Press Release

 

GOMACO Receives Interstate ‘Pioneer’ Award From ARTBA-TDF

 

GOMACO has been recognized as a recipient of an Interstate “Pioneer” award from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF). The awards were presented in recognition for leadership roles in the development and continuation of the United States Interstate system.

More than 600 transportation construction industry executives, members of Congress and their staffs, and the Bush Administration officials attended a celebration on June 29, 2006, commemorating the golden anniversary of the Interstate System. During the event GOMACO was among the transportation, engineering and construction firms, suppliers and manufacturers, federal and state transportation departments, national associations and labor organizations which were honored for their contributions.

"America needs a new transportation vision for the 21st century that adds capacity and is as 'historic and far-reaching' as the one articulated by President Dwight Eisenhower more than 50 years ago when he created the Interstate Highway System," said retired General Colin L. Powell. He said expanded surface transportation investments were key to ensuring that America remains globally competitive.

On June 29, 1956, President Eisenhower signed the law authorizing construction of the Interstate System and created the Highway Trust Fund to finance it. It represented the fulfillment of the 1901 vision of ARTBA founder Horatio Earle, who had advocated for a federally-built "Capital Connecting Government Highway System," which he said "would connect every state capital with each other and the nation's capital - Washington, D.C."

The ARTBA dinner event also drew attention to the transportation and mobility challenges facing the nation in the future. ARTBA is already preparing for the next highway and transit reauthorization bill, scheduled for 2009. Established in 1902, ARTBA is the voice of the U.S. transportation construction industry in the nation's capital.