Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation in the Public Works ...

Politics also play a role in the organizational structure of transportation departments,
restructuring for efficiency is desirable and may actually be one of the options for dealing
with a structured civil service system. Unfortunately, in todays tight financial resource
situation restructuring is associated with making do with less money. Salaries in
transportation departments are traditionally low, although there may be a few exceptions.
In many cases the low salaries are making it difficult to replace professional staff in a timely
manner. State administrators and legislators are reluctant to raise salaries because it is
considered poor politics. The lack of professionally trained leadership and administration
of transportation departments is ultimately a loss to society.
There is an opportunity for comprehensive long-term legislation to impact the
transportation infrastructure. Perhaps an omnibus legislation at the federal level could
provide a framework for an integrated transportation system and guidelines for growth of
that transportation system. It is time for new comprehensive transportation development
that would include integration of air, automobile, rail, truck and bus modes of travel and
movement of goods. In a recent newspaper article Boeing Aircraft Corporation was quoted
as having estimated that air traffic will triple by the year 2020. There are a number of
factors, particularly the national and international economy, that will affect the actual rate
of growth. Whether air travel triples or not, it will grow significantly within that time frame.
It is easy to suggest that the number of airports will not triple within that period of time.
Only a modest increase in physical facilities is likely to occur. That means that there is
going to have to be a significant latent elasticity for handling increased demand with current
airport facilities.
A large portion of the major airports in the United States are concentrated in urban
areas. The increase in air traffic and an associated increase in passengers will impact on
ground transportation. Attention paid to developing an integrated transportation system
would pay benefits by establishing a structure for ground transportation that would not only
be more efficient for handling an increase in the number of air passengers but would benefit
the other modes of transportation. It is recommended that the existing transportation
system be integrated as soon as possible.
There should be an extended time horizon with which legislation and policy is
established. This may be difficult when many legislators view their position on a time
horizon of two to four years which is based on the political expediency of being reelected.
A distant time horizon for many institutions in U.S society would be beneficial. It is
particularly true of the transportation infrastructure. A significant reason for adoption of
the legislation establishing the current interstate highway system was predicated on the need
for a direct high speed road network for national defence. The interstate system as a means
of public transportation was also stated and the benefits to the public were considered.
However, once established and construction undertaken, the national defense aspect became
less important. During the 1970s and 80s as the initial construction began wearing out, the
cost of maintaining and rehabilitating the highway system became a prime issue at the state
and federal level. The twenty to thirty year time frame for planning and design of the initial
interstate system obviously was not adequate. It would have been more appropriate to have
adopted a time horizon of a 100 years or more. That a national policy for such an
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