Metropolitan Congestion Relief Act of 2003 - Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) to provide that 80 percent of specified funds apportioned to a State (currently, 62.5 percent of the remaining 80 percent) shall be obligated in urbanized areas of the State with populations of over 200,000 and in other areas of the State, in proportion to their relative share of the State's population.
Modifies: (1) the allocation formula under the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program; and (2) the Minimum Guarantee regarding programmatic distribution of funds.
Directs that the funds apportioned to a State for a fiscal year for the National Highway System (NHS) be allocated between urbanized areas with a population of over 200,000 in the State and other areas in the State as follows: (1) 75 percent in the ratio that the total lane miles on the NHS in such urbanized areas in the State bears to the total lane miles on the NHS in all areas in the State; and (2) 25 percent in the ratio that the total vehicle miles traveled on the NHS in such urbanized areas in the State bears to the total vehicle miles traveled on the NHS in all areas in the State.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) establish a metropolitan congestion relief program; and (2) establish and implement an operational improvement program.
Increases the percentage set aside for metropolitan planning.