Rural Transportation Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish and implement a rural road safety program under which funds shall be apportioned to each State to: (1) improve horizontal and vertical alignment, signage and pavement markings, and sight distances; (2) eliminate wheel lane rutting, increase skid resistance, and smooth roadways; (3) widen lanes and shoulders; (4) install dedicated turn lanes and traffic and safety lights; and (5) install and upgrade guardrails, traffic barriers, crash cushions, protective devices, and rumblestrips.
Requires States to: (1) conduct and maintain an engineering survey of all two-lane rural roads classified as minor and major collectors and minor arterials to identify dangerous locations and to assign priorities and establish a schedule for improvements; and (2) establish a process to analyze and assess results achieved.
Increases certain apportionments for: (1) Federal highway aid to rural areas for roads functionally classified as minor arterials and major and minor collectors; (2) highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation; and (3) State planning and research programs.
Authorizes appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund for the Appalachian development highway system program.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3743 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 3743
To improve the safety of rural roads.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2004
Mr. Ney (for himself, Mr. Holden, Mr. Boehlert, and Mr. Isakson)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the safety of rural roads.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Transportation Act''.
SEC. 2. RURAL ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that it is in the vital interest of
the Nation that a rural road safety program be established to ensure
that the safety of the traveling public is enhanced on rural two-lane
highways.
(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish and implement a
rural road safety program in accordance with this section.
(c) Apportionments.--
(1) In general.--On October 1 of each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall apportion to each State to carry out this
section an amount in the ratio of the percentage of the
centerline mileage of two-lane roads in rural areas
functionally classified as minor and major collectors and
arterials in each State bears to the total centerline mileage
of two-lane roads in rural areas functionally classified as
minor and major collectors and arterials in all the States.
(2) Allocation of apportioned funds.--Within each State,
funds for the rural road safety program for each fiscal year
shall be allocated among State, county, city, and other levels
of government commensurate with each entity's ownership ratio
of eligible two-lane road mileage of two-lane roads in rural
areas functionally classified as minor and major collectors and
arterials.
(d) Location of Projects.--Funds authorized to carry out this
section shall be available for expenditure only for activities
described in subsection (h).
(e) Obligation of Funds.--Funds authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this section shall be available for obligation in the same
manner and the same extent as if such funds were apportioned under
section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, except that the
Secretary is authorized to waive provisions that the Secretary
considers inconsistent with the purposes of this section.
(f) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of a project under this
section shall be 80 percent of the total cost for such project.
(g) Transferability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law no
portion of a State's apportionment allocated for the rural road safety
program may be transferred to any other apportionment of the State for
such fiscal year.
(h) Use of Funds.--A State that receives an apportionment under
this section may use funds--
(1) to improve horizontal and vertical alignment;
(2) to eliminate wheel lane rutting, increase skid
resistance, and smooth roadways;
(3) to improve sight distances;
(4) to widen lanes and shoulders;
(5) to install dedicated turn lanes;
(6) to install and upgrade guardrails, traffic barriers,
crash cushions, protective devices, and rumblestrips;
(7) to install traffic and safety lights, improve signage
and pavement markings; and
(8) to implement other safety activities designated by the
Secretary.
(i) Program.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, each State that receives an apportionment under this
section shall conduct and systematically maintain an engineering survey
of all two-lane rural roads classified as minor and major collectors
and minor arterials--
(1) to identify dangerous locations, sections, and
elements, including roadside obstacles and unmarked or poorly
marked roads, which may constitute a danger to motorists,
bicyclists, pedestrians, impaired, and ``older'' drivers;
(2) to assign priorities for the correction of such
locations, sections, and elements; and
(3) establish and implement a schedule of projects for
improvement of such roads.
(j) Evaluation.--
(1) In general.--Each State shall establish an evaluation
process approved by the Secretary to analyze and assess results
achieved by safety improvement projects carried out in
accordance with the procedures and criteria established by this
section.
(2) Priorities.--Such evaluation process shall develop
cost-benefit data for various types of corrections and
treatments, which shall be used in setting priorities for
safety improvement projects.
(k) Reporting.--
(1) In general.--Each State shall report to the Secretary
not later than December 30 of each year, regarding the progress
of implementing safety improvement projects for danger
elimination and the effectiveness of such improvements.
(2) State assessment.--Each State report shall contain an
assessment of the cost of, and safety benefits derived from,
the various means and methods used to mitigate or eliminate
dangers and the previous and subsequent accident experience at
dangerous locations.
(3) Secretary's report.--The Secretary shall submit a
report to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
of the House of Representatives not later than April 1 of each
year regarding the progress of the States in implementing the
rural road safety program. The report shall--
(A) include the number of projects undertaken,
their distribution by cost range, road system, means
and methods used, the previous and subsequent accident
experience at improved locations and a cost-benefit
analysis; and
(B) analyze and evaluate each State's program,
identify any State found not to be in compliance with
the schedule of improvements required by subsection
(a), and include recommendations for future
implementation of the rural road safety program.
(l) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``rural area'' means all areas of the State
not included in urban areas as defined in section 101(a)(29);
(2) the term ``rural road'' means all roads in rural areas;
and
(3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of
Transportation.
(m) Authorization of Appropriations Rural Road Safety Program.--To
carry out the rural road safety program under this section there are
authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years
2004 through 2009.
SEC. 3. DIVISION BETWEEN CERTAIN AREAS.
Section 105(c)(2) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) and inserting ``paragraphs (1)
and (2)''.
SEC. 4. SPECIAL RULE FOR AREAS LESS THAN 5,000 POPULATION.
Section 133(d)(3)(B) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``for roads functionally classified as
minor arterials and major and minor collectors'' after
``5,000)''; and
(2) by striking ``110'' and inserting ``150''.
SEC. 5. HIGHWAY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND REHABILITATION.
Section 144 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (e)--
(A) by striking ``Funds'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) State apportionment.--Funds''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Division between state, cities, towns, and
counties.--Funds apportioned to each State shall be spent on
bridges owned by the State and local governments based on the
cost of deficient bridges at each level of government divided
by the total cost of deficient bridges in that State.''.
(2) in subsection (g)(3)--
(A) by striking ``15 percent'' and inserting ``25
percent''; and
(B) by striking ``1987 through 2003'' and inserting
``2004 through 2009''.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 504(b) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection
$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.''.
SEC. 7. STATE PLANNING AND RESEARCH.
Section 505 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ``Two percent'' and
inserting ``two and \1/2\ percent'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as (d) and
(e), respectively; and
(3) by adding after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Local Distribution.--Not less than 20 percent of the funds
subject to subsection (a) that are apportioned to a State for a fiscal
year shall be distributed to local governments, local planning
agencies, including multi-jurisdictional rural planning agencies
governed by local officials, and other transportation bodies
responsible for transportation planning in nonmetropolitan areas to be
used for the development of the statewide transportation improvement
program.''.
SEC. 8. APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit
Account) for the Appalachian development highway system program under
section 14501 of title 40, United States Code, $611,800,000 for each of
fiscal years 2004 through 2009.
(b) Apportionment.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall apportion funds made available by subsection
(a) for fiscal years 2004 through 2009 among the States based
on the latest available cost to complete estimate for the
Appalachian development highway system under section 14501
title 40, United States Code.
(2) Local development districts.--Before apportioning
amounts to the States under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
make available $11,800,000 to be equally divided among local
development districts (as such term is defined in section 14102
of title 40, United States Code) to carry out comprehensive
regional transportation planning activities, including
activities related to linking transportation and economic
development investment within the region.
(c) Applicability of Title 23.--Funds made available by section
1101(a)(6) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century for
the Appalachian development highway system shall be available for
obligation in the same manner as if such funds were apportioned under
chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code; except that the Federal
share of the cost of any project under this section shall be determined
in accordance with section 14501 of title 40, United States Code, and
such funds shall be available to construct highways and access roads
under such section and shall remain available until expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines.
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