Senator Collins Receives 2017 Woman of the Year Award From International Women’s Transportation Organization

Augusta, ME - The Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) honored U.S. Senator Susan Collins today with its 2017 Woman of the Year Award for her significant legislative contributions and accomplishments “that have moved the transportation system forward in the United States.” The award was presented to Senator Collins in Augusta at the WTS Maine Chapter Meeting this morning. The meeting was co-hosted by the Maine Department of Transportation.

“I greatly appreciate being recognized for my work to improve the safety and efficiency of our nation’s transportation network and my advocacy for critical infrastructure projects, from roads and bridges to seaports, shipyards, railways and airports,” said Senator Collins. “As Chairman of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, I’ve focused on improving our nation’s infrastructure an ensuring that Maine’s needs are met. Throughout Maine, I’ve seen first-hand the positive effects of investments that boost our economy and create much-needed jobs. It’s a privilege to join Maine’s communities in this important work.”

WTS praised Senator Collins for her “major legislative victory in 2011, when Congress passed legislation allowing trucks weighing up to 100,000 pounds to operate on [Maine’s] modern interstate highways, rather than forcing them onto secondary roads and downtown streets.” WTS highlighted that Senator Collins “fought hard for this legislation over many years, listening to her constituents’ concerns about safety and the higher transportation and road maintenance costs caused when Maine was forced to keep big trucks off the state’s interstate highway system.” Senator Collins “used the information she gathered to make a compelling case, convincing her colleagues in both the House and Senate to support higher truck weights on federal highways in Maine and Vermont, accomplishing something that had eluded Maine policymakers for 30 years. As a result, Maine’s streets are safer, the air is cleaner, and businesses are more competitive.”

Senator Collins is the Chairman of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, where she works to secure federal funding for vital infrastructure and transportation projects. Senator Collins has helped provide $122 million in TIGER program funding for critical transportation projects throughout Maine, including $25 million for the replacement of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge.

WTS was founded in 1977 and is an international organization with more than 6,500 members, both women and men, dedicated to building the future of transportation through the global advancement of women.