Thanks, David. David has worked diligently to support Greensboro in this project. His involvement continues to be a source of tremendous encouragement throughout all aspects of this process.

And Congressman Coble has certainly made excellent strides in helping to bring the project to fruition. We owe a great deal of thanks (Lead applause) to him for his efforts. I'm pleased to be here today at this beautiful historic train Depot as we celebrate the beginning of Phase I of the Greensboro Multi-Modal Center Renovation.

Since the project began in the early 1990s, there has been great anticipation of what the Multi-Modal Center will do for this and surrounding areas.

• By bringing together city buses, intercity buses and intercity rail, the Multi-Modal Center will make it possible for many of you to obtain safe, efficient and convenient transportation.
  
• The center also will provide a number of community resources ranging from daycare to meeting spaces.
  
• In essence, your Multi-Modal Center will serve as the heart of the community-- as a vital source helping you carry out daily plans.

With revitalization going on in nearby areas of the city, the Multi-Modal Center will help mass transit to keep pace with Greensboro's renewal and continued growth.

• In supporting the use of mass transit in Greensboro, NCDOT is working closely with the city to fulfill state goals for mitigating traffic congestion.
  
• The transportation options offered through the center will help us do that by providing a convenient alternative to using single-occupancy vehicles.
  
• In doing so, we work to limit the number of cars on our already-overburdened highways.

In addition, we are committed to maximizing existing resources while improving operating efficiency.

• By renovating the Depot, we are all making sound use of the existing resource the Train Depot presents while making transportation more effective for Greensboro.
  
• With our population growing every day, it is important that we protect our environment and maintain existing transportation systems--- all part of Secretary Tippett's agenda to improve transportation across the state.

Greensboro's Multi-Modal transportation project is one of several projects the department is participating in with local city governments. Other projects include those in such areas as Wilmington, Charlotte, Durham and Raleigh.

• As we begin to create integrated systems in our cities, we will build a seamless transportation network that better serves North Carolina citizens.
  
• Governor Easley's goal of creating One North Carolina will be met by bringing corridors together in ways that are truly useful to all citizens. Multi-Modal Centers such as the one we celebrate today show our commitment to providing smart transportation solutions for this great state we call home.

Thank you.