This one is very sneaky because the name is so innocuous. I found it at this website:
http://www.broward.org/mpo/ and looked it up. Apparently Bushwhacker 41 is the guy who started this with the international corridor system.
1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991
On December 18, 1991, the President signed the Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 providing
authorizations for highways, highway safety, and mass
transportation for the next 6 years. Total funding of about $155
billion will be available in fiscal years (FY) 1992-1997. (See
authorization table on pages 38-41 for a summary of funding by
program.)
The purpose of the Act is clearly enunciated in its statement
of policy:
"to develop a National Intermodal Transportation System that
is economically efficient, environmentally sound, provides the
foundation for the Nation to compete in the global economy and
will move people and goods in an energy efficient manner"
The provisions of the Act reflect these important policy
goals. Some of the major features include:
- A National Highway System (NHS), consisting primarily of
existing Interstate routes and a portion of the Primary
System, is established to focus Federal resources on roads
that are the most important to interstate travel and national
defense, roads that connect with other modes of
transportation, and are essential for international commerce.
- State and local governments are given more flexibility in
determining transportation solutions, whether transit or
highways, and the tools of enhanced planning and management
systems to guide them in making the best choices.
- New technologies, such as intelligent vehicle highway systems
and prototype magnetic levitation systems, are funded to push
the Nation forward into thinking of new approaches in
providing 21st Century transportation.
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- The private sector is tapped as a source for funding
transportation improvements. Restrictions on the use of
Federal funds for toll roads have been relaxed and private
entities may even own such facilities.
- The Act continues discretionary and formula funds for mass
transit.
- Highway funds are available for activities that enhance the
environment, such as wetland banking, mitigation of damage to
wildlife habitat, historic sites, activities that contribute
to meeting air quality standards, a wide range of bicycle and
pedestrian projects, and highway beautification.
- Highway safety is further enhanced by a new program to
encourage the use of safety belts and motorcycle helmets.
- State uniformity in vehicle registration and fuel tax
reporting is required. This will ease the recordkeeping and
reporting burden on businesses and contribute substantially to
increased productivity of the truck and bus industry.
Statewide Planning
Newly required under this Act are:
ù a statewide planning process,
ù statewide transportation plan, and
ù a statewide transportation program.
Management Systems
In addition to carrying out the statewide and metropolitan
planning requirements, the State must develop, establish, and
implement six management systems -
ù highway pavement,
ù bridge,
ù highway safety,
ù traffic congestion,
ù public transportation facilities and equipment, and
ù intermodal transportation facilities and systems.
Toll Roads
Tolls are permitted to a much greater degree than in the past
on Federal-aid facilities, i.e., roads, bridges and tunnels. Types
of work that may be done are:
1) Initial construction of toll facilities (except for
Interstate),
2) 4R work on toll facilities,
3) Reconstruction or replacement of free bridges or tunnels
and conversion to toll facilities,
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4) Reconstruction of free highways (except Interstate roads)
to convert to toll, and
5) preliminary studies to determine the feasibility of the
above work.
The tolls may be continued if used for transportation
purposes under Title 23.
For the first time private entities may own the toll
facilities. However, the applicable public authority, regardless
of ownership, must ensure that Title 23 requirements are being
carried out. A State may loan the Federal share of a project's
cost to another public or a private agency constructing the
project. Repaid funds may be used for any of the purposes under
the original category from which the loans were made.xx
Rail Modernization (this would include Kansas City, Chicago, etc)
Authorizations for the Section 3 Rail Modernization Funds, a
total of $5 billion over the 6 years, are allocated by formula
rather than on a discretionary basis as in previous law. The
formula uses statutory percentages to allocate the first $492
million to the II historic rail cities. The next $70 million is
allocated one-half to the historic rail cities and one-half to all
cities with fixed guideways at least 7-years-old (and any other
fixed guideway city which can demonstrate rehabilitation needs), on
the basis of the Section 9 Rail Tier formula factors. Any
remaining funds are allocated to the same cities.
STATE PARTICIPATION IN IRP AND IFTA
By September 30, 1996, States must join the International
Registration Plan, a base-State agreement for the registration of
trucks and buses operating in different States. Likewise, States
must join the International Fuel Tax Agreement, a similar agreement
for fuel taxes, by September 30, 1996.
Intermodal Transportation
The purpose of Title V is to promote intermodal
transportation.
The focus of the intermodal effort will be a new Office of
Intermodalism, established within the Office of the Secretary of
Transportation. The office will maintain and disseminate
intermodal transportation data, and coordinate Federal research on
intermodal transportation.
The Secretary is authorized to make available $3 million in
grants to States to develop model intermodal transportation plans.
These plans must include systems for collecting data.
The Act establishes a National Commission on Intermodal
Transportation to study the status of intermodal standardization,
intermodal impacts on public works infrastructure, legal
impediments to efficient intermodal transportation, financial
issues, new technologies, problems in documenting intermodal
transfers of freight, research and development needs, and the
relationship of intermodal transportation to productivity. The
report is due to Congress by September 30, 1993.
International Highway
Transportation Outreach Program
A new International Highway Transportation Outreach Program
will provide for informing the U.S. highway community of foreign
transportation innovations, promoting U.S. highway transportation
expertise internationally, and increasing the transfers of U.S.
highway transportation technology to foreign countries.
PART B - INTELLIGENT VEHICLE-HIGHWAY SYSTEMS ACT
An Intelligent Vehicle-Highway Systems (IVHS) Program is
established, with approximately $660 million authorized for the 6-
year authorization period.
The Act requires the promotion of compatible standards and
protocols to promote widespread use of IVHS technologies, the
establishment of evaluation guidelines for IVHS operational tests,
and the establishment of an information clearinghouse.