Vernon Ehlers: “Our transportation system continues to face tremendous challenges. Tens of thousands of lives are lost each year on our…”

“Our transportation system continues to face tremendous challenges. Tens of thousands of lives are lost each year on our highways. More drivers are driving more miles, causing severe congestion. An aging infrastructure is putting a strain on State and local transportation budgets. The public rightly demands safer, less congested roads and more transportation choices. Fundamental improvements to the entire transportation system depend on solid research. Solid research will translate to saved lives, saved money and saved time by providing the tools and information needed to produce solutions. How many of us have used an EZ Pass to breeze past congestion at a toll booth? Or been gently reminded to stay on the road by a rumble strip? Examples abound of these sorts of benefits gained by transportation research, such as research on pavements focuses on manipulating substances at the molecular level to create materials that are more durable and last significantly longer. This saves money, because more durable pavements need less maintenance and are replaced less frequently. It also saves time, reducing construction zones that are a major cause of congestion. Furthermore, research on transit focuses on how to make transit systems more cost-effective and efficient. Better transit systems give people more choices and save time by reducing the number of cars on the road.”