Butch Brown, Mississippi Department of Transportation executive director and AASHTO president, moderated one of three panels held at the secretary's outreach tour. In remarks introducing his session, "Economic Development and State of Good Repair," Brown said preserving the nation's transportation system and adding additional lanes to meet continuing population growth should be among the nation's top priorities.

"Over the next 20 years, this country's population is expected to grow by at least 50 million," Brown said. "That is the equivalent of adding over 100 cities the size of New Orleans to the national population."

AASHTO's president also urged consideration of a four-part freight strategy: development of a national multimodal strategic freight plan, funding for projects of national significance, funding for every state to help build a national freight network, and support for multicorridor organizations that cross state lines.

Brown also expressed his strong support for retaining the current federal/state partnership.

"What we have today is described in statute as a federally assisted, state-administered program that is working and working well," Brown said. "It would be a mistake to make changes that shift decision-making away from the states and back to Washington."