|
Summary of Remarks Made by Secretary Rodney Slater in support of I-69 "The I-69/Corridor 18 trade route is a vital part of the future of transportation in North
America and, when completed, this 'Mid-Continent highway' has the potential of becoming one of the greatest North-South trading corridors in American history." This
was the message of Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater at a recent meeting of more than 100 Indiana business leaders headlining his annual Multimodal Tour of key points along the proposed
extension of I-69 from Indianapolis to Houston and through the Rio Grande Valley to the Mexican border. "For
me personally," he said, "this tour has underscored the importance of I-69 for the future of this country. When you look at the Mid-Continent
Highway route as a whole, it is clear that this corridor is one of the great transportation construction projects in human history. "This
Mid-Continent Trade Corridor is a big, big idea -- with big, big consequences," he declared. "When finished, our nation's investment in I-69 will link one of the world's largest production
regions into a unified, Continental economy. "A
Canada - to - Mexico trade corridor through America's heartland will be a powerful economic spine, integrating rail, air, water and highway transportation into an efficient and economical system. "Constructing
this intermodal transportation network will make a huge difference to Indiana and it will help like major segments of America's rural economy, including the Mississippi Delta, to the rest of the U.S.
economy and to the emerging global economy. "By
doing so," Slater declared, "the Corridor will help assure that America's unprecedented economic growth benefits all Americans, with no one left out."
|