FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As Congress debates reauthorization legislation that will affect the funding of transportation initiatives for the next decade, federal and state officials and transportation professionals will meet in the Reynolds Center Auditorium at the University of Arkansas on Monday, April 14, for a public symposium.

Hosted by the Mack Blackwell Rural Transportation Center and the University of Arkansas, the symposium will feature presentations by Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson of the Department of Homeland Security and Rep. Tom Petri, chairman, Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines. Undersecretary Hutchinson will focus on border and transportation security and Rep. Petri will address the reauthorization legislation.

"We are very excited to host the Surface Transportation Symposium. Northwest Arkansas is a natural choice for showcasing the transportation needs of rural America," said Melissa Tooley, director of the Mack-Blackwell Rural Transportation Center. "We are especially pleased to have Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson and Chairman Thomas Petri speak at the Symposium, and are grateful to Congressman John Boozman for his assistance in planning this event."

The Symposium will also feature panel discussions on local, state and industry transportation issues and a panel of professional staff from the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines to address federal issues. Other speakers will be University of Arkansas Chancellor John White and Dan Flowers, director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.

"The Mack-Blackwell Center and the University of Arkansas have a long history of improving transportation infrastructure in the region and have earned a national reputation for leadership in rural transportation research and education," said Rep. John Boozman, who serves on the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines. "This leadership has been very beneficial to our communities as they address the growth our region has seen in recent years.  The Surface Transportation Symposium is a continuation of their commitment and I look forward to being part of this exciting and informative event."

The Symposium will begin at 8:00 a.m. with opening remarks and the presentation by Undersecretary Hutchinson and will conclude at noon. It is free and open to the public.

Due to construction, parking will not be available at the Reynolds Center. Parking for the event will be available at the Walton Arts Center parking lot on the southwest corner of Dickson Street and West Avenue and shuttles will be available to and from the Reynolds Center. Shuttles will run every 15 minutes from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. and from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Between 8:15 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., the shuttles will run every 30 minutes.