Obama to hear from holiday travelers about transportation concerns

What better time than Thanksgiving, the busiest travel season of the year, to focus on transportation? The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Nov. 25 launched a new campaign that will give travelers an opportunity to share their views on What the New President and Congress Should Know About Transportation. Beginning today and continuing through the Inauguration, the traveling public is urged to go to Tell Us... and post comments and videos about their transportation concerns.

At a press availability held Nov. 25 outside Washington DC's busy Union Station, AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley said, "It's important that the American people have a voice in creating the kind of transportation system this nation needs. Our goal is to make certain that we find transportation solutions that work with and for communities and support jobs right here at home."

State departments of transportation (DOTs) across the country will be encouraging citizens to post videos about what's happening in their communities. AASHTO will also be posting comments from "person-on-the-street" interviews they will be conducting over the next several months.

You can already watch videos from drivers, transit users and transportation experts voicing their concerns about traffic congestion, safety, air pollution, state budget cutting and project delays due to funding shortfalls. A major challenge facing the new Administration and Congress will be to pass a new transportation bill before the current federally funded highway and transit programs expire on Sep. 30, 2009.

AASHTO will continue the campaign through the Inauguration and will share the public's concerns with members of Congress and the White House early next year.