"The commission's report makes it clear that our status quo approach to investing in transportation is failing Americans at a time when they can least afford costly delays, wasted fuel and needless shipping costs. We have a unique opportunity, thanks to the stimulus, to show how transportation investments will cut commutes, save fuel and make our economy more efficient and competitive. As important as this first step is, those investments will have been in vain if we simply follow with the kind of knee-jerk rejections of sound solutions that led to years of neglect.
"The commissioners unanimously concluded that increased investment in our transportation system is needed for our nation to meet the challenges of the future. Virtually everyone, including a second national commission, that has looked at our current challenges, regardless of their political persuasion or policy preferences, has come to the same conclusion. As this report makes clear, we must consider and ultimately embrace every viable option for building the kind of infrastructure America will need if we are to remain globally competitive into the future."
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