1997 U.S. Code
Title 23 - HIGHWAYS
CHAPTER 1 - FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
Sec. 133 - Surface transportation program

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§133. Surface transportation program

(a) Establishment.—The Secretary shall establish a surface transportation program in accordance with this section.

(b) Eligible Projects.—A State may obligate funds apportioned to it under section 104(b)(3) for the surface transportation program only for the following:

(1) Construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, resurfacing, restoration, and operational improvements for highways (including Interstate highways) and bridges (including bridges on public roads of all functional classifications), including any such construction or reconstruction necessary to accommodate other transportation modes, and including the seismic retrofit and painting of and application of calcium magnesium acetate on bridges and approaches thereto and other elevated structures, mitigation of damage to wildlife, habitat, and ecosystems caused by a transportation project funded under this title.

(2) Capital costs for transit projects eligible for assistance under chapter 53 of title 49 and publicly owned intracity or intercity bus terminals and facilities.

(3) Carpool projects, fringe and corridor parking facilities and programs, and bicycle transportation and pedestrian walkways in accordance with section 217.

(4) Highway and transit safety improvements and programs, hazard eliminations, projects to mitigate hazards caused by wildlife, and railway-highway grade crossings.

(5) Highway and transit research and development and technology transfer programs.

(6) Capital and operating costs for traffic monitoring, management, and control facilities and programs.

(7) Surface transportation planning programs.

(8) Transportation enhancement activities.

(9) Transportation control measures listed in section 108(f)(1)(A) (other than clauses (xii) and (xvi)) of the Clean Air Act.

(10) Development and establishment of management systems under section 303.

(11) In accordance with all applicable Federal law and regulations, participation in wetlands mitigation efforts related to projects funded under this title, which may include participation in wetlands mitigation banks; contributions to statewide and regional efforts to conserve, restore, enhance and create wetlands; and development of statewide and regional wetlands conservation and mitigation plans, including any such banks, efforts, and plans authorized pursuant to the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 (including crediting provisions). Contributions to such mitigation efforts may take place concurrent with or in advance of project construction. Contributions toward these efforts may occur in advance of project construction only if such efforts are consistent with all applicable requirements of Federal law and regulations and State transportation planning processes.

(c) Location of Projects.—Except as provided in subsection (b)(1), surface transportation program projects (other than those described in subsections (b)(3) and (4)) may not be undertaken on roads functionally classified as local or rural minor collectors, unless such roads are on a Federal-aid highway system on January 1, 1991, and except as approved by the Secretary.

(d) Allocations of Apportioned Funds.—

(1) For safety programs.—10 percent of the funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(3) for the surface transportation program for a fiscal year shall only be available for carrying out sections 130 and 152 of this title. Of the funds set aside under the preceding sentence, the State shall reserve in such fiscal year an amount of such funds for carrying out each such section which is not less than the amount of funds apportioned to the State in fiscal year 1991 under such section.

(2) For transportation enhancement activities.—10 percent of the funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(3) for a fiscal year shall only be available for transportation enhancement activities.

(3) Division between urbanized areas of over 200,000 population and other areas.—

(A) General rule.—Except as provided in subparagraphs (C) and (D), 62.5 percent of the remaining 80 percent of the funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(3) for a fiscal year shall be obligated under this section—

(i) in urbanized areas of the State with an urbanized area population of over 200,000, and

(ii) in other areas of the State,

in proportion to their relative share of the State's population. The remaining 37.5 percent may be obligated in any area of the State. Funds attributed to an urbanized area under clause (i) may be obligated in the metropolitan area established under section 134 which encompasses the urbanized area.

(B) Special rule for areas of less than 5,000 population.—Of the amounts required tobe 1 obligated under subparagraph (A)(ii), the State shall obligate in areas of the State (other than urban areas with a population greater than 5,000) an amount which is not less than 110 percent of the amount of funds apportioned to the State for the Federal-aid secondary system for fiscal year 1991.

(C) Special rule for certain states.—In the case of a State in which—

(i) greater than 80 percent of the population of the State is located in 1 or more metropolitan statistical areas, and

(ii) greater than 80 percent of the land area of such State is owned by the United States,

the 62.5 percentage specified in the first sentence of subparagraph (A) shall be 35 percent and the percentage specified in the second sentence of subparagraph (A) shall be 65 percent.

(D) Noncontiguous states exemption.—Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to any State which is noncontiguous with the continental United States.

(E) Distribution between urbanized areas of over 200,000 population.—The amount of funds which a State is required to obligate under subparagraph (A)(i) shall be obligated in urbanized areas described in subparagraph (A)(i) based on the relative population of such areas; except that the State may obligate such funds based on other factors if the State and the relevant metropolitan planning organizations jointly apply to the Secretary for the permission to do so and the Secretary grants the request.

(4) Applicability of planning requirements.—Programming and expenditure of funds for projects under this section shall be consistent with the requirements of sections 134 and 135 of this title.

(5) Applicability of certain requirements to third party sellers.—

(A) In general.—Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), in the case of a transportation enhancement activity funded from the allocation required under paragraph (2), if real property or an interest in real property is to be acquired from a qualified organization exclusively for conservation purposes (as determined under section 170(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), the organization shall be considered to be the owner of the property for the purpose of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.).

(B) Federal approval prior to involvement of qualified organization.—If Federal approval of the acquisition of the real property or interest predates the involvement of a qualified organization described in subparagraph (A) in the acquisition of the property, the organization shall be considered to be an acquiring agency or person as described in section 24.101(a)(2) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, for the purpose of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970.

(C) Acquisitions on behalf of recipients of federal funds.—If a qualified organization described in subparagraph (A) has contracted with a State highway department or other recipient of Federal funds to acquire the real property or interest on behalf of the recipient, the organization shall be considered to be an agent of the recipient for the purpose of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970.

(e) Administration.—

(1) Noncompliance.—If the Secretary determines that a State or local government has failed to comply substantially with any provision of this section, the Secretary shall notify the State that, if the State fails to take corrective action within 60 days from the date of receipt of the notification, the Secretary will withhold future apportionments under section 104(b)(3) until the Secretary is satisfied that appropriate corrective action has been taken.

(2) Certification.—The Governor of each State shall certify before the beginning of each quarter of a fiscal year that the State will meet all the requirements of this section and shall notify the Secretary of the amount of obligations expected to be incurred for surface transportation program projects during such quarter. A State may request adjustment to the obligation amounts later in each of such quarters. Acceptance of the notification and certification shall be deemed a contractual obligation of the United States for the payment of the surface transportation program funds expected to be obligated by the State in such quarter for projects not subject to review by the Secretary under this chapter.

(3) Payments.—

(A) In general.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall make payments to a State of costs incurred by the State for the surface transportation program in accordance with procedures to be established by the Secretary. Payments shall not exceed the Federal share of costs incurred as of the date the State requests payments.

(B) Advance payment option for transportation enhancement activities.—

(i) In general.—The Secretary may advance funds to the State for transportation enhancement activities funded from the allocation required by subsection (d)(2) for a fiscal year if the Secretary certifies for the fiscal year that the State has authorized and uses a process for the selection of transportation enhancement projects that involves representatives of affected public entities, and private citizens, with expertise related to transportation enhancement activities.

(ii) Limitation on amounts.—Amounts advanced under this subparagraph shall be limited to such amounts as are necessary to make prompt payments for project costs.

(iii) Effect on other requirements.—This subparagraph shall not exempt a State from other requirements of this title relating to the surface transportation program.

(4) Population determinations.—The Secretary shall use estimates prepared by the Secretary of Commerce when determining population figures for purposes of this section.

(5) Transportation enhancement activities.—

(A) Categorical exclusions.—To the extent appropriate, the Secretary shall develop categorical exclusions from the requirement that an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) be prepared for transportation enhancement activities funded from the allocation required by subsection (d)(2).

(B) Nationwide programmatic agreement.—The Secretary, in consultation with the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation established under title II of the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470i et seq.), shall develop a nationwide programmatic agreement governing the review of transportation enhancement activities funded from the allocation required by subsection (d)(2), in accordance with—

(i) section 106 of such Act (16 U.S.C. 470f); and

(ii) the regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

(f) Allocation of Obligation Authority.—A State which is required to obligate in an urbanized area with an urbanized area population of over 200,000 under subsection (d) funds apportioned to it under section 104(b)(3) shall allocate during the 6-fiscal year period 1992 through 1997 an amount of obligation authority distributed to the State for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction for use in such area determined by multiplying—

(1) the aggregate amount of funds which the State is required to obligate in such area under subsection (d) during such period; by

(2) the ratio of the aggregate amount of obligation authority distributed to the State for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction during such period to the total sums apportioned to the State for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction (excluding sums not subject to an obligation limitation) during such period.

(Added Pub. L. 102–240, title I, §1007(a)(1), Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 1927; amended Pub. L. 103–429, §3(4), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4377; Pub. L. 104–59, title III, §§315, 316, Nov. 28, 1995, 109 Stat. 586, 587.)

References in Text

Section 108(f)(1)(A) of the Clean Air Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(9), is classified to section 7408(f)(1)(A) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

The Water Resources Development Act of 1990, referred to in subsec. (b)(11), is Pub. L. 101–640, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4604. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1990 Amendment note set out under section 2201 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters, and Tables.

The Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, referred to in subsec. (d)(5), is Pub. L. 91–646, Jan. 2, 1971, 84 Stat. 1894, as amended, which is classified generally to chapter 61 (§4601 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4601 of Title 42 and Tables.

Section 170(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (d)(5)(A), is classified to section 170(h) of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

The National Historic Preservation Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(5)(B), is Pub. L. 89–665, Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 915, as amended. Title II of the Act is classified generally to part B (§470i et seq.) of subchapter II of chapter 1A of Title 16, Conservation. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 470 of Title 16 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 133, Pub. L. 87–866, §5(a), Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1146, provided for relocation assistance for persons displaced by Federal-aid highway construction, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 90–495, §37, Aug. 23, 1968, 82 Stat. 836, effective July 1, 1970. See section 501 et seq. of this title.

Amendments

1995—Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 104–59, §315, added par. (5).

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 104–59, §316(1), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted subpar. (A) heading, realigned margins, substituted “Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the” for “The”, and added subpar. (B).

Subsec. (e)(5). Pub. L. 104–59, §316(2), added par. (5).

1994—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 103–429 substituted “chapter 53 of title 49” for “the Federal Transit Act”.

Effective Date

Section effective Dec. 18, 1991, and applicable to funds authorized to be appropriated or made available after Sept. 30, 1991, and, with certain exceptions, not applicable to funds appropriated or made available on or before Sept. 30, 1991, see section 1100 of Pub. L. 102–240, set out as an Effective Date of 1991 Amendment note under section 104 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 104, 117, 134, 157, 160 of this title; title 49 sections 5303, 5305.

1 So in original. Probably should be “to be”.