[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16540]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                          TRIBUTE TO RAY ZINK

 Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, Ray Zink, North Dakota Department 
of Transportation Deputy Director for Engineering, retired June 30. In 
his 40 years with NDDOT, Ray has had a long-standing dedication to 
providing the best possible transportation system for the people of 
North Dakota at the lowest possible cost.
  Ray Zink joined NDDOT in 1959 as a draftsman, and after subsequent 
promotions, he became chief engineer in 1982. Ray worked successfully 
with four NDDOT directors, three governors, and both political parties. 
Governors, legislators, and others in political positions have trusted 
Ray throughout the years and respected his integrity and judgement.
  Ray has held several key positions in AASHTO (the American 
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials), and because 
of his expertise and the respect accorded him, he has been invited to 
represent AASHTO and the FHA (Federal Highway Administration) at 
highway symposiums in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and Johannesburg and 
Durban, South Africa.
  As North Dakota's chief highway engineer for 17 years, Ray Zink can 
claim the following accomplishments:
  Helping to build one of the finest highway systems in the Nation: 
Because the state is so large and people live so far from each other, 
North Dakota requires an extensive highway system to move people and 
commodities. However, it lacks the population base to support the 
system it needs. In spite of this, Ray Zink has led NDDOT to create an 
excellent highway system, by listening to the public, relying on sound 
engineering practices, and industriously using every penny of funding 
in the most effective way.
  Using Federal aid as quickly as possible: North Dakota has always 
matched and used every dollar of federal aid available to it. Under 
Ray's leadership the state has spent federal aid as quickly and 
efficiently as possible, because every delay reduces the effectiveness 
of the funding through inflation and further highway deterioration. In 
rural America, our roads are critical to keeping us connected to our 
farms, our jobs, our families, and our cities.
  Instituting North Dakota's low-load program: To help funnel more 
funds to where they were most badly needed, Ray initiated the low-load 
program. Highways with very low truck traffic are designated ``low-load 
highways.'' They receive basic maintenance and periodic seal coats but 
are not candidates for other improvements. This lets NDDOT direct its 
resources to heavily-traveled highways that need more attention, which 
means that the entire highway system is in better shape and will 
deteriorate more slowly.
  As NDDOT maintenance engineer and chief engineer, Ray Zink has helped 
create and maintain these vital links between towns and cities and 
farms, and we are grateful for his careful guardianship.

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