Our transportation network needs sufficient capacity to get our goods to market, connect our businesses and educational institutions with the rest of the country and the world, and move people to work and home again. To accomplish that, we must utilize the best available technologies.
Transportation infrastructure is a uniquely public responsibility and investment.
The private sector can be only as efficient and effective as the infrastructure that supports it. In others, a better mix of existing modes of transportation can postpone the need to build new capacity. Whether the approach to improved transportation systems is better planning, maintenance, or additional capacity, it will require public investment. At the close of the First Session of the 106th Congress, I want to report to you on some of our accomplishments, in partnership with state and local government, to meet that ongoing need for investment in transportation. I hope you will share with me your views on transportation, public infrastructure investment, and Minnesota's unique needs and challenges as we enter the 21st century.