Remarks by Secretary Slater at the I-495 Technology Corridor Initiative Conference

Rodney E. Slater, United States Secretary of Transportation
February 12, 2000

Thank you. I know that last year Jim McGovern promised he would bring me here for this third I-495 Initiative Conference so let me begin by letting you know that Jim McGovern is a Congressional Representative who fulfills his commitments.

I also want to acknowledge Marty Meehan and Ed Markey for their work on I-495 concerns. As co-chair of the House Sustainable Development Caucus, Marty played a key role, along with Jim McGovern, in winning funds for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council to plan and implement solutions for the I-495 region’s growth issues.

Let me also compliment your state delegation, especially Senator David Magnani, for their work in putting together this very impressive coalition.

All of you involved in this I-495 Initiative deserve praise for opening up the conversation on growth issues in this corridor. By involving the whole community, the I-495 Coalition is the kind of public-private forum that can produce a vision of the region’s future.

This initiative is a concrete example of what President Clinton and Vice President Gore call the "Third Way." In the 1960s, we learned that government couldn’t do it all alone; in the 70’s and 80’s we learned that the private sector couldn’t either. The Third Way of Clinton-Gore is the best of both worlds -- a private/public partnership for progress.

I know you have asked me to join you because you have identified transportation as one of the major issues facing the region. Transportation is clearly a concern that calls for joint problem-solving by all of the stakeholders -- public, private or community. I am happy to offer the help of the Department of Transportation in addressing these problems.

That is what President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s livability initiative is all about -- helping communities across America grow in ways that ensure a high quality of life and strong, sustainable economic growth.

Our livability agenda helps communities with new tools and resources to preserve green space, ease traffic congestion, and pursue regional "smart growth" strategies -- much as you are doing through the I-495 Initiative.

As a member of the President’s Cabinet, I would be remiss if I did not point out that it is the unprecedented economic record of the Clinton-Gore Administration that has allowed communities across the America the opportunity to give livability concerns the precedence they deserve.

As of February 1, the current economic expansion became the longest continuous period of economic growth in American history. We begin this new century and new millennium with 20 million new jobs; the fastest economic growth in more the 30 years; the lowest unemployment rates in 30 years; the lowest poverty rates in 20 years; the lowest African-American and Hispanic unemployment rates on record and a 46-year low in the unemployment rate for women; the highest home-ownership ever -- and the first back-to-back budget surpluses in 42 years.

We intend to support this economic expansion by continuing good sound strategic investment in our transportation network. The President’s record $55 billion transportation budget for 2001, sent to Congress earlier, this week exceeds the average annual investment of the preceding administration by 86 percent.

It is not only a record level of investment but it is also smart investment. We are moving beyond the solutions of the past with new solutions that are less damaging to our communities and our environment -- just as you are attempting to do here in the I-495 corridor.

The budget reflects President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s commitment to protecting our natural environment while growing the economy. As President Clinton said, "We finally put to rest the bogus idea that you cannot grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time." We all must be vigilant in remembering and focusing on this.

For the Administration’s livability agenda, the president has proposed a record $6.3 billion for transit programs and $1.6 billion to help communities with projects that reduce congestion and improve air quality.

The budget increases by 50 percent the funding to help communities develop smart-growth plans to combat congestion and sprawl, and ensure in the words of Vice President Gore, "that communities are not only better off but better."

Congressmen McGovern and Meehan have already seen the wisdom of this program by pursuing funds for the MAPC’s I-495 program.

Transportation for the 21st century is also about opportunity for workers to get to jobs. We are proposing to double the funding for our Job Access and Reverse Commute Program to support transportation services to connect low-income workers to jobs and to provide transportation to suburban jobs from the cities, rural areas and other suburbs. I know the I-495 Initiative has already started to work on the Reverse Commute problem in this region.

Transportation is about much more than concrete, asphalt and steel -- it is about people and creating livable communities for the new century and the new millennium.

DOT’s mission is to be visionary and vigilant stewards -- along with you and our other transportation partners -- of our transportation enterprise. We will work with you as partners to prepare the region’s transportation system for the new century and the new millennium as part of a livable community for all the people of the region.

The I-495 Initiative is just the type of community-wide effort that Vice President Gore envisioned when he started the livable communities program. It is an effort that will be successful because you are unified.

It is exciting to see so many people working together to support an initiative that will promote economic growth and livability for the new century. I congratulate everyone involved in this effort.

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Source:  U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)