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National Association of County Engineers

April 21st, 2008
Chair Lynn Peterson,
Clackamas County Commission

Hello and welcome to Portland. 

In 1808 Thomas Jefferson’s Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin developed an infrastructure plan needed by a fast-growing nation with a network of roads and canals. 

In 1908, 100 years later, President Theodore Roosevelt invited every state and territorial governor to join members of his Cabinet and Congress, in a National Conference at the White House to discuss infrastructure needs for the 20th century.  The resulting report highlighted conservation and investments in hydropower.  More importantly, it laid the groundwork for many of the critical investments initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to jumpstart the nation’s recovery from the Great Depression including the interstate system.

As a former engineer for Wisconsin DOT, I can tell you that the folks retiring as I was starting out oversaw the building of an amazing road system.  We, the caretakers of that system have worked to provide cost-effective safety and maintenance projects under declining revenue.  And until today we have made sure that the investment by the generations before us does not collapse.

Unfortunately, the citizens of this country have neglected to continue to invest in America’s infrastructure, threatening our economic prosperity and the future of our communities, urban and rural.

The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission recently calculated that it will take $225 billion annually just to maintain our existing transportation system over the next 50 years.  Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget predicts a $3.2 billion shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund by 2009. 

More than 72,000 miles of municipal water and sewer pipe are more than 80 years old, threatening the public health and economies of communities large and small. 

A warming climate creates more demands on our infrastructure.  Communities will require more energy-efficient transportation systems that produce fewer carbon emissions; additional water storage capacity; and stronger levees and dams to protect homes and businesses from unpredictable and increasingly severe weather events. 

The fundamental building blocks of civil engineering have not changed in centuries.  However, for the first time in…oh about 100 years, we need to help the country do some problem-solving.  That is what we were trained to do.  We know the givens – that we have a complete system that needs to be maintained and some additional investment in capacity made in strategic areas.  We know what we need to build – a safe, financially, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable transportation system.  Now what methodology do we use to get from the givens to the final output?

We need a new National Plan to define and finance the infrastructure required to support a sustainable economy, improve the livability of our cities and rural communities, provide jobs for Americans, and strengthen our national security. 

Congressman Blumenauer, who represents the Oregon district that we sit in today and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, has received overwhelmingly positive support for crafting a new National Plan from over 240 stakeholder groups, including engineers, planners, transportation organizations, labor unions, business groups, environmental advocates, and foundations.

I call on you today to support Congressman Blumenauer’s efforts.  You can do this by doing what you do best, problem-solve.  Provide him with the state of the art ideas that will do what we need to do in the future: provide flexibility.

The nation will need more flexibility in funding .  I believe that Oregon being the first in the nation to institute a gas tax should be the first to move away from a declining revenue source.  How can we help push forward the technology that will move us to time of day and mileage based fees?  

The nation will need more flexibility in design standards.  How can we help push for standards that allow you to do your job without being forced to overbuild or over plan?  And allow you to do what you need to do to build communities.

The nation will need more flexibility in modes.  How will we educate the next generation of engineers to design for all the modes, not just one?  When I was in school 15 years ago, there were no classes in railway design, bicycle safety, or light rail and streetcar!  Only highway design.  We need to make sure that we can move people and freight in a more effective and safe manner.

May you learn a lot about the state of the art of your field today and be sure to take that knowledge home., apply it your area but then do some big picture thinking and send your thoughts to your congress person or directly to Congressman Blumenauer.  We need to harness your problem-solving capacity for the future health of our world and economy.

Thank you for coming to Portland.