Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety and Roadway Enhancement Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to implement a roadway safety enhancement program for older drivers and pedestrians to: (1) improve roadway safety infrastructure in states that is consistent with recommendations of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in the "Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and Pedestrians"; and (2) achieve significant reductions in roadway fatalities and serious injuries among drivers and pedestrians 65 years old or older on all public roads.
Sets forth project eligibility requirements and project identification and selection priorities.
Requires the Secretary to finalize revision of the Handbook for publication.
Amends the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to repeal its program for roadway safety improvements for older drivers and pedestrians.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) appoint a Special Assistant for Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety within the Office of the Secretary; and (2) establish national goals for increasing driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety for persons 65 years old or older.
Requires the Secretary to revise the manual on uniform traffic control devices to include a standard for a minimum level of retroreflectivity for pavement markings on all public roads.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3355 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3355
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a program to
improve roadway safety infrastructure in all States to enhance the
safety of older drivers and pedestrians, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 27, 2009
Mr. Altmire introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a program to
improve roadway safety infrastructure in all States to enhance the
safety of older drivers and pedestrians, and for other purposes.
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 ``Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety
and Roadway Enhancement Act of 2009.''
TITLE I--ROADWAY SAFETY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR OLDER DRIVERS AND
PEDESTRIANS
SEC. 101. ROADWAY SAFETY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR OLDER DRIVERS AND
PEDESTRIANS.
(a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary of Transportation
shall establish and implement a program, the roadway safety enhancement
program for older drivers and pedestrians, to improve roadway safety
infrastructure in all States in a manner consistent with the
recommendations included in the publication of the Federal Highway
Administration entitled ``Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and
Pedestrians'' (FHWA-RD-01-103), referred to in this Act as the
``Handbook'', dated May 2001 or as subsequently revised and updated
pursuant to section 103.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the roadway safety enhancement program
for older drivers and pedestrians is to achieve a significant reduction
in roadway fatalities and serious injuries among drivers and
pedestrians 65 years of age or older on all public roads.
(c) Apportionment of Funds.--
(1) In general.--On October 1 of each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall apportion such funds authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section for such fiscal year
among the States in accordance with the following formula:
(A) 33\1/3\ percent of the apportionment in the
ratio that--
(i) the total vehicle miles traveled on
lanes on public roads in each State; bears to
(ii) the total vehicle miles traveled on
lanes on public roads in all States.
(B) 33\1/3\ percent of the apportionment in the
ratio that--
(i) the total per capita population of
individuals 65 years of age or older residing
in each State in the latest fiscal year for
which data is available, bears to
(ii) the total per capital population of
individuals 65 years of age or older residing
in all States in the latest fiscal year for
which data is available.
(C) 33\1/3\ percent of the apportionments in the
ratio that--
(i) the total number of fatalities and
serious injuries among drivers and pedestrians
65 years of age or older on public roads in
each State in the latest fiscal year for which
data are available, bears to
(ii) the total number of fatalities and
serious injuries among drivers and pedestrians
65 years of age or older on the public roads in
all States in the latest fiscal year for which
data are available.
(2) Minimum apportionment.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1),
each State shall receive a minimum apportionment of not less
than one percent of the funds apportioned under this
subsection.
(d) Project Eligibility and Selection.--
(1) In general.--A State may obligate funds apportioned to
the State under subsection (c) for the planning, design, and
construction of infrastructure-related projects that employ
safety enhancement recommendations set forth in the Handbook--
(A) to improve safety at intersections,
interchanges, rail grade crossings, and roadway
segments;
(B) to make systemic roadway safety improvements on
public roads; and
(C) to improve roadway safety on other sections or
elements of public roads that a State transportation
department identifies as hazardous for older drivers
and pedestrians.
(2) Project identification and selection priorities.--To
obligate funds apportioned under subsection (c) to carry out
this section, a State shall have in effect, either in
conjunction with a State strategic highway safety plan pursuant
to section 148 of title 23, United States Code, or separately,
appropriate policies and procedures developed by the State
transportation department to--
(A) analyze and make effective use of State,
regional and local crash and fatality data, hospital
reports and other data to document traffic-related
fatalities and injuries to individuals 65 years of age
or older;
(B) consult with appropriate State and local
transportation planning agencies, State and local
safety agencies and organizations, representatives of
the roadway infrastructure safety industry, and State
and local organizations representing older drivers and
pedestrians, to identify hazardous locations, sections,
and elements of public roads that constitute a danger
for drivers, vehicle occupants, or pedestrians 65 years
of age or older;
(C) determine the relative severity of hazardous
road and highway locations, sections and elements for
drivers and pedestrians age 65 years or older through
crash and injury data analysis;
(D) establish priorities for obligating funds among
potential projects for correction of hazardous road and
highway conditions, which shall include projects that--
(i) involve hazardous intersection, road or
highway conditions identified in a strategic
highway safety plan pursuant to section
148(c)(1)(D) as exhibiting the most severe
safety needs;
(ii) make use of multiple Handbook
recommendations or the use of a systemic
program to correct the most serious highway
safety hazards for drivers or pedestrians 65
years of age or older; or
(iii) are used in conjunction with other
Federal programs such as the safe routes to
schools program pursuant to section 1404 of
SAFETEA-LU or such other road safety design
improvements or funding that enhance traffic
and pedestrian safety for all roadway users;
(E) establish and implement a schedule of roadway
infrastructure safety improvement projects for hazard
correction and hazard prevention; and
(F) establish an evaluation process to analyze and
assess results achieved by highway safety improvement
projects carried out in accordance with procedures and
criteria established by the section and report annually
the results of such evaluations to the Secretary.
(e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project
carried out under this section shall be 90 percent.
(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the terms ``public
road'', ``State'', and ``State transportation department'' have the
meaning such terms have in section 101 of title 23, United States Code.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated out
of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account)
$500,000,000 to carry out this section for each of fiscal years
2010 through 2015.
(2) Applicability of title 23.--Funds authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section shall be available for
obligation in the same manner as if such funds were
appropriated under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code,
and such funds shall remain available until expended and shall
not be transferable.
SEC. 102. REGULATIONS.
Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary shall issue regulations to carry out section 101.
SEC. 103. REVISION OF THE HIGHWAY DESIGN HANDBOOK FOR OLDER DRIVERS AND
PEDESTRIANS.
The Secretary of Transportation shall--
(1) finalize the revision of the Handbook for publication
on or before the date required for issuance of regulations in
section 102;
(2) initiate a review of applicable traffic safety research
for purposes of incorporating in the Handbook appropriate
recommendations relating to--
(A) supplemental lighting at intersections,
interchanges, rail-grade rail crossings and hazardous
sections of roadways, as appropriate, to address visual
impairments among older drivers;
(B) wet-night visibility of pavement markings and
edgelines; and
(C) design of intersection curbs and curb ramps to
address physical limitations of older or disabled
pedestrians;
(3) issue, not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this section, a guidance memo regarding the
appropriateness of applying to public roads and highways
pedestrian safety improvements relating to the following
intersection design elements:
(A) receiving lane (throat) width for turning
operations;
(B) channelization;
(C) offset (single) left-turn lane geometry,
signing, and delineation;
(D) curb radius; and
(E) pedestrian crossing design, operations, and
control; and
(4) conduct ongoing research to permit revision and
publication of an updated Handbook not later than December 31,
2014.
TITLE II--OLDER DRIVER AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC SAFETY AMENDMENTS AND
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATION
SEC. 201. MISCELLANEOUS CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) Collection of Traffic Injury and Fatality Data on Older Drivers
and Pedestrians.--Section 148(c)(1)(D) of title 23, United States Code,
is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iii);
(2) by inserting ``and'' at the end of clause (iv); and
(3) by inserting after clause (iv), the following:
``(v) includes a means of identifying the
relative severity of hazardous locations
described in clause (iii) in terms of
accidents, injuries, and death involving
drivers, passengers, and pedestrians 65 years
of age or older;''.
(b) Repeal of Existing Law.--Section 1405 of the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: A Legacy for Users (23 U.S.C.
401 note; 119 Stat. 1230), and the item relating to such section in
section 1(b) of such Act, are repealed.
SEC. 202. COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT OF OLDER DRIVER SAFETY.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall appoint a Special Assistant
for Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety within the Office of the
Secretary to oversee and coordinate programs operated or funded by the
Department relating to transportation safety, research, and services
for individuals age 65 and older.
(b) Policy Goals and Implementation.--The Secretary shall
establish, after consultation with other Federal and State
transportation agencies, organizations representing individuals age 65
and older, representatives of law enforcement, and advocates for
roadway safety infrastructure, national goals for increasing driver,
passenger, and pedestrian safety for persons age 65 and older, together
with procedures for implementing and monitoring progress toward
achieving such goals.
(c) Duties of the Special Assistant.--The Special Assistant for
Older Driver and Pedestrian Safety shall be responsible for planning
and implementing policies to achieve the national goals set forth by
the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b), and, in consultation with the
Secretary and the Undersecretary for Policy, shall also have
responsibility to:
(1) oversee collection and analysis of national traffic
accident, injury, and fatality data relating to individuals age
65 and older;
(2) coordinate and make recommendations regarding research
undertaken by the Department to identify and address the safety
needs of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians age 65 and older;
(3) oversee the revision of the Handbook, as required by
section 103 of this Act;
(4) oversee the conduct of research and make
recommendations for inclusion in the manual on uniform traffic
control devices of appropriate safety features and traffic
control devices in the Handbook that have been determined
effective in reducing injuries or fatalities among drivers,
passengers, and pedestrians age 65 and older;
(5) oversee research by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration to test and implement vehicle crash dummies that
more accurately reproduce and measure the severity of vehicle-
related injuries for occupants age 65 and older;
(6) encourage and facilitate revision of the abbreviated
injury scale system of injury quantification to more accurately
measure injuries and fatalities to vehicle occupants age 65 and
older, including measuring the effect of pre-existing and
chronic conditions and long-term injury outcomes;
(7) improve coordination of research sponsored by the
Department to develop efficient, effective and safe mobility
options for individuals age 65 and older with research
conducted by the National Center on Senior Transportation; and
(8) undertake such other duties and responsibilities that
the Secretary or the Undersecretary for Policy shall determine
appropriate.
(d) Report to Congress.--The Secretary, not later than 12 months
after the date of enactment of this section, and not less than annually
thereafter, shall submit to Congress a report that documents the
progress made by the Department to achieve the goals set forth by the
Secretary pursuant to subsection (b), that shall include, as
appropriate, descriptions of any impediments to achieving such goals,
explanation of strategies or plans to address such impediments, and
recommendations for additional Congressional action.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated out
of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account)
$250,000 to carry out subsection (d) for each of fiscal years
2010 through 2015.
(2) Applicability of title 23.--Funds authorized to be
appropriated to carry out subsection (d) shall be available for
obligation in the same manner as if such funds were
appropriated under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code,
and such funds shall remain available until expended and shall
not be transferable.
SEC. 203. MINIMUM LEVELS OF RETROREFLECTIVITY FOR PAVEMENT MARKINGS.
Not later than October 1, 2010, the Secretary of Transportation
shall revise the manual on uniform traffic control devices to include a
standard for a minimum level of retroreflectivity that must be
maintained for pavement markings, which shall apply to all roads open
to public travel.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
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