Our airport, led by a tremendously capable and committed management team, has received numerous distinctions and awards. It was rated the most on-time airport in the nation for departures in 2005, and its concessions management garnered a top ranking from Airport Revenue News in 2006. With the wealth of airport experience our new Airport Director, Maureen Riley, brings to the position, we anticipate the Airport will continue its stellar record of progress. We are very pleased to welcome Maureen to Salt Lake City.

Wise transportation choices can result in greater mobility freedom for everyone, far fewer hours spent driving, significantly less household transportation-related expenses, far less social isolation, preservation of open spaces, cleaner air, fewer emissions of global warming pollutants, and improved business and housing opportunities. Poor transportation choices, particularly those that promote dependence on the automobile, can result in greater social isolation, even more traffic congestion in the future, destruction of open spaces, threats to our climate, poor air quality, assaults upon the public health, tremendous pressures on household budgets, and community divisions. That is why our administration has taken a transit-first approach to all development proposals. Our City�s Transportation Division, under the dedicated, visionary leadership of Tim Harpst, has helped move Salt Lake City away from sprawl-inducing dependence on the automobile that perpetuates our addiction to fossil fuels, and toward transit and greater safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The University TRAX line project was a model for community involvement and

attentiveness to local concerns. As a facilitator for that enormous construction project, Bill Knowles�s leadership, expertise, and wisdom were crucial to the success of that project. The City and the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce are fortunate to have him as our construction mitigation coordinator for the exciting development taking place downtown.

Along with our Transportation Division, DJ Baxter and Mary Guy-Sell were instrumental in the design and construction of the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub, the first LEED-certified building constructed by Salt Lake City government. They were also crucial in developing the City�s agreement with UTA earlier this year to extend TRAX from the Delta Center to the Intermodal Hub, a crucial part of connecting the first phase of commuter rail to an expanding light rail system, buses, taxis, cars, and bicycles.