Thank you, Mayor Holliday, for that introduction.
This briefing has been very insightful-I appreciate the Chamber and the City taking the time to arrange it.
As Secretary of Transportation, it's very important that I have an opportunity to hear from leaders like you.
My experience as a CPA and my background as a business owner have given me a unique outlook on the state's transportation challenges.
This experience will guide me as I help Governor Easley build One North Carolina-a state where every community matters and every person counts.
Cities like Greensboro form the backbone of One North Carolina.
Greensboro is uniquely positioned in our state-centrally located with prime access to Interstates 40 and 85.
Mayor Holliday, Dr. Williams, and David, you have worked hard to attract industry and the talented workforce necessary to sustain it-it's no surprise that Greensboro experienced a 22% population growth over the last 10 years.
Just like our state's other urban areas, Greensboro is facing the challenges caused by rapid growth.
A quality transportation system is fundamental to managing growth.
I've got an exciting agenda planned for the next four years that will support Gov. Easley's vision of One North Carolina and bring quality transportation within reach of all citizens.
At the top of my list is maintenance.
We have a number of maintenance projects going on in this area, from the resurfacing of Wendover Avenue to several bridge replacement projects.
It's our responsibility to take care of our highways-for the sake of our past investment as well as future growth.
Gov. Easley's budget, which is currently before the General Assembly, will provide an additional $73 million in maintenance funds during the next two years.
However, we're still faced with a shortfall of about $220 million.
We're doing all we can to reduce this shortfall, starting with internal efficiencies.
We're currently in the middle of a special project to gather ideas from employees that will improve efficiency and cut costs.
I'm pleased to say that already we have made much progress.
From streamlining the construction process to reducing administrative costs, we have strengthened our operations as well as improved our efficiency.
In the end, all savings that we generate will be recycled directly into maintenance.
For the good of all North Carolinians, it's also critical that we protect our environment as we fulfill transportation needs.
During my leadership, I'll be expanding efforts that protect what makes our state so special-from wetland and stream restoration, to wildlife habitats and beautification projects.
In addition to these issues, I'll also be taking a special look at those challenges facing our state's urban areas-one of which is traffic congestion.
In the past 30 years, vehicle miles traveled have increased by 200 percent.
We didn't arrive at this congestion overnight; reversing this situation will take time.
Highway improvements-such as widening Interstate 40 from Sandy Ridge Road to Holden Road will help-but I'm also looking ahead.
I'm pursuing a short-term solution immediately in the form of high occupancy vehicle or HOV lanes.
Currently, my staff is working on identifying high-volume traffic areas across the state where HOV lanes would work.
By providing an incentive for motorists to carpool or ride the bus, HOV lanes have the potential to significantly reduce traffic congestion much faster than new construction.
We're also committed to continuing our intelligent transportation efforts, which are headquartered locally within the Greensboro Transportation Management Center.
Through the use of technology such as cameras and overhead message signs, this center monitors traffic and keeps the public informed about delays.
Because cooperation from citizens is essential, we'll be working with local government and business leaders to create a collective solution to traffic congestion.
For the long-term, however, we must continue to make an investment in MASS TRANSIT.
By increasing capacity, a mass transit system will not only improve congestion, it will also help us better plan for the future by offering citizens an alternative to the car.
The Greensboro Multi-Modal Transportation Center, which will provide bus, rail and other community services from one convenient location, is an excellent example of our partnership in this effort.
When this new state-of-the-art transportation facility is completed, it will serve as a role model for other areas.
The Governor's budget provides an additional $30 million for public transportation and $28 million for rail during the next two years-which will allow us to move forward with mass transit in our state.
In spite of these investments, there are simply not enough funds to do all that we would like to do.
As you know, funds are tighter than ever across state government.
The state's budget crunch emphasizes the need for creative thinking.
Realistically, funds will always be limited; being creative today will help us in the future.
As you can see, I have much work ahead of me-however, I am optimistic because I have such a strong team:
I continue to be impressed by the leadership here in Greensboro and by your proactive approach to improving quality of life.
Today's meeting has only enhanced what is already a excellent relationship with the City-and I look forward to working with all of you to continue to improve transportation in this area.
We owe it to the citizens to build the kind of transportation system that makes One North Carolina a reality-and together, I know that we can do just that.
Thank you for inviting me here today.