S.Amdt. 2344

1. Adds SEC. 1815. RURAL ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM wherever appropriate

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. 1815. RURAL ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM.

   Inserted: (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code (as amended by section 1814(a)), is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "Sec. 176. Rural road safety program

   Inserted: "(a) Findings.--Congress finds that it is in the vital interest of the Nation that a rural road safety program be established to ensure that the safety of the traveling public is enhanced on rural two-lane highways.

   Inserted: "(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish and implement a rural road safety program in accordance with this section.

   Inserted: "(c) Apportionments.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--On October 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall apportion to each State to carry out this section an amount in the ratio of the percentage of the centerline mileage of two-lane roads in rural areas functionally classified as minor and major collectors and arterials in each State bears to the total centerline mileage of two-lane roads in rural areas functionally classified as minor and major collectors and arterials in all the States.

   Inserted: "(2) Allocation of apportioned funds.--Within each State, funds for the rural road safety program for each fiscal year shall be allocated among State, county, city, and other levels of government commensurate with each entity's ownership ratio of eligible two-lane road mileage of two-lane roads in rural areas functionally classified as minor and major collectors and arterials.

   Inserted: "(d) Location of Projects.--Funds authorized to carry out this section shall be available for expenditure only for activities described in subsection (g).

   Inserted: "(e) Obligation of Funds.--Funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section shall be available for obligation in the same manner and the same extent as if such funds were apportioned under section 104(b) of title 23, United States Code, except that the Secretary is authorized to waive provisions that the Secretary considers inconsistent with the purposes of this section.

   Inserted: "(f) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of a project under this section shall be 80 percent of the total cost for such project.

   Inserted: "(g) Transferability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law no portion of a State's apportionment allocated for the rural road safety program may be transferred to any other apportionment of the State for such fiscal year.

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   Inserted: "(h) Use of Funds.--A State that receives an apportionment under this section may use funds--

   Inserted: "(1) to improve horizontal and vertical alignment;

   Inserted: "(2) to eliminate wheel lane rutting, increase skid resistance, and smooth roadways;

   Inserted: "(3) to improve sight distances;

   Inserted: "(4) to widen lanes and shoulders;

   Inserted: "(5) to install dedicated turn lanes;

   Inserted: "(6) to install and upgrade guardrails, traffic barriers, crash cushions, protective devices, and rumblestrips;

   Inserted: "(7) to install traffic and safety lights, improve signage and pavement markings; and

   Inserted: "(8) to implement other safety activities designated by the Secretary.

   Inserted: "(i) Program.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, each State that receives an apportionment under this section shall conduct and systematically maintain an engineering survey of all two-lane rural roads classified as minor and major collectors and minor arterials--

   Inserted: "(1) to identify dangerous locations, sections, and elements, including roadside obstacles and unmarked or poorly marked roads, which may constitute a danger to motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, impaired, and "older" drivers;

   Inserted: "(2) to assign priorities for the correction of such locations, sections, and elements; and

   Inserted: "(3) establish and implement a schedule of projects for improvement of such roads.

   Inserted: "(j) Evaluation.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--Each State shall establish an evaluation process approved by the Secretary to analyze and assess results achieved by safety improvement projects carried out in accordance with the procedures and criteria established by this section.

   Inserted: "(2) Priorities.--Such evaluation process shall develop cost-benefit data for various types of corrections and treatments, which shall be used in setting priorities for safety improvement projects.

   Inserted: "(k) Reporting.--

   Inserted: "(1) In general.--Each State shall report to the Secretary not later than December 30 of each year, regarding the progress of implementing safety improvement projects for danger elimination and the effectiveness of such improvements.

   Inserted: "(2) State assessment.--Each State report shall contain an assessment of the cost of, and safety benefits derived from, the various means and methods used to mitigate or eliminate dangers and the previous and subsequent accident experience at dangerous locations.

   Inserted: "(3) Secretary's report.--The Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives not later than April 1 of each year regarding the progress of the States in implementing the rural road safety program. The report shall--

   Inserted: "(A) include the number of projects undertaken, their distribution by cost range, road system, means and methods used, the previous and subsequent accident experience at improved locations and a cost-benefit analysis; and

   Inserted: "(B) analyze and evaluate each State's program, identify any State found not to be in compliance with the schedule of improvements required by subsection (a), and include recommendations for future implementation of the rural road safety program.

   Inserted: "(l) Definition of Rural Road.--In this section, the term "rural road" means all roads in rural areas.

   Inserted: "(m) Authorization of Appropriations Rural Road Safety Program.--To carry out the rural road safety program under this section there are authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2009.".

   Inserted: (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I of chapter I of title 23, United States Code (as amended by section 1814(c)), is amended by adding at the end the following:

   Inserted: "176. Rural road safety program.".

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   Original wording

   At the appropriate place, insert the following:

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As printed