A shortage of airports runways and gates along outmoded air traffic control systems have made U.S. air travel the most congested in the world.
Ray LaHoodLast time Congress passed a major six-year transportation bill was in 1997, since then there have been 21 short-term extensions.
Ray LaHoodThe Bush administration, they had two blue ribbon commissions about infrastructure finance that recommended a lot more money, and additionally the gas tax being increased. We couldn't get them to accept being able to move forward. Since President Obama's been in office, there has been, to be charitable, a lack of enthusiasm for raising the gas tax.
Ray LaHoodPortal Bridge is based on a design from the 1840s and was already obsolete shortly after it was completed in 1910. It's a swing bridge that needs to be opened several times a week so barges can pass up and down the river. It takes about a half an hour. The problem is it fails to lock back into place on a regular basis.
Ray LaHood