Progress Illinois

A few weeks ago, we cheered the news that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Department of Transportation would follow the White House’s lead in advancing President Obama’s climate change agenda. Frankly, we trusted Obama and White House energy and climate coordinator Carol Browner more than LaHood, who is not exactly known for his environmentalism or transit advocacy. But the more we hear from the former Illinois congressman, the more hopeful we are about his potential handling of the upcoming transportation negotiations.

Why the change of heart? Check out LaHood's two latest posts at the Fast Lane, his official blog. Yesterday, after addressing the National League of Cities, the Peoria Republican wrote that cities “provide energy, diversity, and the capacity to drive economic activity.” And today, before his testimony to the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee, he had this to say about the importance of walkable communities:

[O]ne of my highest priorities is to work closely with Congress, other Federal departments, the nation’s governors, and local officials to help promote more livable communities through sustainable surface transportation programs. By focusing on livability, we can help transform the way transportation serves the American people—and create safer, healthier communities that provide access to economic opportunities.

Then there’s this quote, courtesy of Huffington Post’s Sam Stein:

“My biggest concern is that we don’t get it right,” LaHood said in a recent interview with the Huffington Post. “As a member of Congress for the last 14 years, I know that infrastructure needs in the country were pretty much ignored… There are some huge, huge infrastructure needs in the country, mainly because infrastructure was not a priority for the last eight years. Our job is to change that. Our portion of the recovery plan is very helpful because it will put an enormous number of people to work in good paying jobs.” [...]

As it stands now, LaHood is not merely hoping that the money won’t just get people back to work; he wants to revamp the very essence of transportation in the United States. His vision includes more reliance on public transit and rail, a “very vibrant airline industry,” livable communities where people don’t rely on cars but still use them.

He’s exactly right -- the need for sustained investment is immense. And Congress won’t authorize enough money unless the administration applies the appropriate kind of pressure. Given his institutional knowledge, congressional connections, and apparent pro-transit stance, LaHood could be a big asset for a Democratic administration trying to reframe how the nation’s infrastructure and transportation network operates.