National Highway System Designation Act of 1994

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: National Highway System Designation and Other Provisions Title II: Technical Corrections to ISTEA and Related Laws National Highway System Designation Act of 1994 - Title I: National Highway System Designation and Other Provisions - Designates the National Highway System (NHS) as submitted by the Secretary of Transportation. Authorizes the Secretary to submit for approval to specified congressional committees proposed modifications to the NHS. Specifies that a modification may only take effect if a law has been enacted approving such modification. Requires the Secretary to submit proposed modifications, including a list and description of additions to the NHS consisting of: (1) connections to major ports, airports, international border crossings, public transportation and transit facilities, interstate bus terminals, rail, and other intermodal transportation facilities; and (2) any Congressional High Priority Corridor established by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) which was not identified on the designated NHS, subject to the completion of feasibility studies. Directs the Secretary to submit to the Congress a proposal for a comprehensive National Transportation System using the NHS as the backbone for establishing such System. (Sec. 102) Freezes funding allocations under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program at the FY 1994 levels for the remaining three years of ISTEA. Authorizes a State to obligate funds apportioned to it for such programs only for specified transportation projects or programs determined by the Secretary to be likely to contribute to the attainment of a national ambient air quality standard (as under current law) or maintenance, subject to specified requirements. (Sec. 103) Directs the Secretary to establish a program to require States to conduct an analysis of the life-cycle costs of, and carry out a value engineering analysis for, all projects on the NHS. Requires all Federal aid contracts to contain provisions that require the contractor to guarantee and warrant his or her obligations under the contract. (Sec. 104) Requires that: (1) contracts or subcontracts for engineering and design services be performed and audited in compliance with cost principles contained in Federal acquisition regulations; and (2) the recipients of Federal funds accept indirect cost rates established in accordance with such regulations for one year applicable accounting periods by a Government agency or independent certified public accountant if such rates are not currently under dispute. Makes such provisions inapplicable if a State adopts by statute an alternative process intended to promote engineering and design quality and ensure maximum competition by professional companies of all sizes providing engineering and design services. (Sec. 105) Directs the Secretary to carry out education, research, development, and technology transfer activities to promote the safe operation and maintenance of commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce, by making grants to and entering cooperative agreements with: (1) a not-for-profit membership organization that has been engaged exclusively in truck-related research and education since 1985; and (2) not-for-profit organizations engaged in commercial motor vehicle safety research. (Sec. 106) Repeals a provision of the Federal-Aid-Highway Act of 1956 prohibiting the amount of certain costs from including the portion of the project between High Street and Causeway Street (thus making such section of the Boston Central Artery eligible for Interstate Construction funds). (Sec. 107) Revises ISTEA provisions regarding the Wisconsin substitute project to provide that, upon approval of a substitute project or projects (project): (1) the costs of construction of the eligible transitway project for which such project is substituted shall not be eligible for specified authorized funds under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956; and (2) a sum equal to the amount that would have been apportioned to the State of Wisconsin on October 1, 1994, under Federal highway provisions if the Secretary had not approved such project shall be available to the Secretary from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to incur obligations for the Federal share of the costs of such substitute project. Amends the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 to reduce the interstate construction authorization by a specified amount made available under ISTEA for the FY ending September 30, 1996. (Sec. 108) Amends ISTEA to require that: (1) technology transfer activities and training programs with respect to the use of recycled paving material be initiated without delay and include all eligible uses of recycled rubber, alternative applications, and other materials, focusing on achieving the best performance results for all eligible uses; and (2) each State annually certify its progress in its waste tire abatement program. Sets forth provisions regarding: (1) placing apportionments withheld from a State by the Secretary in escrow pending satisfaction of minimum utilization requirements; (2) a sunset provision for availability of such apportionments; and (3) exemption from certain requirements where a State has implemented a documented waste tire abatement program that will result in the elimination of tire stockpiles by 1997. Authorizes a State for any year to meet up to half of the minimum utilization requirement by using an equivalent amount of recycled rubber for alternative applications, other than making asphalt pavement, if the State certifies that such alternative application does not present a threat to safety, human health, or the environment and it is demonstrated that such applications provide equal or enhanced engineering benefits. Directs the Secretary to issue guidelines regarding compliance with alternative applications. (Sec. 109) Directs the Secretary to: (1) annually review, and provide to State and local governments, information and recommendations concerning safety practices that can enhance safety at highway construction sites; and (2) develop within the program a process for assuring that for each project there will be a person trained and certified with responsibility and authority for assuring that the provisions of the traffic control plan and other safety aspects of the work zone are effectively administered. (Sec. 110) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out specified construction and reconstruction projects in Minnesota and Pennsylvania. Authorizes specified sums to be appropriated out of the HTF for FY 1995 for such projects. Sets forth provisions regarding the Federal share of project costs, delegation of responsibility for construction to States, and advance construction. (Sec. 111) Rescinds specified unobligated balances on September 30, 1994. (Sec. 112) Authorizes the Secretary to carry out, and authorizes sums to be appropriated for FY 1995 through 1997 for, 268 specified listed projects in various States. Sets forth provisions regarding allocation percentages for HTF funds, an appropriations cap, the Federal share of costs, delegation of construction responsibility to the States, and advance construction. (Sec. 113) Directs the Secretary to conduct a research study to develop and evaluate radio and microwave technology for furtherance of safety in commercial and other motor vehicles, including development of equipment directed toward warning drivers of highway obstructions or limited visibility conditions caused by snow, rain, fog, or dust. (Sec. 114) Authorizes appropriations for the Secretary to enter into an agreement to make a line of credit available to the public entity or entities with the statutory authority to construct public toll roads in Orange County, California, subject to specified limitations. (Sec. 115) Makes specified funds available for costs of a project to reduce rail-highway conflicts on M-59 near Pontiac, Michigan, and a project on Bristol Road near Flint, Michigan, and to improve and upgrade Maple Road at Bishop Airport, Michigan. (Sec. 116) Directs the Secretary to: (1) require, as a matter of the highest priority, completion of all remaining studies associated with a project authorized by the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987, to construct the New River Parkway, West Virginia; and (2) make grants to the Secretary of the Interior for the planning, design, and construction of a visitors center and related facilities to facilities visitor understanding and enjoyment of resources accessible by such parkway. Makes specified sums available for such purposes. (Sec. 117) Revises the National Recreational Trails Program. Makes a State eligible to receive moneys under the program only if the State agrees to provide 20 percent of program costs in the sixth year of the program. Prohibits the use of more than three percent of the expenditures annually from the National Recreational Trails Trust Fund to pay to the Secretary certain administrative costs, including the cost of contracting for services with other land management agencies, except with respect to the cost of conducting a one-time national survey. Permits a State to apply to the Secretary for an exemption from requirements for distribution of Federal Trails Program funds between motorized and non-motorized uses. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 118) Directs the Secretary to make grants to the State of West Virginia for the purpose of erecting signs or other information devices along public roads relating to the coal heritage of southern West Virginia. (Sec. 119) Amends the Federal Transit Act to provide that transit operators providing service in urbanized areas with populations under 200,000 shall not be subject to a limitation on their formula apportionment which may be used for operating assistance. (Sec. 120) Revises provisions regarding amounts that States must expend on intercity bus transportation. Permits the purchase of accessibility devices. Requires the Secretary to make to operators of intercity bus transportation systems specified capital grants to support such systems, including the purchase of accessibility devices. Specifies that the Federal grant for the project shall be 80 percent of the net project cost, but 90 percent for accessibility devices. (Sec. 121) Repeals previous authorizations for the Long Beach Metro Link Fixed Rail Project and the Honolulu Rapid Transit Project. (Sec. 122) Converts previous ISTEA transit authorizations to lump-sum, no-year authorizations. Authorizes funding for various listed projects around the country under ISTEA and the Federal Transit Act. Title II: Technical Corrections to ISTEA and Related Laws - Amends title 23 of the United States Code and ISTEA to revise and make technical corrections to provisions regarding: (1) changing the name of the Interstate and Defense Highway System to the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways; (2) Federal aid-highway systems; (3) State highway apportionments; (4) rights-of-way; (5) the Federal share of costs for transportation planning; (6) waiver of axle weight limitations for certain vehicles using the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways and certain State highways; (7) toll roads and rail-highway crossings; (8) metropolitan planning organizations; (9) the discretionary highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation program; (10) penalties for non-use of safety belts and motorcycle helmets; (11) national maximum speed limit requirements with respect to highway fund apportionments; (12) a national minimum drinking age; (13) revocation of drivers' licenses of individuals convicted of drug offenses; (14) the Federal lands highway program; (15) bicycle transportation and pedestrian walkways; (16) State highway research and planning; (17) the international highway transportation outreach program; (18) highway safety programs; (19) State alcohol-impaired driving countermeasures; (20) certain high cost bridge, congestion relief, high priority corridor, rural access, urban access and mobility, innovative, and intermodal projects; (21) the disadvantaged business enterprise program; (22) freeway service patrols; and (23) the Pan American highway. (Sec. 263) Amends the Federal Transit Act with respect to various Federal transit programs, including: (1) metropolitan planning; (2) transit security systems; (3) contracting for engineering and design services; (4) planning and research programs; and (5) an increased Federal share of costs for transportation construction projects in States with large areas of Indian and public domain lands and national forests. (Sec. 282) Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with non-Federal entities for operational tests relating to intelligent vehicle-highway systems.

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Documents

10 official files

• Referred in Senate (text)

  Referred in Senate · EN · 7 June 1994

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• Referred in Senate (PDF)

  Referred in Senate · EN · 7 June 1994

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• Passed House amended

  summary · EN · 25 May 1994

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• Reported in House (text)

  Reported in House · EN · 19 May 1994

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• Reported in House (PDF)

  Reported in House · EN · 19 May 1994

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• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 11 May 1994

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 11 May 1994

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 11 May 1994

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• Engrossed in House (text)

  Engrossed in House · EN · 1 January 1994

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• Engrossed in House (PDF)

  Engrossed in House · EN · 1 January 1994

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