To amend title 23, United States Code, relating to rail line acquisition and relocation projects.

Amends Federal highway law to authorize a State to obligate surface transportation program funds for: (1) the acquisition by the State department or local transportation agency of passenger or freight rail facilities to improve such facilities and provide congestion relief and improved safety on highways located near them; and (2) the relocation of passenger and freight rail lines that provide a public benefit.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1112 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1112

     To amend title 23, United States Code, relating to rail line 
                  acquisition and relocation projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 3, 2005

 Mr. Marchant introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend title 23, United States Code, relating to rail line 
                  acquisition and relocation projects.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ACQUISITION OF RAIL LINES; RAIL LINE RELOCATION PROJECTS.

    (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to--
            (1) facilitate and support freight and passenger rail 
        transportation initiatives at the State and local levels in 
        order to increase economic efficiency and improve productivity 
        by facilitating the movement of people and goods by rail and to 
        mitigate congestion and improve safety on highways located in 
        the area of rail lines;
            (2) mitigate the adverse effects of rail traffic on safety, 
        motor vehicle traffic flow, or economic development in 
        urbanized areas; and
            (3) provide funding to address infrastructure and 
        operational needs identified in the initiatives referred to in 
        paragraph (1).
    (b) Acquisition of Rail Lines and Rail Line Relocation Projects.--
Chapter 3 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
``Sec. 325. Rail line acquisitions and relocation projects
    ``(a) Use of Surface Transportation Program Funds.--A State may 
obligate funds apportioned to the State under section 104(b)(3) for--
            ``(1) the acquisition by the State transportation 
        department or a local transportation agency of passenger or 
        freight rail facilities (including railroad track, related 
        track structures, rights-of-way, stations, and bridges), for 
        the purpose of rehabilitating, preserving, or improving the 
        rail facilities; and
            ``(2) the relocation of passenger and freight rail lines 
        (including the construction of rail facilities in the new 
        location).
    ``(b) Eligible Projects.--A project is eligible for funding under 
subsection (a)--
            ``(1) the acquisition of rail facilities by the State 
        transportation department or local transportation agency 
        provides congestion relief and improved safety on highways 
        located in the area of the rail facilities; or
            ``(2) the rail line to be relocated is publicly owned or, 
        if privately owned, the relocation provides a public benefit, 
        including facilitating the construction and operation of 
        publicly owned rail and highway projects in the former location 
        of the rail line.
    ``(c) Period of Availability.--Funds allocated for a project by a 
State under this section shall remain available until expended.
    ``(d) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project 
under this section shall be determined in accordance with section 
120(b).''.
    (c) Eligibility for Surface Transportation Program Funds.--Section 
133(b) of such title is amended by inserting after paragraph (11) the 
following:
            ``(12) rail line acquisitions and relocation projects in 
        accordance with section 325.''.
    (d) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 3 of such title 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``325. Rail line acquisitions and relocation projects.''.
                                 <all>