Thank you, Dr. Eason, for that introduction.
It's an honor to be here today.
From the title of this gathering--Transporting Knowledge, Information and Resources into the 21st Century-it's evident that all of you realize the vital connection between transportation and technology.
Throughout time, humans have always been fascinated with movement.
Much of modern science, in fact, has been applied to improving transportation.
Lift is a force that is used to fly planes; magnets are now used to propel some types of trains; global positioning satellite receivers are used to track bus routes.
And computer technology is everywhere-from flight cabins to dashboards to the internet, which is used to provide citizens with real-time travel information, through traffic cameras or NCDOT's own Traveler Information Management System (TIMS).
Freedom itself depends on our ability to safely travel throughout our state, our nation . . . and our world.
My goal is to help Governor Easley fulfill his vision for One North Carolina by bringing quality transportation within reach of all North Carolinians.
For the last nine months I have been working on a VIGOROUS AGENDA in support of this effort.
Everyone here has been provided with a copy of my AGENDA CARD, which outlines the department's nine goals and commitments.
I share these with citizens wherever I go because all North Carolinians have a stake in our state's transportation future.
And I'm pleased to tell you that with the help of leaders like you, already we have made much PROGRESS.
My speaking here today is particularly appropriate because one of my top goals has been to IMPROVE EFFICIENCY by seeking new ways to do old jobs, namely through the use of NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
Improving efficiency raises performance in the most tangible ways; it increases productivity and it can stretch our transportation dollars.
We're particularly excited about our BUSINESS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, what we call BSIP. This project involves the replacement of our antiquated accounting system with new, state-of-the-art software known as Systems Application Program or SAP.
This system will result in less paperwork, better reporting, more timely processing of payments and will reduce overall administrative costs for the department.
We're in the implementation stage of this project right now and expect to have it completed by July of next year.
In such a lean budget year, internal efficiencies are helping us optimize our funds.
This is very important as we work toward ELIMINATING THE HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE BACKLOG, another key goal.
During the last 50 years, this department invested great effort in road building, earning the name of "THE GOOD ROADS STATE."
This investment certainly paid off because our roads have played a vital role in our state's growth.
But if we want to keep up with the needs of our growing population, we must be able to maintain the roads that we build.
One of the internal efficiencies that we're working on is a new maintenance management program.
This program, which will tie into our BSIP project, will help us better manage maintenance projects and equipment, saving time and money.
We've also been working with the General Assembly.
Last month, the General Assembly passed landmark legislation that would move about $420 million during the next three years from the Highway Trust Fund for pavement preservation.
Without a doubt, this is the most significant legislation passed since the Highway Trust Fund in 1989.
We appreciate the General Assembly's recognition of the importance of maintenance to our state's prosperity and it's important for you to know that we are moving ahead as soon as possible with much needed maintenance projects-from the mountains to the coast.
In November and December of this year, the Board of Transportation is scheduled to approve projects totaling $153 million.
Construction on these projects will begin as soon as weather permits.
Because there are two more years left in the program-$135 million in both the second and third years-you may be certain that other important maintenance projects will be completed across the state as part of this effort.
Contracts for maintenance projects for the second year will be let in 2002 and, for the third year, in 2003.
More maintenance funding is only part of the solution; unless we REDUCE THE NUMBERS OF CARS on the roads, our highways will only continue to deteriorate.
Congestion is frustrating for everyone-it is unproductive, it raises our stress level and it creates unsafe conditions along our highways.
Our urban areas in particular are choking with increased traffic volumes.
In June, we 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.
In the Triangle, we determined that HOV lanes would not work for I-40 at this time; however, we are taking other steps, including the construction of a temporary connector road from I-540 to Slater Road to provide relief until I-540 is extended to N.C. 55.
In Charlotte, we're currently examining the feasibility of an HOV lane along I-77, which will help ease congestion by increasing capacity.
The widening of I-77 from I-85 to I-485 in Charlotte is one of the state's three design-build projects.
We're expecting bids from 3 contractors by the end of the month, at which time we'll review them and submit our recommendation to the Board for approval in November.
Because design-build projects are awarded to a single contractor, work moves much faster than traditional construction jobs.
We expect construction to be complete on this project by December 2003.
New construction alone, however, cannot solve traffic congestion.
That's why we are also continuing to implement Intelligent Transportation Systems (or ITS) as an alternative to new construction.
ITS is the application of technology to transportation.
The simplest form of ITS is the traffic signal.
North Carolina currently has over 7500 traffic signals and continues to be a national leader in the use of signal systems, which allow for coordinated traffic progression.
In recent years the department has installed more than 125 traffic cameras, 60 variable message signs, and 15 highway advisory radios to keep motorists across the state informed about travel delays and to provide information on alternate routes.
We manage these systems from four regional transportation management centers across the state.
Our newest and most advanced Transportation Management Center is now operational in the Charlotte area.
From this center, NCDOT works with law enforcement and emergency response agencies, as well as our own Incident Management Assistance Patrol (or IMAP), in a coordinated effort to help traffic move as smoothly as possible.
One of the most exciting ITS projects in the works is our "511" initiative.
This effort will work in conjunction with our already successful Traveler Information Management System (TIMS) website to provide automated and up-to-date travel information to motorists across the state-from one easy-to-remember phone number.
The 511 system in North Carolina will include highway, transit, ferry, rail and tourism information and will begin with a pilot project in the Triad area.
North Carolina is also embarking on its first "Smart Work Zone" projects along I-95 and I-40.
Along these zones, technology will be used to automatically detect and provide real time traveler information via Variable Message Signs.
These devices will give travelers current travel time through a work zone and advise them of times when it would be best to use an alternate route based on the delay.
Another new ITS initiative is the Commercial Vehicle Information Sharing Network, a program that will allow safe trucks in our state to bypass weigh stations, thereby reducing delays and costs of getting goods to market.
A project is underway to install this upgraded technology at the Hillsborough weight station along Interstate 40/85.
In support of our ITS initiatives, the General Assembly passed legislation that would provide $45 million during the next 3 years to construct and install high-end technologies such as closed loop traffic signal systems, vehicle detection technology and incident management systems.
These technologies will help but we must also do all we can to offer citizens an alternative to the car-which brings me to our next priority, the development of a MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM.
A mass transit system will not only improve congestion, it will also help us better plan for the future.
With our state's growing population, we all know that the single-occupancy vehicle is not a feasible option for the long term.
This region recognizes this fact and is leading the way by linking transit and land use.
The demand for public transportation in this area is very clear.
During fiscal year 2000, Iredell County Transit provided transportation to 88,492 passengers and transit ridership in the Charlotte area continues to grow; the estimated 2001 ridership will exceed 14 million trips.
In this region and in others, we must find ways to meet this demand by expanding rail and public transportation.
We've got exciting plans in the works for passenger rail in the WESTERN AND THE EASTERN parts of our state.
In March we unveiled our plan to bring passenger rail back to Western North Carolina.
This five-phase plan includes operating a bus service from Salisbury to Asheville, renovating or building train stations and beginning passenger rail service in 2005.
In May, we released the results of a study on the feasibility of passenger rail for southeastern North Carolina.
While the work initially focused on a Wilmington to Charlotte rail service, the study ultimately revealed that interest is greater for a rail service that would connect Wilmington residents to the Northeast U.S. Corridor and Raleigh.
Based on this information, we are now analyzing three routes: Wilmington to Charlotte; Wilmington to Fayetteville and Raleigh; and Wilmington to Goldsboro to Raleigh.
Recent legislation passed by the General Assembly will help in these efforts by providing $120 million during the next 3 years to expand rail and public transportation across the state.
As we expand these services, safety is foremost on our minds-motorist as well as passenger safety.
This is another area where new technology is helping us.
We're currently testing new rail crossing signals that use neon-looking signs and a red strobe light to notify motorists of oncoming trains.
Our first such system has been installed near Rich Square and it highlights the traditional crossbucks with red light emitting diodes. These are known as LED lights and operate similar to the reflective lights in watches and travel clocks.
A strobe light bar, with a directional light that indicates which way the train is traveling, is positioned about five feet above the crossbucks.
The combination of the neon-looking, flashing lights makes the sign hard to ignore.
We hope that these warning devices will better help motorists look out for oncoming trains and we plan to be installing more systems like these across the state very soon.
We're also using new technologies in public transportation.
The Durham Area Transit System and the Charlotte Area Transit systems are both using a global positioning satellite (or GPS) receiver to automatically announce key bus stop locations-which helps blind passengers identify their location.
In addition, the Charlotte Area Transit Authority will soon be using GPS technology to help count passengers and analyze route efficiency. As we work to resolve transportation challenges in our cities, it's very important that we give equal consideration to our rural areas.
While our urban areas are continuing to enjoy economic growth, our rural communities have lagged behind.
Having grown up in Johnston County, I have always been a champion of our state's rural areas.
It wasn't so long ago that our farm roads helped build our state by MOVING GOODS to the MARKETPLACE.
There's no reason why our farm roads shouldn't continue this tradition and become the spokes in the economic development wheel.
With this aim, another key goal for me has been to boost economic development in our rural areas by EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
For some time now, we've been working on the development of rural transportation planning organizations-or RPOs-across the state.
RPOs are voluntary organizations composed of local elected officials and local transportation representatives that will serve in an advisory role for the department.
On Sept. 26, we presented a charter for our first RPO-the Mid-Carolina RPO, which represents the counties of Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson.
And just two days ago, we announced the formation of our second-the Unifour RPO, which represents Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties.
This effort is a partnership between the counties as well as the local MPO-in every way, these RPOs are true to the spirit of One North Carolina.
They will give leaders in rural areas the opportunity to take the lead in planning local transportation and to help shape the future of their regions.
For the citizens, the RPOs will improve quality of life by providing more local public involvement opportunities in the transportation decision-making process.
More efficient transportation planning in our rural regions will improve economic development across the state, therefore benefiting all North Carolinians.
As we build transportation infrastructure, it's also very important that we PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.
When transportation improvements are planned early and with great care, we not only protect the environment, we can also improve it.
Although securing timely environmental permits is one of the department's greatest challenges, we have made much progress in streamlining this process.
Our GIS team is in the process of developing a new linear-based referencing system that will soon be able to show the locations of human and natural environmental features across the state.
The new system will help planners avoid areas of the highest impact during the analysis and selection of transportation alternatives.
All of these efforts will help save both time and money-and most important of all, provide EXPANDED PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES that make our state so special.
I am pleased with our department's success to date but I am far from satisfied-there remains much work ahead.
But I'm excited by the challenge.
Transportation is fascinating because there is MOVEMENT, there is VITALITY and above all else, there is OPPORTUNITY.
In my mind, transportation is as much about the EXCHANGE OF IDEAS as it is the act of physical travel.
The point is to bring people together-and this can be achieved in many ways.
Take teleworking, for example.
Our department has a very successful teleworking program in place-nearly 200 employees work from home at least one day each week.
They use the computer and telephone to stay connected to their primary workplace.
In addition, I have recently charged employees throughout the department to find ways to use teleconferencing and videoconferencing more effectiveIy.
Not everyone can take the time to travel to a conference and it's important to me that all employees receive equal access to new ideas that can help them do a better job.
No doubt about it, technology has the power to transform our lives.
In the end, however, what we do with it is up to us.
As John F. Kennedy once said, "Humans are still the most extraordinary computer of all."
It's true that a computer can refine and build upon existing technologies, but it cannot generate new ideas and it cannot make connections in the same way that people do.
And when it comes to positive change, conferences like these are even more powerful than a computer because they bring people with great ideas together.
Let's pledge today to tap into the power of the best computer we have-our brains.
Let's continue to work together to fulfill the goals on this agenda card.
Make this agenda YOUR AGENDA AND HELP ME MOVE NORTH CAROLINA FORWARD.
Together we can build the kind of transportation system that strengthens our state and makes One North Carolina a reality.
Thank you for inviting me to join you today.