Good evening.
Thank you, Burt, for that introduction.
Many of you know that in addition to being your President, Burt is the Assistant Program Development Branch Manager at DOT.
He is one of several DOT employees who are members of your organization.
I want to thank Burt for his service to this group-and his service to DOT.
It is an honor to join you this evening.
Since I'm meeting a lot of you for the first time tonight, I thought I'd begin by telling you a little bit about myself.
Although I'm new at DOT---I'm no stranger to transportation or North Carolina.
In fact, coming to DOT was a sort of homecoming for me.
I have roots here that date back quite a few years.
I attended graduate school at Duke University in Durham---and began my career in government as a Policy Analyst with the North Carolina Department of Administration.
I served as the USDOT Assistant Secretary for Policy in the Clinton Administration.
In Washington, I was the principal advisor to Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater on transportation safety, environmental impacts and economic growth.
In this role I also worked on finance issues, technology, mobility and strategic planning including:
(GENE----YOU MAY WANT TO EXPAND ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXPERIENCE HERE)
And as Burt said, I was named Chief Deputy of the North Carolina Department of Transportation in January.
As Chief Deputy, I am DOT's Chief Operating Officer---and am part of a new management team appointed by Governor Easley.
Secretary Lyndo Tippett and I are working together to ensure that Governor Easley's goals for North Carolina's transportation system are realized.
I take my role at DOT seriously, and am committed to making our transportation system the best in the nation.
Now that you know something about me, I'd like to share with you our transportation goals and priorities-and the course Secretary Tippet and I have set for the department.
Our mission is to provide a safe, well-maintained and integrated system that provides for the transportation needs of all citizens across the state.
We plan to achieve this mission through a series of goals and commitments that will improve and expand our operations-while maintaining the level of service our citizens have come to expect.
These goals and commitments are summarized on this agenda card (hold up card)-which are at your seats.
These nine goals are our top priorities-and will help focus our efforts to ensure that we accomplish our mission.
Our number one priority is maintenance -- and reducing the maintenance backlog.
We must take care of what generations before us have worked so hard to build.
We understand that smooth and clean roads are safe roads-so maintenance is a crucial goal in our efforts to make sure that our highways are safe.
To continue to be "The Good Roads State," and to keep up with our state's booming population, we must be able to maintain the roads that be build.
We will also be taking special care in helping both our urban and rural areas.
We are looking at ways to improve our existing highways, by increasing capacity and providing a mass transit system-which will help improve congestion in our urban areas.
Just last week I participated in the 2nd Annual Jammin' In The Park event in Research Triangle Park to talk about managing highway congestion in that region.
Companies there are working with us to find creative solutions that will provide alternatives to driving alone in a car.
They are providing incentives to their employees to carpool, vanpool, telecommute or utilize a flex schedule.
They're concerned -- as is Charlotte, Winston-Salem and other urban areas - that they are choking on the rapid growth they have experienced.
Traffic jams are becoming a way of life across the country and the results are disastrous.
According to an article in U.S. News & World Report, the average driver spends the equivalent of nearly a full workweek each year stuck in traffic.
No amount of widening roads is going to solve this problem.
We are looking at every possible way to help get that traffic under control.
This week Secretary Lyndo Tippett announced measures to improve traffic flow along I-40 in the Triangle and I-77 in Charlotte-two of the most congested highways in the state.
For the Triangle, this plan includes construction of a temporary connector road from I-540 leading directly into the Research Triangle Park.
And for Charlotte, engineers have been directed to examine the feasibility of an HOV lane along I-77. It was determined that although an HOV lane is not feasible for Interstate 40 at this time, it may work along I-77 in Charlotte.
Last April, DOT partnered with regional transportation agencies to complete the first phase of a congestion management study for entire length of I-40.
Phase I reviewed a broad range of strategies for addressing congestion in the RTP region and identified those that would have the greatest potential for success.
These improvements range from moving traffic more efficiently to reducing demand for travel in single-occupant vehicles.
We are currently in Phase II of the study, and are identifying short-term, low cost projects as well as more extensive improvements which will be longer term.
North Carolina ranks 11th in poor air quality, mostly due to vehicles idling on congested highways during the summer months.
It is imperative that we start using other alternatives to the car as a first step to help alleviate this problem.
If we don't, we are in jeopardy of losing our federal funds as our friends in Atlanta did two years ago, making it even harder to work on solving the congestion challenges of our urban areas.
DOT is committed to working with leaders across the state to find solutions so our urban areas will continue to grow and prosper.
As we consider the transportation needs statewide, we must also address the challenges faced in our rural areas.
For our rural communities, we must find ways to enhance their growth while still planning for the future.
That's why we are committed to providing the transportation infrastructure necessary to help rural communities attract new industry and jobs.
As we reach out to our rural communities, we will continue our focus on preserving and enhancing our precious environment.
The department has worked hard to protect what makes our state so special.
We plan to continue to preserve our wetlands, protect our wildlife and provide funding for projects that enhance and beautify our environment.
We will also see that all citizens have a voice in transportation decisions that affect them.
This week we presented a $9.6-billion Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to the Board of Transportation after eight months of public comment.
The TIP is the state's blueprint for transportation funding statewide and includes nearly 2,700 projects statewide, from highways to public transportation to bicycle paths.
This TIP continues our focus on safety, the environment and fiscal responsibility.
During the next seven years, it allocates $8.1 billion for highway construction, $1.2 billion for right-of-way acquisition, $175 million to protect and improve the environment and $140 million to support economic development.
The TIP is an example of what happens when citizens take an active role in decisions that directly affect them. We will continue to ask for input-and be responsive to all citizens' needs when planning new projects.
As you've heard, we have planned an aggressive agenda--and as we know, funds are tighter than ever.
Although the new budget will help, we are still facing about $220 million in unmet maintenance needs.
To help address these needs, we have first been looking within the department at our own operations.
We've taken a hard look across the board at how we do business-and have identified ideas for efficiencies and cost savings from throughout the department.
Any savings we generate will be moved toward critical needs--starting with maintenance.
Organizations like the Institute of Transportation Engineers will play a significant role in helping us achieve our goals.
We rely on you to partner with us on these priorities-and other transportation issues affecting the entire state.
Your collective voice represents all levels of the transportation industry.
You also speak for citizens who have concerns and ideas about how to make transportation better in our state.
On behalf of the department, I want to commend you on your commitment to helping us fulfill our mission.
We can't do it without your help.
We hope you will continue your efforts to help us achieve our goals so that Governor Easley's vision of One North Carolina may be realized.
Thank you.