Media
Philadelphia Inquirer: Any infrastructure plan must include airports
By Ed Rendell, Chellie Cameron & Kevin M. Burke
May 18, 2017
Earlier this year, the American Society of Civil Engineers graded America's infrastructure a D-plus. Our roads are riddled with potholes, our trains and buses are overcrowded, and many of our ports are not deep enough to accept larger cargo ships.
Bloomberg Government: It’s time to raise the nation’s D+ infrastructure grade
By Secretary LaHood & Norma Jean Mattei
3/16/17
In his address to Congress, President Trump described a future in which “crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our beautiful land,” and asked Congress to assemble a plan to provide a $1 trillion investment comprising public and private capital.
NY Daily News: Find a way to build big things together
By Secretary Ray LaHood
2/02/17
Our country went through a long and divisive election, and contentious opening days of a new administration. But with the start of the new Congress and the inauguration of a new President, we have a unique opportunity and obligation to find issues of common cause that can unite our nation and help move us forward.
I say this as a former Republican congressman who worked in a Democratic President’s cabinet — and as someone who cares deeply about the future competitiveness of this country.
The Hill: Building infrastructure for the future can bring country together
By Former Sec. and Rep. Ray LaHood (R-ILL.) and Former Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), Contributors
12/04/16
As President-elect Donald Trump and the incoming Congress turn to the work of governing, we need opportunities to bring the country together. We need to think big.
And what we do next should be about our future, not the past.
The State Journal-Register: Vote 'yes' on roads amendment
By: Secretary Ray LaHood and Governor Ed Rendell
10/19/2016
Across Illinois, many commuters face a daily slog getting to the office and the kids to school, from traffic jams and crowded buses or trains to roads filled with potholes or constantly in need of repair. It can feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, as Illinoisans spend more than $800 per commute each year in wasted time and fuel for the costs of growing disrepair.
Bloomberg Government: A rare moment of bipartisan agreement needs more scrutiny
By: Secretary Ray LaHood and Governor Ed Rendell
10/4/2016
Bloomberg Government regularly publishes insights, opinion and best practices from our community of senior leaders and decision-makers. This column is written by former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.
The Hill: Investing in water infrastructure keeps our economy flowing
By: By Former Sec. Ray LaHood and former Gov. Ed Rendell (D-Pa.)
9/19/2016
When we talk about the decline of America's infrastructure, we usually picture familiar scenes: commuters sitting in traffic, long waits for overcrowded metros and hour-long waits on the tarmac after planes pull away from a gate. Every American can see the rusting bridges and potholed roads in their communities, they know how many hours a week they lose to rush hour congestion. And it is easy to connect the dots between those poor conditions and how subpar infrastructure is a drag on our economy
The Baltimore Sun: Don't miss the boat on shipping
By Ray LaHood
4/27/16
When the Panama Canal opened 102 years ago, it was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. The result revolutionized the global shipping industry by saving cargo ships from the precarious 5,000-mile trip around South America, reshaping both international and domestic shipping and trade patterns. When the newly widened Panama Canal reopens later this year, the result will again be transformative. But with this massive opportunity comes massive challenges.
The Hill: Modernizing America’s airports a critical step to modernizing our aviation network
By Kevin M. Burke and Gov. Ed Rendell
04/18/16
Modernizing America’s aviation network is about what happens in the sky and on the ground. While more needs to be done to modernize our air traffic navigation system, we can’t forget that every trip through the skies starts and ends in an airport. So what happens on the ground is critical to meeting the demands of increasing air travel.
Governing: Why Are We Letting Our Infrastructure Fall to Pieces?
By Ray LaHood
4/11/16
I'll admit it: I was shocked when I read that the Washington, D.C., region's Metro rail system might be facing line closures for up to six months at a time to make critical, long-neglected safety repairs. Fortunately, Metro has since walked that idea back. But just the prospect of a major transit system having to take such a drastic step is emblematic of what can happen when critical maintenance is put off and investment in our public infrastructure does not keep pace with needs.