Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act or the FAST Act
DIVISION A--SURFACE TRANSPORTATION
(Sec. 1002) Directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to reduce the amount apportioned for a surface transportation program, project, or activity for FY2016 by amounts apportioned or allocated under any extension of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) for the period beginning October 1, 2015, and ending upon enactment of this Act.
TITLE I--FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
Subtitle A--Authorizations and Programs
(Sec. 1101) Reauthorizes through FY2020:
Requires the expenditure of at least 10% of amounts made available for federal-aid highways and public transportation programs through small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Directs states to compile annual lists of small disadvantaged business enterprises according to minimum uniform criteria established by DOT.
(Sec. 1102) Prescribes obligation ceilings for certain federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs, with specified exceptions.
Prescribes requirements, including a formula, and restrictions for certain FY2016-FY2020 distributions from the obligation limitation for federal-aid highways.
Directs DOT to redistribute to the states any federal-aid highway program funds that, because of any imposed obligation limitation, will not be allocated or otherwise made available to them for obligation for surface transportation program projects.
(Sec. 1104) Authorizes appropriations through FY2020 for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administrative expenses.
Revises and renames the surface transportation program as the surface transportation block grant program (STBGP) (as established by section 1109 of this Act).
Requires DOT to set-aside specified amounts of a state's base apportionment of core program funds for the national highway freight program and metropolitan transportation planning.
Directs DOT also to reserve certain amounts to states for:
(Sec. 1105) Authorizes DOT to make competitive grants to a state or group of states, a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) that serves an urbanized area with a population of more than than 200,000 individuals, a unit of local government or group of local governments, or other specified entities to furnish financial assistance for nationally significant freight and highway projects.
Requires DOT to reserve out of such grant amounts for each fiscal year:
Makes the maximum federal share of project costs 60%.
(Sec. 1106) Revises requirements for the national highway performance program.
Authorizes DOT, upon request, to allow a state to use its apportionment of national highway performance program funds to pay subsidy and administrative costs of Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program secured loans, loan guarantees, or credit for surface transportation projects for a state, local government, public authority, public-private partnership, or any other legal entity.
Allows a state's apportionment to be obligated for projects:
(Sec. 1107) Revises requirements for the emergency relief fund program.
Treats as an eligible expense for emergency relief program funding the costs of disaster debris removal for projects for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways on tribal transportation facilities, federal lands transportation facilities, or other federally-owned roads that are open to public travel.
(Sec. 1108) Revises and reauthorizes requirements for the set-aside of highway safety improvement program funds for states for the same period for the elimination of hazards and the installation of protective devices at railway-highway crossings.
(Sec. 1109) Establishes in DOT an surface transportation block grant program (STBGP).
Requires states to obligate for each fiscal year specified graduated percentages of apportioned funds in:
Directs DOT to reserve certain amounts of the state apportionment of funds for each fiscal year for surface transportation projects or activities or transportation alternatives projects.
Requires states to obligate an amount of reserved funds for each fiscal year equal to the amount apportioned to the state for the surface transportation program for FY2009 for recreational trails projects.
(Sec. 1110) Reduces the amount DOT must deduct from FHWA administrative funds each fiscal year for highway use tax evasion projects.
(Sec. 1111) Prescribes requirements for the bundling of two or more similar projects for the replacement or repair of structurally deficient bridges.
(Sec. 1112) Revises formulae for certain allocations of funds to states for construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal facilities.
Reauthorizes the program through FY2020. Certain funds are made available for the National Ferry Database.
(Sec. 1113) Revises the highway safety improvement program.
Makes eligible as highway safety improvement projects any installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication equipment, pedestrian hybrid beacons, roadway improvements that provide separation between pedestrians and motor vehicles, and other types of infrastructure safety projects.
Authorizes states to elect not to collect certain data on unpaved public roads regarding the model inventory of roadways if certain requirements are met.
Eliminates the definition of "state highway safety improvement programs."
Requires DOT to review best practices for implementation of roadway safety infrastructure improvements to reduce the number or severity of commercial motor vehicle accidents.
(Sec. 1114) Revises congestion mitigation and air quality improvement (CMAQ) program requirements.
Authorizes states to obligate the apportionment of CMAQ program funds for projects for the installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication equipment in nonattainment or maintenance areas for particulate matter.
Declares that requirements for priority use of congestion mitigation and air quality project funds in PM2.5 nonattainment or maintenance areas shall not apply in any state with a population density of 80 or fewer persons per square mile of land area if certain criteria are met.
Authorizes states or metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) also to elect to obligate PM2.5 priority funds to the most cost-effective CMAQ projects to reduce emissions from port-related landside nonroad or on-road equipment that operates within a PM2.5 nonattainment or maintenance area.
(Sec. 1115) Increases the authorization of appropriations for the Puerto Rico highway and territorial highway programs.
(Sec. 1116) Revises national freight program requirements.
Renames the national freight network the National Highway Freight Network.
Authorizes the MPO representative in an urbanized area with a population of 500,000 or more to designate a public road within the borders of that area of the state as a critical urban freight corridor. Authorizes the state to do the same for an urbanized area with a population under 500,000.
Requires states that have not met, or made significant progress toward meeting, certain performance targets related to freight movement of the state to report biennially to DOT on actions the state will undertake to achieve the targets.
Prescribes requirements for the use of apportioned funds, including development of intelligent freight transportation systems. The term "intelligent freight transportation system" means:
(Sec. 1117) Revises the federal lands and tribal transportation programs.
Requires entities carrying out a project under the tribal transportation program to report annually to DOT and to the Department of the Interior on specified project data.
Directs DOT to:
(Sec. 1118) Revises funding requirements for the tribal transportation program to:
(Sec. 1119) Extends the federal lands transportation program and its funds allocations to the transportation systems of Interior's Bureau of Land Management.
(Sec. 1120) Authorizes DOT to conduct cooperative research and technology deployment in coordination with federal land management agencies for transportation planning of federal lands and tribal transportation facilities projects.
Requires DOT to combine and use no more than 5% of federal lands transportation program and federal lands access program funds for transportation planning activities for federal lands transportation facilities, federal lands access transportation facilities, and other federally-owned roads open to public travel.
Allows the use of such funds also for:
(Sec. 1121) Directs DOT to establish a tribal transportation self-governance program via a compact with an Indian tribe, subject to negotiated annual written funding arrangements with the tribe.
Requires any funding agreement to authorize the Indian tribe to plan, conduct, consolidate, administer, and receive full tribal share funding, tribal transit formula funding, and funding to tribes from DOT-administered discretionary and competitive grants for all programs, services, functions, and activities to carry out tribal transportation programs and DOT-administered programs, services, functions, and activities.
(Sec. 1122) Directs DOT to issue guidance on working with state departments of transportation that request assistance from FHWA division offices to:
Requires DOT to:
(Sec. 1123) Directs DOT to establish a program to fund construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of nationally significant federal lands and tribal transportation projects.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2020.
Subtitle B--Planning and Performance Management
(Sec. 1201) Revises requirements for metropolitan transportation planning.
Prescribes requirements for selection of MPO officials or representatives.
Authorizes MPOs serving a transportation management area to develop a congestion management plan that includes projects and strategies that will be considered in the MPO's transportation improvement program.
Treats the Bi-State MPO Region as:
Prescribes formulae for the suballocation of STBGP and transportation alternatives program funds for a fiscal year for the Bi-State MPO Region.
(Sec. 1202) Revises requirements for statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning.
Subtitle C--Acceleration of Project Delivery
(Sec. 1301)Prescribes requirements for DOT in highway and public transportation planning to preserve certain historic sites, especially by aligning, to the maximum extent practicable, specified preservation requirements with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and any avoidance alternative analysis it requires.
(Sec. 1303) Exempts from consideration for parkland, wildlife and waterfowl refuge, and historic site preservation purposes any common post-1945 concrete or steel bridge or culvert already exempt from individual review of its effect on any historic property.
(Sec. 1304) Prescribes procedures for accelerating the project delivery decisionmaking process regarding:
Grants DOT, as federal lead agency in the environmental review process for a highway, public transportation capital, or multimodal project, authority and responsibility to consider and respond to comments received from participating federal and non-federal agencies on matters within their special expertise or jurisdiction.
(Sec. 1305) Revises requirements for the integration of planning and environmental review.
(Sec. 1306) Changes from discretionary to mandatory the authority of federal agencies responsible for the environmental review of a transportation project to give substantial weight to recommendations in the programmatic mitigation plans of states and MPOs.
(Sec. 1307) Requires DOT, upon state request, to give technical assistance to a state assuming responsibility for making categorical exclusion determinations for highway or related projects.
(A "categorical exclusion" under NEPA is a category of actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment and which have been found to have no such effect in procedures adopted by a federal agency in implementing environmental regulations and for which, therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor an Environmental Impact Statement is required.)
(Sec. 1308) Revises requirements for termination of a state from the surface transportation project delivery program, increasing from 30 to 120 days the time DOT must give a state to take corrective action.
Authorizes DOT, in cooperation with state officials, to carry out education, training, peer-exchange, and other initiatives to assist states in developing capacity building for environmental review of projects under NEPA.
(Sec. 1309) Directs DOT to establish a pilot program to authorize states to conduct environmental review of projects under state laws instead of NEPA.
(Sec. 1310) Revises requirements for application of categorical exclusions for multimodal projects, including acceleration of decisionmaking in environmental reviews.
(Sec. 1312) Authorizes a public entity receiving DOT financial assistance for one or more projects, or for a program of projects, for a public purpose to request DOT to allow it to furnish funds to federal agencies, including DOT, state agencies, and Indian tribes participating in the environmental planning and review process for the project, projects, or program, but only to support activities that directly and meaningfully contribute to expediting and improving permitting and review processes.
(Sec. 1313) Directs DOT, in coordination with federal agencies likely to have substantive review or approval responsibilities under federal law, to develop a coordinated and concurrent environmental review and permitting process for transportation projects, meeting specified criteria, when initiating an environmental impact statement.
(Sec. 1314) Amends MAP-21 to require inflation adjustments to specified dollar amounts indicating the maximum federal assistance to certain federal-aid highway projects which must be categorically excluded from the requirements relating to environmental assessments or environmental impact statements.
(Sec. 1315) Directs DOT to develop a template programmatic agreement with states that provides for efficient procedures for evaluating categorical exclusion determinations.
(Sec. 1316) Directs DOT to:
(Sec. 1317) Directs DOT to examine ways to modernize and improve the NEPA environmental review process for federal-aid highway projects.
(Sec. 1318) Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess progress made under this Act, MAP-21, and the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) to accelerate the delivery of federal-aid highway and highway safety construction projects and public transportation capital projects by streamlining the environmental review and permitting process.
Subtitle D--Miscellaneous
(Sec. 1401) Prohibits, through FY2020, the use of a state's apportionment of highway safety improvement program funds to purchase, operate, or maintain an automated traffic enforcement system, except any located in school zones.
Defines "automated traffic enforcement system" to mean any camera that captures an image of a vehicle for purposes of traffic law enforcement.
(Sec. 1402) Requires DOT to compile and make available on the DOT public website any data on the amounts of federal-aid highway program funds made available under this title for each fiscal year.
(Sec. 1403) Requires DOT to make available certain additional funds deposited into the HTF Highway Account or Mass Transit Account for federal-aid highway programs.
Reauthorizes appropriations through FY2020.
(Sec. 1404) Requires a design for new construction or rehabilitation of NHS highways to take into account, in addition to other specified criteria, the environment and safety for other modes of transportation, as well as cost savings by utilizing flexibility in current design guidance and regulations.
(Sec. 1405) Requires any requested or required justification report for a project that would add a point of access to, or exit from, the Interstate System to include new or modified freeway-to-crossroad interchanges inside a transportation management area.
(Sec. 1407) Makes eligible for funding under the National Highway Performance Program and the Surface Transportation Program any projects for the installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication equipment.
(Sec. 1409) Declares that, for Interstate System (IS) vehicle weight limitation purposes, any vehicle carrying fluid milk products shall be considered a load that cannot be easily dismantled or divided, and so are eligible for a special permit.
(Sec. 1410) Exempts certain heavy-duty tow and recovery vehicles traveling on federal highways from federal vehicle weight limitations.
Allows federal truck weight limitations to remain in place on specified highways in Texas and Arkansas.
Directs DOT to waive federal vehicle weight limitations for certain logging vehicles operating on IS highways in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Prohibits states from enforcing against an emergency vehicle a vehicle weight limit (up to a maximum vehicle weight of 86,000 pounds) of less than:
Defines the term "emergency vehicle" to mean a vehicle designed to be used under emergency conditions to:
Allows natural gas vehicles to exceed any vehicle weight limit (up to a maximum vehicle weight of 82,000 pounds) by an amount equal to the difference between:
(Sec. 1411)Revises requirements for the toll roads, bridges, tunnels, and ferries program.
Requires over-the-road buses that serve the public to have access to toll facilities equal to that of public transportation buses.
Defines the term "over-the-road bus" to mean a bus characterized by an elevated passenger deck located over a baggage compartment.
Revises certain exceptions to high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facility requirements.Authorizes the public authority to allow a public transportation vehicle use of HOV facilities if it provides equal access for all public transportation vehicles and over-the-road buses serving the public.
Authorizes the public authority also to allow use of HOV facilities by:
Amends the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to revise requirements for the interstate system reconstruction and rehabilitation pilot program. Prescribes requirements for final approval of state applications to collect tolls on highways, bridges, or tunnels for projects for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of interstate highway corridors.
(Sec. 1412) Authorizes payment from the state apportionment of federal-aid highway program funds for projects at railway-highway grade crossings to eliminate hazards posed by blocked grade crossings due to idling trains.
(Sec. 1413) Directs DOT to designate national electric vehicle charging and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling corridors that identify the need for electric vehicle charging, hydrogen fueling, propane fueling, and natural gas fueling infrastructures at strategic locations along major national highways.
Authorizes the General Services Administration (GSA) to install (on a reimbursable basis) battery recharging stations in GSA-owned parking areas for vehicles of GSA employees, tenant federal agencies, and other authorized individuals. Requires the GSA or the federal agency the charge fees to individuals to use such stations.
(Sec. 1414) Revises federal requirements for minimum state penalties for repeat offenders for driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence.
Adds a 24-7 sobriety program to criteria for state repeat offender laws.
Specifies exceptions to the requirement of an ignition interlock device on a vehicle of an individual with restricted driving privileges
(Sec. 1415) Authorizes as an eligible cost for a federal-aid highway construction project the cost of improving habitat and forage for pollinators (i.e., bees, birds, bats, Monarch and other butterflies) on rights-of-way adjacent to such highways.
Requires DOT, in conjunction with willing states, to carry out programs that encourage:
(Sec. 1416) Amends the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) to revise the high priority Raleigh-Norfolk Corridor of the NHS between Raleigh, North Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia, to include Rocky Mount, Williamston, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
Includes Texas State Highway 44 from United States Route 59 at Freer, Texas, to Texas State Highway 358 as part of the high priority Lower Rio Grande Valley Corridor of the NHS in Texas.
Designates as a high priority corridor on the NHS, as part of Interstate Route I-11, the Intermountain West Corridor from the vicinity of Las Vegas, Nevada, extending north along U.S. Route 95, terminating at Interstate Route 80.
Declares as high priority corridors on the NHS as well as segments of the IS:Amends the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008 to direct DOT to designate as a future Interstate Route 69 Spur, the Audubon Parkway between Henderson, Kentucky, and Owensboro, Kentucky, and as a future Interstate Route 65 and 66 Spur, the William H. Natcher Parkway between Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Owensboro, Kentucky.
(Sec. 1417) Makes eligible for work zone safety training program grants the development, updating, and delivery of training courses on guard rail installation, maintenance, and inspection.
(Sec. 1418) Amends MAP-21 to direct DOT to set-aside for each of FY2016-FY2020 a specified amount of highway safety improvement program funds before making any apportionment for FHWA administrative expenses.
(Sec. 1419) Amends ISTEA to repeal the requirement for annual reports to Congress on continuing studies of the fundamental chemical and physical properties of petroleum asphalts and modified asphalts used in highway construction.
Amends SAFETEA-LU to repeal the requirement for an annual report to Congress on the express lanes demonstration program.
(Sec. 1420) Authorizes DOT to exercise all existing flexibilities under and exceptions to the requirements for federal-aid highway projects and other DOT administered requirements, in whole or in part.(Sec. 1421) Requires DOT, in cooperation with states, to develop guidance that encourages the use of programmatic approaches to project delivery, expedited procurement techniques, and other best practices for states and the FHWA to facilitate the timely expenditure of federal funds for federal-aid highway projects.
(Sec. 1422) Directs the FHWA to commission the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences to study the performance of bridges funded under the innovative bridge research and construction program in meeting program goals.
(Sec. 1423) Authorizes a state transportation agency to relinquish park-and-ride lot facilities, or portions of them, to a local government agency for highway purposes if authorized to do so under state law, and the relinquishment meets certain requirements.
(Sec. 1424) Authorizes the FHWA to establish a pilot program that allows a state to utilize innovative approaches to maintain the right-of-way of federal-aid highways.
(Sec. 1425) Authorizes states to allow on the IS the maintenance of service club, charitable association, or religious service signs of a certain size, provided the state notifies the FHWA.
(Sec. 1426) Requires the FHWA to appoint a Motorcyclist Advisory Council on infrastructure issues of concern to motorcyclists.
(Sec. 1427) Expresses the sense of Congress that the FHWA should do all it can to protect the safety of construction workers in highway work zones.
(Sec. 1428) Directs DOT to encourage the FHWA to use durable, resilient, and sustainable materials and practices, including the use of geosynthetic materials and other innovative technologies for federal-aid highway projects.
(Sec. 1429) Requires DOT to study methods for evaluating roadside highway safety hardware devices to improve the data collected on the devices.
(Sec. 1430) Expresses the sense of Congress that DOT should utilize modeling and simulation technology to analyze highway and public transportation projects to ensure that they will reduce congestion and be cost effective.(Sec. 1431) Directs DOT to:
(Sec. 1432) Exempts from further environmental reviews, approvals, licensing, and permit requirements under specified laws any road, highway, or bridge in operation or under construction that is damaged by a declared emergency and reconstructed in the same location with the same dimensions and design as before the emergency.
(Sec. 1433) Directs the GAO to report to Congress on FHWA administrative expenses funded from the HTF for the last three fiscal years.
(Sec. 1434) Directs DOT to make every required report available on its public website.
(Sec. 1435) Amends MAP-21 to reauthorize the federal share of costs for Appalachian development highway system projects through FY2050. Allows the federal share (currently a flat 100%) to be 100% or less, as determined by the state.
(Sec. 1436) Reauthorizes through FY2020 the Appalachian Regional Development Program.
Authorizes the Appalachian Regional Commission to give technical assistance, make grants, and enter into contracts in the Appalachian region for projects to increase affordable access to broadband networks throughout the Appalachian region and for related projects and activities. Authorizes funding.(Sec. 1437) Authorizes the governor of a state that shares a border with Canada or Mexico to designate up to 5% of its apportionment of STBGP funds for each fiscal year for border infrastructure projects.
(Sec. 1438) Rescinds permanently on July 1, 2020, $7.569 billion of unobligated federal-aid highway funds apportioned among the states, except certain funds for the highway improvement, railway-highway crossings, and certain other highway programs. Prescribes formulae for determining the amounts to be rescinded among the states and within a state.
(Sec. 1439) Authorizes the take of nesting swallows, between April 1 and August 31 of any year, without individual permit requirements, to facilitate bridge construction or repair projects, provided the Department of the Interior promulgates a regulation under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to allow this.
(Sec. 1440) Allows recipients or subrecipients of federal-aid highway funds to:
(Sec. 1441) Directs DOT to establish a regional infrastructure demonstration program to assist entities in developing improved infrastructure priorities and financing strategies for accelerated development of TIFIA-funded projects.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 1442) Requires DOT to encourage each state and MPO to adopt design standards and best practices for surface transportation projects that provide safety for users of the surface transportation network.
(Sec. 1443) Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress recognizes the valuable contributions made by the U.S. engineering industry to provide critical technical expertise, innovation, and local knowledge to federal and state agencies in order to deliver surface transportation projects to the public.
(Sec. 1444) Directs the FHWA to continue the Every Day Counts initiative to work with states, local transportation agencies, and industry stakeholders to identify and deploy proven innovative best practices and products that accelerate transportation innovation deployment and project delivery as well as improve the environment and roadway safety.
(Sec. 1445) Amends the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2004 to repeal the prohibition against the direct or indirect financing of water resources infrastructure projects receiving federal credit assistance with proceeds of any:
(Sec. 1446) Makes various technical corrections to federal transportation laws.
TITLE II--INNOVATIVE PROJECT FINANCE
(Sec. 20001) Amends TIFIA to authorize as an eligible transportation infrastructure project cost the capitalizing of a rural projects fund using proceeds of secured loans made to state infrastructure banks to make loans for rural infrastructure projects.
Revises TIFIA program eligibility requirements, adding projects for:
Requires DOT to make an expedited application process available to entities seeking secured loans under the TIFIA program.
Requires the reservation of $2 million of TIFIA program funds for highway infrastructure projects anticipated not to exceed $75 million.
Revises and reauthorizes through FY2020 the state infrastructure bank program.
(Sec. 2002) Authorizes DOT to make payments to states pursuant to a long-term concession agreements for construction costs incurred on federal-aid highway projects.
TITLE III--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Federal Public Transportation Act of 2015
(Sec. 3003) Revises requirements for metropolitan as well as statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning.
Prescribes requirements for selection of MPO representatives or officials.
Authorizes MPOs serving a transportation management area to develop a congestion management plan that includes projects and strategies that will be considered in the MPO's transportation improvement program.
Treats the Bi-State MPO Region (in and around Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada) as:
(Sec. 3004) Revises requirements for the urbanized area formula public transportation grant program for an urbanized area with a population of at least 200,000.
Allows each public transportation system that is a party to a written agreement with one or more other public transportation systems within the urbanized area to allocate funds for the operating cost of equipment and facilities by a method other than by measuring vehicle revenue hours to follow the terms of the written agreement without regard to measured vehicle revenue hours.
(Sec. 3005) Revises requirements for the fixed guideway capital investment grants program.
Increases the caps on the cost and level of federal assistance for small start new fixed guideway capital projects or corridor-based bus rapid transit projects eligible for financing under fixed guideway capital investment grants.
Eliminates the prerequisite for a new fixed guideway capital project to advance to the engineering phase that it be supported by policies and land use patterns that promote public transportation.
Requires DOT to make necessary benefit, federal investment, and local financial commitment evaluations and ratings of small start projects, upon project sponsor request, upon completion of an environmental assessment under NEPA.
Includes small start projects in programs of interrelated projects (together with new fixed guideway capital projects and core capacity improvement projects, as currently).
Authorizes DOT to award such grants for new fixed guideway capital projects and core capacity improvement projects for both public transportation and intercity passenger rail service. Sets the federal share of project costs at up to 80%.
Authorizes DOT to award up to eight capital investment grants to states and local governments to assist in financing new fixed guideway capital projects or small start projects and core capacity improvement projects. Prescribes requirements for the expedited approval of such projects. Limits grants for such a project to 25% of the net capital project cost.
(Sec. 3006) Requires DOT to collect from, review, and disseminate best practices and other specified information to public transportation agencies for such projects.
Authorizes DOT to award pilot program grants to eligible recipients to assist in financing innovative projects for the transportation of seniors and disabled individuals that improve the coordination of transportation services and non-emergency medical transportation services. Sets the federal share of project costs at up to 80%.
Directs the DOT Interagency Transportation Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility to publish a strategic plan that:
(Sec. 3007) Revises requirements for the nonurbanized formula grant program.
Requires DOT to apportion specified amounts of rural formula grants each fiscal year for public transportation on Indian reservations.
Prescribes requirements for the allocation of such grants to multiple Indian tribes providing public transportation on tribal lands in a single Tribal Statistical Area.
(Sec. 3008) Replaces the research, development, demonstration, and deployment grant program with a public transportation innovation grant program.
Requires DOT to award grants for projects and activities to advance innovative public transportation research and development.
Requires demonstration, deployment, or evaluation projects in public transportation to seek, among other things, the deployment of low or no emission vehicles, zero emission vehicles, or associated advanced technology.
Prohibits any DOT grants for the demonstration, deployment, or evaluation of a vehicle that is in revenue service unless the project makes significant technological advancements in the vehicle.
Requires DOT to enter into a contract or cooperative agreement with, or make a grant to, at least one institution of higher education to operate a facility to assess components for use in low or no emission vehicles.
Establishes a public transportation cooperative research program. Authorizes DOT to make grants to, and cooperative agreements with, the National Academy of Sciences to carry out public transportation research, development, and technology transfer activities.
(Sec. 3009) Revamps the technical assistance and standards development grant program as the technical assistance and workforce development grant program.
Authorizes DOT to establish a competitive grant program to assist the development of innovative activities that address human resource needs to train and develop the public transportation workforce. Sets the federal share of project costs at 50%.
Directs DOT to establish a national transit institute, and award grants to four-year degree-granting institutions of higher education to carry out institute duties, including to develop training and educational programs for federal, state, and local transportation employees, U.S. citizens, and foreign nationals engaged in federally-assisted public transportation work.
(Sec. 3011) Prohibits the use of grants or loans for public transportation to pay incremental costs of incorporating art or non-functional landscaping into facilities, including the costs of an artist on the design team.
Revises Buy America requirements for public transportation projects. Allows DOT to waive such requirements when procuring rolling stock (including train control, communication, traction power equipment, and rolling stock prototypes) whose cost of components and subcomponents produced in the United States for:
Prescribes requirements for:
(Sec. 3012) Directs DOT to prescribe regulations for project management oversight that include:
(Sec. 3013) Revises requirements for the public transportation safety program.
Includes among the contents of the national public transportation safety plan minimum safety standards, meeting specified criteria, for the safe operation of public transportation systems.
Directs DOT to administer state safety oversight programs for rail fixed guideway public transportation systems determined inadequate of enforcing federal safety regulations or incapable of preventing substantial risk of death or personal injury until the state develops a program as meeting certain requirements.
Authorizes DOT to withhold grants to develop state safety oversight programs from states with programs deemed insufficient, including up to 5% of a state's apportionment of formula public transportation grants for urbanized areas with a population under 200,000.
Authorizes DOT also to take certain enforcement action against a recipient that does not comply with federal law regarding the safety of a public transportation system, including withholding up to 25% of a state's apportionment of urbanized area formula public transportation grants.
Requires DOT to issue restrictions and prohibitions if an unsafe condition or practice is determined to exist and be a substantial risk of death or personal injury in a public transportation system.
(Sec. 3014) Revises formulae for the apportionment of formula public transportation grants to states with urbanized areas with a population of at least 200,000 and urbanized areas with a population under 200,000.
Requires a set-aside of $30 million for each fiscal year for passenger ferry grants.
(Sec. 3015) Sets the federal share of costs at 80% for state of good repair capital projects for high intensity fixed guideways and for high intensity motorbuses.
(Sec. 3016) Reauthorizes through FY2020 the research, development demonstration, and deployment program.
Extends:
(Sec. 3017) Allocates certain amounts to states and territories for FY2016-FY2020 for formula bus and bus facilities grants.
Requires DOT to carry out a state pool pilot grant program for eligible recipients or state or local governmental entities in urbanized areas with a population of between 200,000 and 999,999 to support their transit asset management plans.
Revises requirements for competitive grants to eligible recipients for bus and bus facilities capital projects. Authorizes competitive grants for low or no emission bus projects.
(Sec. 3018) Limits obligational ceilings for FY2016-FY2020 for:
(Sec. 3019) Authorizes states (lead procurement agencies) and grantees of public transportation assistance may enter into a cooperative procurement contracts with one or more vendors for the purchase of rolling stock (railroad cars) and related equipment.
Directs DOT to establish a pilot program for lead nonprofit entities similarly to enter into such contracts for such stock and equipment.
Authorizes grantees to enter into capital leases for:
(Sec. 3020) Directs DOT to:
(Sec. 3021) Requires DOT to enter into an agreement with the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to evaluate whether it is in the public interest to withhold certain evidentiary public transportation safety program information in federal and state court proceedings.
(Sec. 3022) Directs DOT, after publication of a report required by Sec. 3020, to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking on protecting public transportation operators from the risk of assault.
(Sec. 3023) Declares that any paratransit systems currently coordinating complementary paratransit service for more than 40 fixed route agencies shall be permitted to continue using an existing tiered, distance-based coordinated paratransit fare system if the fare is not increased by a greater percentage than any increase to the fixed route fare for the largest transit agency in the complementary paratransit service area.
(Sec. 3024) Requires DOT to report to Congress on the potential of the Internet of Things to improve transportation services in rural, suburban, and urban areas. (The Internet of Things is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.)
(Sec. 3025) Requires DOT to study parking safety at specified alternative transportation facilities and locations.
(Sec. 3026) Grants DOT sole authority to appoint Federal Directors to the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
Directs parties to the WMATA Compact to amend it to reflect such authority.
(Sec. 3027) Directs the GAO to evaluate the impact that MAP-21 changes had on public transportation, including the effectiveness of public transportation agencies to:
(Sec. 3028) Makes $199 million available from the HTF Mass Transit Account for FY2017 for competitive grants for the installation of PTC systems.
(Sec. 3030) Amends MAP-21 to repeal:
TITLE IV--HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
(Sec. 4001) Reauthorizes appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2016-FY2020 for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety programs, including:
(Sec. 4002) Revises highway safety program requirements.
Requires state highway safety programs to increase driver awareness of commercial motor vehicles to prevent crashes and reduce injuries and fatalities.
Requires states with installed automated traffic enforcement systems to expend the apportionment of highway safety program funds to conduct a biennial survey of such systems, and make it available on DOT's website.
Directs DOT, in coordination with the Governors Highway Safety Association, to develop procedures to allow states to submit highway safety plans electronically.
Reduces from 60 to 45 the number of days during which DOT must review and approve state highway safety plans it has received.
Revises teen traffic safety requirements.
(Sec. 4003) Revises the highway safety research and development program.
Directs NHTSA (which currently is merely authorized) to carry out collaborative research on in-vehicle alcohol detection technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving. Directs DOT to obligate up to a certain amount of funds for the period FY2017-FY2020 to related research.
Requires DOT to establish procedures and guidelines to ensure that persons participating in a program or activity that collects data on drug or alcohol use by motor vehicle drivers are informed that the program or activity is voluntary.
Sets the federal share of project costs at 100%.
(Sec. 4004) Directs DOT to establish a high-visibility enforcement program under which at least three high-visibility traffic safety law enforcement campaigns will be carried out for FY2016-FY2020.
Requires each campaign to achieve at least one of the following objectives:
(Sec. 4005) Revises national priority safety programs requirements.
Specifies allocations of national priority safety program funds for occupant protection, state traffic safety information system improvements, impaired driving countermeasures, distracted driving, motorcyclist safety, state graduated driver licensing laws, and nonmotorized safety.
Increases from 75% to 100% the amount of the apportionment of occupant protection grants a state may use for state highway safety programs.
Revises requirements for impaired driving countermeasures incentive grants.
Requires DOT to award separate grants to each state that:
Prescribes funding requirements.
Directs DOT to award distracted driving incentive grants to states that include distracted driving awareness as part of the state's driver's license examination, and enact and enforce a law that:
Revises motorcyclist safety incentive grant requirements.
Requires the allocation of motorcyclist safety grant funds to a state to be in proportion to the state's apportionment of highway safety program funds for FY2009, except that the grant amount may not exceed 25% of the apportionment for FY2009.
Directs DOT to update and give states model language to use in traffic safety education courses, driver's manuals, and other driver training materials instructing motor vehicle operators on the importance of sharing the road safely with motorcyclists.
Revises minimum requirements for state graduated driver licensing incentive grant programs.
Requires DOT to award incentive grants to states with graduated driving licensing laws that require novice drivers under age 18 (currently, under age 21) to comply with a two-stage licensing process before receiving an unrestricted driver's license.
Requires such laws, at a minimum, to include a learner's permit stage that:
Requires such laws also to include an intermediate permit stage that:
Directs DOT to award nonmotorized safety grants to states for projects to decrease pedestrian and bicycle fatalities and injuries resulting from crashes with motor vehicles. Sets the federal share of project costs at up to 80%.
(Sec. 4006) Directs DOT to develop a process to identify and mitigate possible systemic issues across state and regional offices by reviewing recommendations identified in triennial state management reviews of state highway safety programs.
(Sec. 4007) Prohibits DOT from providing grants or funds to any state, county, town, township, Indian tribe, municipality, or other local government for use in any program to check helmet usage or create checkpoints for a motorcycle driver or passenger.
(Sec. 4008) Directs DOT to study marijuana-impaired driving.
(Sec. 4009) Directs the NTHSA to identify and carry out additional actions it should undertake to assist state efforts to increase public awareness of the dangers of drug-impaired driving, including the dangers of driving while under the influence of heroin or prescription opioids.
(Sec. 4010) Directs DOT to make available to the public on the DOT website information on states awarded national priority safety program grants.
(Sec. 4011) Amends SAFETEA-LU regarding grants to states for costs of collecting and evaluating traffic stop data based on race of motor vehicle driver and any passenger.
Repeals authority to use grant funds to develop and implement programs to reduce the occurrence of racial profiling, including programs to train law enforcement officers.
Directs DOT to set-aside $7.5 million of highway safety research and development funds for each of FY2017-FY2020 to carry out this grant program.
Authorizes reallocation of such amounts remaining available before the end of the fiscal year to increase the amounts made available to carry out other highway safety research and development activities.
(Sec. 4012) Directs DOT to report to Congress on NTHSA progress toward reviewing and implementing recommendations made in a GAO report on the National Roadside Survey of alcohol and drug use by drivers.
(Sec. 4013) Directs NHTSA to report on any barriers to collecting data on the prevalence of the use of wireless communications devices while driving.
TITLE V--MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY
Subtitle A--Motor Carrier Safety Grant Consolidation
(Sec. 5101) Revises requirements for the motor carrier safety assistance grant program.
Directs DOT to publish approved state multiple-year motor carrier safety improvement plans, and annual updates, on the DOT public website.
Authorizes DOT, in lieu of withdrawing approval of noncompliant state plans, to withhold from such states, for the fiscal year, graduated percentages of grant program funds.
Directs DOT to administer a financial assistance program for discretionary grants to and cooperative agreements with states, local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribes, and other persons to carry out high priority motor carrier safety activities and projects.
Requires DOT to establish a program of discretionary grants to states for the innovative technology deployment of commercial motor vehicle information systems and networks.
Revises requirements for reimbursement of a state, from a related grant, for 80% of the costs of developing and implementing programs to improve commercial motor vehicle safety and enforce commercial motor vehicle regulations, standards, or orders. Replaces this program with commercial motor vehicle operators grants to programs to train individuals in the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles.
Authorizes appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2017-FY2020 for FMCSA Financial Assistance Programs, including:
Repeals specified commercial motor vehicle safety programs.
(Sec. 5102) Renames the performance and registration information program as the performance and registration information systems management program.
(Sec. 5103) Reauthorizes appropriations from HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2016-FY2020 for FMCSA administrative expenses.
Authorizes DOT to conduct an outreach and education program administered by the FMCSA.
(Sec. 5104) Revises the program of financial assistance grants to states to implement the commercial driver's license program.
Repeals the authorization for grants in a fiscal year to state agencies, local governments, or persons to cover 100% of the costs of priority research, development or testing, demonstration projects, public education, or other special activities relating to commercial driver's licensing and motor vehicle safety.
(Sec. 5105) Reauthorizes appropriations from the HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FY2016 for the motor carrier safety assistance grant program.
Amends SAFETEA-LU to reauthorize through FY2016 appropriations from the HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for FMCSA programs, including:
Extends through FY2016 the set-aside of certain funds for:
Reauthorizes through FY2016 appropriations from the HTF (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the commercial motor vehicle operators grant program.
(Sec. 5106) Directs DOT to establish a motor carrier safety assistance program formula working group to analyze requirements and factors for a new motor carrier safety assistance program allocation formula based on specified factors.
Prescribes requirements for program funding before development of a new allocation formula.
(Sec. 5107) Directs DOT, if a new allocation formula has not been established for the pertinent fiscal year, to calculate for FY2017 and ensuing fiscal years the maintenance of effort baseline for funding the lead state agency responsible for administering the motor carrier safety assistance plan.
Allows DOT, at state request, beginning when a