[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 93 (Tuesday, July 14, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H5412-H5413]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE 46TH CONGRESSIONAL 
                                DISTRICT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut). Under the

[[Page H5413]]

Speaker's announced policy of January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Sanchez) is recognized during morning hour debates for 
3 minutes.
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Madam Speaker, during the Fourth of July district work 
period, it was my distinct honor to join officials in Orange County, 
California, to highlight the transportation needs of the 46th 
Congressional District.
  I joined the chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority, 
Sara Catz, a longtime friend, and the regional administrator for the 
Federal Transit Administration, Mr. Leslie Rogers, to present a $5 
million check in Federal transportation funding to undertake a 
feasibility study for the construction of an urban light rail system.
  I believe that the final release of the Federal funding is an 
excellent example of the partnership between the Federal Government and 
regional transportation agencies in an effort to meet the 
transportation needs of local residents. I am pleased to work with the 
administration to make the funding available to begin the feasibility 
study of the transitway project.
  The funding represents a significant step in relieving the crushing 
transportation demands of the residents of Orange County.
  For example, the projected future economic growth will result in an 
estimated 43 percent increase in county traffic by the year 2020. In 
fact, if we take a look at the work that is being done today in the 
city of Anaheim, $5 billion worth of new construction, private 
construction, where we are building a second Disneyland theme park, 
Members will note that we have a lot of construction going on today.
  While the residents of Orange County many years ago passed a 
proposition which would allow us to fund many of the transportation 
improvements we have been working on, the fact of the matter is that 
the economic good times that are occurring there with respect to 
construction and jobs require an even more fundamental solution.
  For example, the interstate throughway through Orange County now has 
a place where it is 26 lanes wide in just one spot, so transit makes 
good sense if it can be affordable and if it can be applied correctly.
  In fact, if we do not do something and we continue just to build 
freeways, it will add about another 20 minutes to commute time in 
Orange County, where some people already have commute times of 2 hours 
just one way to get to work in the morning.
  The potential for the light rail system in our county is exciting. 
Transitway projects such as this represent a sound investment in 
infrastructure that enable our economy to thrive and to provide our 
communities with a safe and reliable transportation system. It becomes 
even more important as part of our population continues to age and as, 
for example, in the city of Santa Ana, which I represent, we have the 
youngest population across the United States.
  Ultimately, by improving our transportation system, we stimulate 
economic growth, we create local jobs, and ultimately we improve the 
quality of life for our cities and our neighborhoods.

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