DRIVE LAUNCHED TO MODERNIZE U.S. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

DRIVE LAUNCHED TO MODERNIZE U.S. TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is leading a nationwide campaign to modernize the U.S. transportation infrastructure.
   The chamber formally kicked off its “national mobility campaign” Tuesday with luncheon speeches by Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Thomas Donohue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce president.
   The chamber said it will promote its campaign through its local chapters nationwide, as well as within Washington.
   Congestion in all modes is evident and will only worsen in the years to come unless the problem is attacked quickly, Donohue said.
   “Demand on our roads, ports, railroads and waterways can barely accommodate current traffic levels, much less the projected growth in demand,' he said. Trade growth is expected to double or even triple over the next 20 years.
   “Demand (for transportation) is not going to fall with a growing population and a growing economy,” Donohue said. “Cars and trucks should be moving people and products, not idling in traffic and adding pollution to the environment.”
   Donohue also announced the formation of a coalition of transportation and industrial associations. The chamber said it will lead Americans For Transportation Mobility in its lobbying, media and grass-roots efforts to build support for improving the country’s aging infrastructure.
   Young said the infrastructure drive will be his chief issue in Congress.
   “This is the number one issue,” he said. “If you cannot move goods and people, you cannot progress.”
   Young and Donohue said one of the chief objectives is to convince Congress to spend money that have been in trust funds for years on transportation infrastructure improvements.
      Donohue said the coalition will not go after new money, but will work on getting money spent that is already in the various transportation trust funds.
   The trust funds are often targets on Congress for supporting projects that are not related to transportation, Donohue said.