When President Eisenhower set the construction of the Interstate highway system in motion 52 years ago, the federal government’s role in ensuring safe, efficient and reliable transportation of people and goods was transformed. Today, that role must once again change if we are to build the 21st-century transportation infrastructure network our citizens deserve, and which this nation needs to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

Nothing less than a wholesale restructuring of priorities, premises and practices is necessary to achieve a complete reconfiguration of federal transportation policy. Fortunately, the need for such a shift comes on the heels of a technological revolution; and while most industries have taken full advantage of the latest upgrades and new technologies, transportation is behind the curve — due in no small part to a bureaucracy that stifles innovation and competition.

Dynamic, high-speed, open-road electronic tolling, real-time traffic information, and the NextGen air traffic control system can help usher in a new era in American transportation. But in order to do that, we in Washington must create an environment that is receptive to new approaches to financing, operating and maintaining transportation systems.

This environment is not simply one that includes less red tape and federal intransigence. It’s one that puts an emphasis on results. One that takes politics out of transportation decision-making, and instead sends resources where they are needed most and can do the most good. And one that is open to new ideas, even when they mean shifting influence away from the Beltway.

States must play a greater role in decision-making. That certainly doesn’t bother me, but I know it scares many special interest constituencies inside the Beltway who benefit from today’s failures. It is clear to me, however, that the “quiet revolution” of transportation innovation is taking place from the ground up, not from the top down. The aim of federal policy should be to encourage this, not regulate it out of existence.

I recently met with policy, transportation and finance advisers from 38 states at a seminar on transportation funding and financing, and was greatly encouraged by what I heard. States are breaking new ground in exciting ways, and exploring some of the most promising transportation initiatives I’ve ever seen — in spite of status quo rhetoric from some in Washington. They’re working to unleash the hundreds of billions of dollars the private sector has available for investment in transportation infrastructure — and they’re doing it in a responsible, bipartisan, pro-environment way.

In Indiana, Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels has fully funded his state’s transportation plan simply by contracting with a private operator to unlock $3.85 billion of value from a toll road that was losing money under state control. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell recently received the largest bid for transportation infrastructure development investment in history — a $12.8 billion offer to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike and invest the proceeds in the state’s transportation system. To put this amount into perspective, the Turnpike bid represents over one-fourth of the federal government’s entire annual budget for highway construction. In Florida and Texas, an array of major congestion-relief projects financed directly by electronically collected user fees and private capital valued in the billions of dollars is moving forward.

These partnerships and other state and local initiatives are terrific — but only if they deliver real results: shorter commutes, more efficient transit, financial stability and a safer network. It’s time we put results ahead of all other concerns and embrace solutions that work — no matter who thought of them.

The need for a new era in national transportation policy is clear. High gas prices are requiring Americans to re-think their transportation decisions. Now, it’s time for the government to rethink its own approach to transportation. That may mean making uncomfortable choices and giving up power in the people’s interest.

But that’s what governing is all about, and it’s what we all signed up for. President Eisenhower certainly thought so.

Peters is the secretary of transportation.