academy at nearby Kings Point.  Their combined efforts became the largest unplanned water evacuation in our nation's history.

The passengers on these boats knew only that two planes had already struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center, lives had been lost, and all roads, tunnels, and transit out of Lower Manhattan were closed.  They needed to get away, and New York's waters offered the only outlet. 

In addition to ferrying passengers out of harm's way, the maritime community also delivered emergency workers and medical supplies into Manhattan, supporting the first responders on the scene.

On 9/11, many, many police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and merchant mariners--like American heroes of previous generations--responded by fearlessly going into harm's way to do the right thing.  We can't thank them enough for their courage.

Ray LaHood is Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

In his weekly address on Saturday, President Obama called on Congress to do what it has done seven times over the past two years: pass a clean extension of the transportation bill. 

Allowing funding for America's roads and bridges to expire would be disastrous for our nation's economy, costing nearly one million construction workers their jobs over the next year, furloughing 4,000 transportation professionals, and losing almost $1 billion in revenue after the first ten days alone.

According to a new report from the National Economic Council, a lapse in the federal program that supports road, bridge, and transit work would jeopardize more than 140,000 active projects and hundreds of thousands of jobs. As the President said, "Those are serious consequences, and the pain will be felt all across the country. In Virginia, 19,000 jobs are at risk. In Minnesota, more than 12,000. And in Florida, over 35,000 people could be out of work if Congress doesn’t act."

At the local level, the economic impact--in addition to the lost jobs--will be severe. Because state and local authorities expend their own resources before being reimbursed by federal surface transportation accounts, letting the law expire will subject them to significant financial exposure they will be unable to withstand.

These are outcomes we simply cannot afford. The US Chamber of Commerce knows this. The AFL-CIO knows this. And the US Conference of Mayors knows this.

Fortunately, these outcomes are completely preventable. All that's needed is for Congress to do what it has already done seven different times over the last two years--without injecting politics into the process. I've said many times before that there are no Republican roads or Democratic bridges--these projects are crucial for everyone, and they can put our friends and neighbors back to work.

"There’s no reason," the President said, "to put more jobs at risk in an industry that has been one of the hardest-hit in this recession. There’s no reason to cut off funding for transportation projects at a time when so many of our roads are congested; so many of our bridges are in need of repair; and so many businesses are feeling the cost of delays."

We need to extend our transportation program and put people to work rebuilding America. We need to put differences aside and do the right thing for our economy. The clock is ticking.

Ray LaHood is Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

This Sunday, our nation will mark a somber occasion, the tenth anniversary of September 11th.  There is much to remember about that day--the thousands of lives lost and families upended, the life-saving first responders at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the heroes of United Airlines flight 93.

Today, the Federal Aviation Administration is sharing a video about the quick-thinking air traffic professionals who recognized that the errant blips on their radar screens posed a potential threat to every passenger on every plane in our skies that morning.  In response, they were able to completely shut down U.S. airspace.

Watch the video "10 Years Later: Air Traffic Controllers Remember 9/11" here.

“The men and women who control air traffic in this country realized we were under attack on that terrible day and had the skill to quickly land thousands of planes,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “Ten years later we are still incredibly proud of their work.”

This is a radar view of US airspace on 9/11, before controllers took action.

Those controllers took an unprecedented situation and used their training and experience to bring those thousands of planes safely down and out of harm's way.  They do an outstanding job every day, and we commend the decisive action they took on September 11th.

US airspace later on 9/11, after the complete shutdown.

Ray LaHood is Secretary of the Department of Transportation.

Watch the President's full remarks here.

This morning, President Obama urged Congress to pass a clean extension of key transportation programs as soon as possible. I was proud to stand in the Rose Garden with the President as he called for Congress to protect critical jobs and bolster our roads, bridges, runways and railways.

At the end of September, if Congress doesn’t act, the nation's surface transportation program will expire.  This provides funding for highway construction, bridge repair, mass transit systems, and other essential projects that keep our people and our commerce moving quickly and safely.  It also provides money for thousands of transportation projects currently under construction around the country.  When the law expires, those projects will shut down, taking precious jobs with them.

For America's construction workers and their families, it represents the difference between making ends meet or not.

If we allow our transportation law to expire without an extension, almost 1 million construction and other workers will lose their jobs over the coming year. If the extension is delayed for just 10 days, our nation will lose nearly $1 billion in highway funding, and that is money we can never get back.  In addition, over 4,000 of our professionals in the Department of Transportation will be immediately furloughed without pay.

Like the President, I think it is unacceptable to put jobs at risk in these difficult times just because Congress cannot work out its differences.

To let partisan grandstanding cut necessary transportation investments and consign American businesses to roads that are in disrepair, and travel and shipping delays that cost millions of dollars, is inexcusable.

Yet we have seen it happen before.  In fact, just last month, with the Federal Aviation Administration authorization up for extension, Congress let authority for this important agency lapse and thousands were furloughed.  Construction sites at airports were shut down with workers sent home without pay.  The federal government lost millions of dollars a day in unrecoverable tax revenue.

And when Congress finally got its act together, they extended the FAA for only one month. It expires again on Sept. 16th and we need Congress to act quickly.

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood after a statement calling on Congress to move forward in a bipartisan way to pass a clean extension of the Surface Transportation Bill, and a clean extension of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization, in the Rose Garden of the White House, Aug. 31, 2011. Pictured, from left are: Chris Negley, Senior Inspector, KCI Technologies; Adam Vencill, Senior Inspector, KCI Technologies (obscured); Secretary LaHood; David Chavern, Executive Vice President and COO, Chamber of Commerce; the President; Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO; Hector Sealey, Safety Director, Ft. Myer Construction Corporation; and Austin Anderson, Project Manager, Ft. Myer Construction Corporation. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

As the President said, "At a time when a lot of people are talking about creating jobs, it's time to stop the political gamesmanship that costs us jobs."

That's why I was glad to see representatives of the AFL-CIO and the US Chamber of Commerce standing side-by-side with the President today.  The folks who have to deal with the result of legislative inaction agree that a failure to pass clean extensions of the FAA and the Surface Transportation authorizations will be extraordinarily painful for all Americans.

And once those clean extensions are passed, let's get to work on long-term reauthorizations.  As the President said, it's time to put construction workers back on the job doing the work that America needs now.

It's time to have a serious conversation in Congress about making smart investments while interest rates are at historical lows and unemployment is high.

It's time to give certainty to the people who are trying to run the best aviation system in the world and to those who are trying to construct complex road, bridge and transit projects.

It's time for the United States to stop playing catch-up and, once again, to lead the world.

At the Department of Transportation we have been working to encourage safer, more innovative, and more cost effective ways to move goods across our nation’s highways. Today, President Obama introduced one more step toward that goal.

“While we were working to improve the efficiency of cars and light-duty trucks, something interesting happened,” said President Obama.  “We started getting letters asking that we do the same for medium and heavy-duty trucks.  They were from the people who build, buy, and drive these trucks.  And today, I’m proud to have the support of these companies as we announce the first-ever national policy to increase fuel efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas pollution from medium and heavy-duty trucks.”

The 2014-2018 fuel efficiency standards for trucks are designed to account for the different kind of work done by different kinds of trucks.  Long haul trucks will save an average of 4 gallons for fuel for every 100 miles traveled.  Heavy-duty pickups and vehicles like buses, delivery trucks, or vans would save one gallon for every 100 miles traveled.  Altogether, we're looking at saving a projected 530 million barrels of oil.

That is a huge benefit to truck owners and operators.  Over the life of a new truck built to fit these standards, a semi-truck driver will see a net savings of $73,000 through reduced fuel costs.  Will the technology required to meet these standards add to the cost of a new truck?  Yes, but the fuel-savings will more than match that cost within one year of driving.

In fact, I'd call $50 billion in total fuel savings a significant win for a hard-working industry.

Beyond the direct benefits to businesses that own and operate these vehicles, the program will also benefit consumers and businesses by reducing costs for transporting goods.  And it will spur growth in the clean energy and manufacturing sectors by fostering innovative technologies and providing regulatory certainty.

The new standards mean huge environmental benefits. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that these new standards will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 270 million metric tons.  This will yield an incredible $49 billion in dividends to our society.  The standards will also reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants, which can lead to asthma, heart attacks and premature death.  That's another significant win.

I am grateful to President Obama for introducing these standards.  Right now, heavy-duty truck traffic on our nation’s roads accounts for six percent of our greenhouse gas emissions.  But trucking is also the fastest-growing contributor to America's emissions, and that six percent will continue rising unless we act.  Trucks also consume 12 percent of US oil use, so these standards should put a dent in our dependence on foreign oil and improve our energy security.

The standards the President announced today will provide a huge financial lift to America's truckers.  Even better, by improving the way we transport goods, these steps move the nation in the right direction.

For more information, read a summary of the new fuel efficiency standards and their projected impact in savings.

This was really no time to stop work on so many critical airport improvement projects -- right in the middle of the construction season. But now, these good workers can get back on the job Monday doing the work they want to do, earning a good wage, and taking care of their families. And I am very, very happy for them.

I want to thank President Obama for his attention to this situation.  Even during the days of intense debt and deficit discussions, he insisted to me, "Take care of our employees. Take care of the construction workers. Figure this out.  Get it done."

So that's what we did.  We worked with Congress day and night to figure out a way to get these people back on the job.  And, thanks to the leadership of Senators Reid, Rockefeller, Hutchison and Baucus, we got it done.

Now, before we get too carried away, let's remember that this extension only lasts until September 16; there's still work to do so we can get a long term FAA bill.

But I'm optimistic that, with so many jobs on the line in these tough economic times, Congress can work out its differences.  President Obama really put his finger on it when he said, "We can't afford to let politics in Washington hamper our recovery."

From construction workers to our dedicated FAA employees, they will all have the security of knowing they are going to go back to work and will get a paycheck -- and that's what we've been fighting for.

We have the best aviation system in the world, and we intend to keep it that way.

View the full-sized photo gallery.

If you were reading my blog during National Transportation Week last month, you know it was a busy week for the Department of Transportation and for me.  In Tennessee, Nevada, and California, I saw innovative projects that will make Americans safer, create good jobs for U.S. workers, and help people get where they need to go without suffering at the gas pump.

In Smyrna, Tennessee, I toured the construction site for Nissan's $1.7 billion electric vehicle battery plant, made possible, in part, by a loan from the US Department of Energy.  Nissan is building the new plant right next to an existing plant that is being converted to produce as many as 150,000 new Leaf electric vehicles a year.  Together, we expect the two facilities to create 1,300 new jobs.

The Leaf--and other electric vehicles-- will give American families a vehicle option that frees them from the pain of refilling their cars with expensive gas.  It also emits fewer greenhouse gases for a more environmentally sustainable ride.  And, President Obama has proposed to convert the $7,500 tax credit for hybrid and electric vehicles into a tax rebate consumers can get before they even leave the dealership.

Of course, when it comes to sustainability and low-cost transportation nothing beats foot power.  And in Yountville, California, I had a chance to take a bicycle ride on the Napa Valley Vine Trail.  When this network of multi-use pedestrian and bicycle trails is completed, it will connect the entire Napa Valley from Vallejo Ferry to Calistoga.  The 44 miles of linked trails will allow Californians to commute and will also encourage bicycle tourism, which is a great source of revenue for the regional economy.

Also in Napa, I helped break ground on a new glideslope for the Napa County Airport.  The new project will allow more planes to land safely at Napa during bad weather instead of having to be rerouted to the Bay Area.

California's capital, Sacramento, has transportation innovation to spare.  For example, the Port of West Sacramento is a key onramp to the marine highway connecting West Sacramento, Stockton, and Oakland.  America's Marine Highways offer a way of shifting cargo to our inland waterways to ease congestion on area highways and reduce our reliance on imported oil.

Sacramento is also home to the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a collaboration of automakers, energy providers, government agencies, and technology companies working together to help bring hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to market.  The Federal Transit Administration has helped local transit agencies purchase a number of hydrogen fuel-cell transit buses, and during my visit I had the opportunity to climb aboard one currently serving residents in the Alameda-Contra Costa area.

Of course, National Transportation Week would not have been complete without discussing one of the most exciting developments in American transportation: President Obama's commitment to connect 80 percent of Americans with high-speed rail in the next 25 years.  I had a chance to talk about the benefits of U.S. high-speed rail corridors and the future of travel at the in Global Travel and Tourism Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada.  You can bet that travel professionals are looking forward to improved inter-city passenger rail.

In one short but busy week, I had close-up looks at the future of cars, bikes, ports, planes, and transit--with a long conversation about the promise of high-speed rail. I hope it's easy to see why I love my job and why everyone at DOT is excited about the future of American transportation.

Last week, I joined the White House monthly disability call with the Special Assistant to President Obama on Disability Policy, Kareem Dale, to discuss with hundreds of stakeholders everything we’re doing at DOT to improve transportation access for people with disabilities.  In the twenty years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, there’s no doubt we’ve made significant strides forward.  But we won’t rest until everyone has equal access to all forms of transportation.

In the last year, DOT announced the first federal rule to specifically provide ADA protections to people with disabilities who travel on boats and ships.  And we’re finalizing a regulation to improve accessibility at rail stations so that people with disabilities can get on the same rail cars that everyone else uses.

We’re also committed to improving the flying experience for people with disabilities.  We’ve proposed new rules that would:

• Require airports to provide lifts for boarding and disembarking passengers;
• Make it easier for people to fly with service animals; and
• Improve access to airline websites, check-in kiosks, in-flight entertainment centers, audio-visual displays, medical oxygen, and airplane bathrooms. 

And as we prepare to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Air Carrier Access Act this year, we’re stepping up enforcement efforts to make sure airlines respect the rights of air travelers with disabilities.  In the last year, our Aviation Enforcement Office assessed civil penalties ranging from $125,000 to $2 million against a number of U.S. carriers. 

Access to transportation is one of the most fundamental of American rights.  I’m proud of the progress we’ve made, but remain committed to achieving even more so that all Americans have the same opportunities for living, learning, and earning.

Earlier this year, President Obama outlined a plan to create a simpler, smarter 21st-century regulatory system that protects the health and safety of the nation while also promoting economic growth, job creation, and innovation. With an Executive Order, he challenged agencies across the federal government to review rules already on the books and remove those that are out-of-date, unnecessary, excessively burdensome, or in conflict with other rules. 

The Department of Transportation was happy to rise to that challenge, and today we are pleased to submit our Preliminary Plan for Retrospective Review and Analysis of Existing Rules.

Almost immediately after the President outlined his plan, through a notice in the Federal Register, DOT solicited comments from the public about rules we should review.

On March 14, we held a well-advertised public meeting at our headquarters in Washington, DC.  To make participation easier and the meeting's proceedings more transparent, we streamed that meeting live on the internet and phone lines.  We permitted speakers to submit comments either in person or by telephone.

We also used IdeaScale, a web-based, interactive discussion tool to allow the public to submit written feedback and to comment and vote on suggestions submitted by others.  On the www.dot.gov website, we placed a special button icon designed to draw people's attention and bring them to the IdeaScale site.

Additional outreach attempts included a media alert, emails to interest groups, and a blog post I published here.

The point is, DOT beat the bushes to stimulate public participation in our regulatory review. And I hope you'll agree that effort paid off.

As a result of our review, we have identified 70 regulations for action.  Of these, 19 would reduce burdens on small businesses, 11 would reduce information collection burdens, 12 would reduce the burdens on state, local, or tribal governments, and four would involve coordinating rules that overlap with other federal agencies.

One cost-saving example is the Federal Railroad Administration's positive train control rule.  FRA has examined this rule and decided that revisions could be proposed that would significantly reduce industry burdens without adversely affecting rail safety.  We expect savings on PTC installation alone to total between $225 million and $400 million.  Over 20 years, installation and maintenance savings should total between $440 million and $1.04 billion.

This Administration has taken unprecedented steps to protect consumers at the gas pump.  In March, the President announced a plan to reduce our oil imports by a third by 2025--leveraging domestic resources while reducing the oil we consume.  Since the beginning, this Administration has been making investments and taking smart steps that are already helping us move towards this important goal.  You can see it in our investment in alternative fuels and our support of electric vehicles--creating jobs while decreasing costs for consumers.

Most importantly, you can see it in the historic, national fuel economy standards for passenger cars and trucks achieved last year under President Obama’s leadership.

Today, I'm excited to join Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson in introducing new fuel economy labels that will empower car buyers with better information about what they will spend or save on fuel costs when looking to purchase a new vehicle. This is one part of President Obama's plan to provide Americans with relief from high gas prices and break our dependence on foreign oil.

These labels offer consumers more information in a more usable format.  When shopping for a new vehicle, you'll be able to see your expected savings over a five-year period, a fuel economy comparison to other vehicles in the same class, and easy-to-understand guidance about each car or truck’s environmental impact.  The bottom line is that these labels will help people make informed decisions when they're buying a car, so that they can save money at the gas pump.

The new labels also feature a QR code that allows car buyers to comparison shop on the go.  Shoppers can scan the QR code with their smartphones to store that vehicle's information, compare it to other vehicles, and access www.fueleconomy.gov for even more information.

This is a big day for the Department of Transportation, for the Obama Administration, and for the American people.  We are bringing President Obama's vision of American high-speed rail one step closer to reality with $2.02 billion in targeted investments.

And I am thrilled.

Today we are advancing President Obama's historic high-speed rail blueprint through 22 carefully selected projects that will create jobs, boost manufacturing, and spur development while laying the foundation for our future economic competitiveness. We are providing two billion dollars to 15 states and Amtrak to help build out America's high-speed rail network, enabling people and goods to travel more quickly, safely and energy-efficiently than ever before.

When DOT announced the competition for these awards in March, we were inundated with 98 applications seeking more than $10 billion.  Americans heard the President's plan to connect 80 percent of the nation to high-speed rail in the next 25 years, and they responded with a loud and clear, "Yes!"

And it's no wonder.  High-speed rail offers significant economic and practical benefits for the states and regions that build these lines and the passengers who ride them.

Already, high-speed rail upgrades are employing workers laying 96 miles of track on the Chicago-St. Louis run.  Workers in Maine are also laying track--welded in America--between Boston and Portland.  And in Sacramento and San Jose, construction workers are building intermodal stations that will be home to California's high-speed corridor.

A strict “Buy America” requirement for high-speed rail projects ensures that U.S. manufacturers and their workers will receive the maximum economic benefits from our investment. In 2009, I also secured a commitment from 30 foreign and domestic rail manufacturers to employ American workers and locate or expand their base of operations in the U.S. if they are selected for high-speed-rail contracts.

There are other early signs of high-speed rail's economic promise: In Brunswick, Maine, private investment has already gravitated toward the Brunswick Station neighborhood.  Economic development there includes a number of businesses, residential condominiums, a new hotel, and a modern medical center.  And along every planned corridor, cities and towns are clamoring for intermodal rail stations because they know it will boost development in their communities.

High-speed rail service will also help us move goods and people more efficiently.  By 2050, the United States will be home to 100 million additional people.  That's the equivalent of adding another California, Texas, New York, and Florida combined. Our transportation networks simply cannot accommodate that kind of growth, and if we settle for the status quo, our children and grandchildren will remain dependent on foreign oil and continue to suffer from ever-higher gas prices.

High-speed rail can and should complement other forms of transportation to loosen bottlenecks and free up the freight capacity needed to keep our economy firing on all cylinders.

Across the U.S., 32 states and the District of Columbia are already preparing for high-speed rail corridors to link Americans with faster and more energy-efficient travel options. And the dedicated rail grants we're announcing today will:

• Make an unprecedented investment in the Northeast Corridor, enabling trains to reach speeds between 135 and 160 mph;
• Expand high-speed rail service in the Midwest, creating 1000 jobs in the construction phase alone building the Chicago-Detroit line;
• Boost U.S. manufacturing by investing in state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars for California and the Midwest; and
• Continue laying the groundwork for the nation’s first 220-mph high-speed rail system in California.

For a complete list of projects and their awards, please visit www.dot.gov.

If I sound excited about the prospect of American high-speed rail, it's because I am.   High-speed intercity passenger rail offers real, practical benefits--benefits we cannot afford to ignore.  Jobs, manufacturing, economic development, reduced dependence on foreign oil, and a future economy that can truly serve our population--today's awards bring those benefits one step closer.

Ray LaHood is Secretary of Transportation.

When you watch our latest video, "Transporting America: United Streetcar," you'll see the next generation of transportation. You'll see transit investments from the Department of Transportation helping people get where they need to go without breaking the bank. And you'll see a company out-innovating and out-building its foreign competition while creating jobs for American workers.

Watch the video on United Streetcar here.

The streetcars rolling through Portland, Oregon, are helping commuters beat the rising cost of refueling their cars and vans and trucks. And, as rising gas prices take a bigger bite out of family budgets, other communities are looking to ease that bite through similar transportation options.

As commuter Jim Winkle says in the video, "It's made a huge difference."

That's why the Department of Transportation has supported streetcar projects in communities like Portland across America. From Charlotte, North Carolina, and Washington, DC, to Tucson, Arizona, and Dallas, Texas, grants from the Federal Transit Administration are helping jump-start the American streetcar renaissance.

United Streetcar president Chandra Brown agrees: "The Department of Transportation has been a true partner as the streetcar industry has developed. Without their assistance, we could not have made the private investment to make this new industry successful."

That's good news for commuters and their families. It's also good news for American workers because, at United Streetcar, they're manufacturing the first American streetcars in more than 50 years. 

And we mean "American." The cars rolling out of United Streetcar have the highest percentage of American parts and labor of any streetcar in the last 50 years. That means United Streetcar's innovation is creating an economic ripple effect, providing business for an all-American supply chain of more than 200 different vendors in 20-plus states across the U.S.

I love the idea of DOT grants helping create American jobs, and I love the idea of helping American families with options to ease the pinch they feel at the pump. But there's also the pride I hear in workers--like welder Steve Goodman and construction foreman Casey Peacock--who know that for the first time in more than 50 years America can build its own streetcars.

And not only build our own streetcars--this company is bold enough to take on its foreign competitors by planning to export the cars they make.

President Obama has challenged Americans to dream big and build big. United Streetcar has risen to that challenge, and they’re doing it all with American parts, labor, and ingenuity. That means less congestion on our roads, more jobs for American workers, and a future we are prepared to win.

Ray LaHood is the Secretary of Transportation.

Since the Department of Transportation announced the availability of an additional $2.4 billion for high-speed rail projects last month, governors and members of Congress from both major parties have been clamoring for the opportunity to participate.

As of our Monday deadline, we received more than 90 applications from 24 states, the District of Columbia, and Amtrak.  The preliminary total of those requests is nearly $10 billion, more than four times what we have available. 

Why is demand for high-speed rail support so high?

Because elected officials have seen the immediate benefits of jobs where rail work has already begun.  They've seen these jobs in Maine--where the Downeaster extension to Brunswick is under construction--and they've seen them in Illinois--where 96 miles of track are now being laid for the Chicago-St. Louis high-speed corridor. 

Demand is high because these leaders--Democrats and Republicans--have also seen the expanded manufacturing activity in Indiana, where the workers of Steel Dynamics are forging track.  They know that 30 other manufacturers and suppliers have agreed to build or expand operations in the U.S. should they participate in high-speed rail projects.  They know that our Buy America requirements ensure they'll be using American-made supplies and materials, so U.S. companies, workers, and communities will receive the maximum economic benefit of our high-speed rail investment.

And demand is high because they can't ignore the economic development that rail corridors deliver.  They've heard about the success of Brunswick Station, where private investment has already helped generate a number of businesses, condominiums, a new hotel, and a modern medical center.  They've heard about the 240 acres under redevelopment near the Sacramento Intermodal Transportation Facility, and the transit-oriented land-use planning that centers on San Jose's Diridon Station.  They've heard about towns seeking high-speed rail stops so businesses will plant roots, confident that they have access to a 21st century transportation option that helps them compete in the global economy.

From Maine to the Midwest to California, construction has begun on America's high-speed rail facilities, and we can't afford to see this train turn back. 

By 2050, our population is expected to grow by another 100 million people.  That's nearly a third more than we have now--roughly the equivalent of adding another California, New York, Texas, and Florida.  And those people will need to get to jobs, schools, grocery stores, and from city to city, adding tens of millions of cars to our already congested roadways.  They will need goods and services, adding trucks.

If we refuse to plan ahead, our commercial arteries will be constricted, preventing businesses from moving goods to markets and choking our economy.

Today, our Federal Railroad Administration will begin determining which of the more than 90 projects can quickly deliver benefits like sustained economic development, reduced energy consumption, and improved regional transportation efficiency.

But while the FRA is reviewing the latest applications, our existing rail investments are already creating jobs, boosting American rail manufacturing, and spurring economic development.  And rail can do these things while also reducing oil consumpttion, greenhouse gas emissions, and road congestion. 

That's the kind of investment we owe the next generation of Americans.  That's the kind of investment that will help this nation win the future.

Ray LaHood is the Secretary of Transportation.