MINETA SAYS EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY IS TOP PRIORITY

MINETA SAYS EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION CAPACITY IS TOP PRIORITY    Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said Tuesday that expanding all modes of transportation will be a “top priority” for his department.
   “This is an intermodal issue” and it affects all modes including surface, aviation and maritime, Mineta told attendees of the American Association of Ports Authorities meeting.
   Mineta said he met with CSX Lines president Chuck Raymond, who is also chairman of the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Council, to discuss maritime issues, including those affecting ports and their connections to the nation’s landside transportation system. “We talked about increased cargo and congestion at our ports and how that impacts rail and commuter traffic. We talked about the trend toward mega-ships for cargo and tourism and the need for dredging at some ports,” Mineta said.
   Mineta also asked for the port industry’s views on ways to fund harbor projects, as a replacement of the Harbor Maintenance Tax which has been declared an unconstitutional tax on exports. The administration is “now reviewing (this) complex issue,” he added.