[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 172 (Thursday, December 5, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          US-31 RIBBON CUTTING

  (Mr. ROKITA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the opening of the 
Kokomo section of the new US-31 corridor.
  Indiana is called the ``crossroads of America,'' and for great 
reason. With numerous interstates and highways crisscrossing our State 
and intersecting in Indianapolis, our geographic position and 
transportation network have made logistics and manufacturing critical 
components of our economy in America.
  With that in mind, last week I had the privilege of attending the 
ribbon cutting of the new US-31 Kokomo corridor.
  When the final Hamilton County section opens to traffic in 2015, a 
total of 32 stoplights will have been removed from US-31 between 
Indianapolis and South Bend, saving drivers a half hour of travel time.
  The Indiana Department of Transportation also deserves great credit 
for completing this project nearly 2 years ahead of schedule and, so 
far, 40 percent below the projected budget. Washington bureaucrats 
could learn a lot from that efficiency.
  I commend and congratulate all of the individuals, elected officials, 
and business and community groups involved in bringing the Kokomo 
corridor US-31 from the drawing board to reality.

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