U.S. Transportation Secretary: Air traffic modernization is America's most urgent infrastructure need.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Daugherty said that building a new air traffic control system is the most urgent infrastructure need in the United States, and he is ramping up efforts to urge lawmakers to provide funding for this comprehensive initiative. Daugherty told reporters on Wednesday that once Congress allocates funding for the plan, "we will be ready on day one." "This is currently the most important infrastructure project in the United States." During the briefing, Daugherty also discussed some ongoing improvement measures to enhance operations at Newark Airport. This includes the installation of new fiber optic lines by Verizon Communications between a Philadelphia site and an air traffic facility in New York, which was previously responsible for Newark's airspace. Daugherty said that this line is expected to be operational this summer after testing.