Sherri H. LeBas

SASHTO President 2014

Secretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

John Schroer

SASHTO President 2015
Commissioner

Tennessee Department of Transportation

Dave Lee

SASHTO Secretary 2014-16

Florida Department of Transportation

presidents message

It has been a wonderful privilege to serve as President of such a fine organization and to host the 2014 annual meeting in beautiful New Orleans.

Transportation is vitally important to the economy and quality of life for the nation and for the SASHTO region. Our dynamic global economy demands the ability to quickly and reliably move information, people and goods. In many respects, transportation has never seen so many challenges and yet so many opportunities as well.

Change has been a constant and it is probably accurate to say that change will only accelerate, making it ever more essential for SASHTO states to adapt and innovate individually and corporately. Each state has extensive transportation needs, but relies on a program of federal-aid for highways, bridges and transit that is increasingly resource challenged. Clearly, as much as we rely on and need a significant federal investment, our states are perhaps being called to a level of unprecedented leadership in transportation finance and other areas as well. Transportation system performance in each state and for our entire region requires us to embrace the “can-do” value that is so emblematic of SASHTO.

This year, in fact, we are taking a fitting new direction for the annual report. It is a strategic focus that profiles each state as a “can-do” state, showcasing accomplishments, present initiatives, and future directions. It is really far more than a report. Our hope is that it serves to expand our dialogue about new ways to collaborate, to partner with other organizations, to innovate and in doing so to ensure that we can provide a multimodal transportation system for the SASHTO region that is second to none.

Take this opportunity to learn more about what the SASHTO states are doing, to share ideas, and to continue to cast vision about an even greater transportation system of tomorrow.

Thank you again for supporting SASHTO — a can-do organization of can-do states.

 

Sherri LeBas

SASHTO President 2014