Home | Transportation Investment Is Vital to National Competitiveness and Way of Life
Transportation Investment Is Vital to National Competitiveness and Way of Life
On March 15, 2007 European Union Vice President Jacques Barrot inaugrated the first 185 mile section of a new 900-mile high-speed rail line that will cut travel time between many of Europe’s major cities in half.
FedEx Express will offer guaranteed next-day deliveries within China for the first time beginning May 28. The move underscores the increasing sophistication of transportation and logistics services in the country.
As never before, we are engaged in an intensive competition in the global economy, now not only with our traditional trading partners such as Japan and the European Union, but also with China and India with a combined population of 2.3 billion. Because the economies of these two emerging megastates have been growing in excess of 8 percent annually, compared to 2.8 percent here in the U.S., while we may be ahead for the moment, they are on track to catch up, and overtake us.
It is no time for the U.S. to be standing still. We must look to the future to set bold goals for our own transportation network.
As the AASHTO Board of Directors has said in a Call for Action, “The 21st century is an increasingly competitive world where countries like China and India have set their sights on overtaking America as the preeminent economic power. Our prosperity and way of life are at stake. America must respond.
“Only immediate bold action to invest in transportation will sustain our national competitiveness and personal opportunities. It is time to marshal the will and the resources needed.
“Simply put, we believe the mission of the U.S. Surface Transportation Program is to keep the U.S. competitive in the global economy and meet America’s 21st Century mobility needs.”
Pete Rahn
Vice-President
American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials
Director, Missouri Department of Transportation
