As Congress and the Administration push for economic recovery, more than a thousand people have offered their ideas about ways to improve transportation in America. Their videos, emails, and hand-written comments express What the New President and Congress Need to Know About Transportation.

"The goal of this campaign was to take a snapshot of what Americans think about their transportation system and how it might be improved," said John Horsley, Executive Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The "I Told the President" website collected comments from Thanksgiving through the Presidential inauguration.

AASHTO plans to deliver the results of the campaign to Members of Congress and the Administration this week. The diverse comments urged action to rebuild the nation's highways; expand transit; make trips safer for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists; and stressed the need for a clear vision for the future. Many also expressed a sense of urgency that America's transportation needs must be addressed now. A summary of the comments can be found at http://downloads.transportation.org/YouToldUs.pdf.

"Americans recognize we have a lot of work to do if we're going to reduce congestion, improve safety, keep up with population growth, and build a sustainable transportation system for the future," Horsley said. "They also know that the highway and transit authorization bill is only months away and the clock is ticking on creating a new transportation vision for America," said Horsley.

The outreach effort is part of AASHTO's ongoing "Are We There Yet? We Can Be!" campaign to raise awareness of transportation issues and build support for smart solutions.

For the full array of comments, go to www.Itoldthepresident.org, or the AASHTO website, www.transportation.org, to learn more about AASHTO's solutions and authorization proposals.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is the "Voice of Transportation" representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. AASHTO is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association serving as a catalyst for excellence in transportation.