CHICAGO, April 4, 2012 - U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino were among an impressive list of national and international keynote speakers at the 25th annual Innovations Conference on Asphalt and Transportation (ICAT) hosted by Bradley University in Peoria, IL on April 3 and 4, 2012.

Secretary LaHood, Commissioner Andolino and Illinois State Toll Highway Authority Executive Director Kristi LaFleur each presented at this morning's keynote session. Andolino provided the audience of over 400 with an update on the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) and discussed how the CDA continues to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of the OMP, including the use of clean construction equipment supplied by Peoria-based Caterpillar. In addition, she discussed the CDA's increasing use of environmentally-friendly warm mix asphalt techniques for runway and taxiway construction.

This year's sold out ICAT event also included remarks by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn; Ann Schneider, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary; and Doug Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO, Caterpillar Inc. Sam Pitroda, Infrastructure Minister and Advisor to the Indian Prime Minister, also presented at the conference via Skype.

Now celebrating 25 years, ICAT is one of the nation's premier transportation events. ICAT brings together business executives, policymakers and scholars from around the world to promote business partnerships, align and leverage new alliances, explore new funding sources, and address major challenges facing the infrastructure industry.

Highlights from the conference included presentations on a proposed $1.0 trillion transportation and highway infrastructure project in India; the world's tallest cable stay bridge; the world's tallest building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and the case for tolling existing U.S. Interstates.

Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton received the 2012 ICAT Sustainability Award. This award honors individuals for leadership and original work in developing, employing and supporting the principles of sustainability. Secretary LaHood and Commissioner Andolino were honored as recipients of the ICAT Sustainability Award in 2010.

Dr. Amir Al-Khafaji, ICAT Conference Chairman and Bradley University Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Chairman, coordinated the two day conference hosted by Bradley University. For more information about ICAT visit http://icat.bradley.edu/.