U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Asks for Comments on Draft Report On Traffic Congestion in the Nation’s Capital |
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Topics: Rodney E. Slater
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U.S. Department of Transportation
June 30, 1999
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 30, 1999
Contact: Bill Adams
Telephone: 202-366-5580
DOT 97-99
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today asked the members of the National Capital Region Congestion and Mobility Task Force to consider recommendations made in a draft report to reduce congestion in the Nation’s Capital, including a recommendation that federal agencies expand existing policies, such as transit benefits, aimed at reducing the use of single occupant vehicles.
"President Clinton and Vice President Gore have worked vigilantly on behalf of American people to create more livable communities by strengthening the federal government’s role as a partner with state and local efforts to build communities for the 21st century," Secretary Slater said. "This is an opportunity for the federal government, as a good neighbor and the major employer in the region, to help resolve transportation-related problems."
The draft report recommends measures in five areas to reduce congestions:
The draft report summarizes a series of recent discussions among the task force members and with others in the National Capital Region. The draft recommendations represent areas in which it is believed the federal government can most productively add to existing planning and decision-making processes in the region. A final report will be released later this year.
The task force is composed of members from Virginia and Maryland Departments of Transportation; the District of Columbia Department of Public Works; the Counties of Montgomery, Prince Georges, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Frederick and Prince William; the cities of Alexandria and Fairfax; the D.C. Council; the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; and the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board.
Secretary Slater in May 1998 convened the National Capital Region Congestion and Mobility Summit, and in August 1998 appointed Eugene A. Conti, assistant secretary of transportation for policy, as his representative to work with regional transportation leaders in developing a transportation partnership plan to alleviate congestion.