This past summer, President Obama signed into law P.L. 112-141, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).
Funding surface transportation programs at more than $105 billion for fiscal years (FY) 2013 and 2014, MAP-21 is the first long-term highway authorization enacted since 2005.
MAP-21 represents a milestone for the U.S. economy — it provides needed funds and, more importantly, it transforms the policy and programmatic framework for investments to guide the growth and development of the country’s vital transportation infrastructure.
MAP-21 creates a streamlined, performance-based, and multimodal program to address the many challenges facing the U.S. transportation system.
These challenges include improving safety, maintaining infrastructure condition, reducing traffic congestion, improving efficiency of the system and freight movement, protecting the environment, and reducing delays in project delivery.
MAP-21 builds on and refines many of the highway, transit, bike, and pedestrian programs and policies established in 1991.
This summary reviews the policies and programs administered by the Federal Highway Administration. The Department will continue to make progress on transportation options, which it has focused on in the past three years, working closely with stakeholders to ensure that local communities are able to build multimodal, sustainable projects ranging from passenger rail and transit to bicycle and pedestrian paths.
Strengthens America’s Highways
MAP-21 expands the National Highway System (NHS) to incorporate principal arterials not previously included. Investment targets the enhanced NHS, with more than half of highway funding going to the new program devoted to preserving and improving the most important highways — the National Highway Performance Program.
Establishes a Performance-Based Program
Under MAP-21, performance management will transform Federal highway programs and provide a means to more efficient investment of Federal transportation funds by focusing on national transportation goals, increasing the accountability and transparency of the Federal highway programs, and improving transportation investment decision making through performance-based planning and programming.
Creates Jobs and Supports Economic Growth
MAP-21 authorizes $82 billion in Federal funding for FYs 2013 and 2014 for road, bridge, bicycling, and walking improvements. In addition, MAP-21 enhances innovative financing and encourages private sector investment through a substantial increase in funding for the TIFIA program. It also includes a number of provisions designed to improve freight movement in support of national goals.
Supports the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Aggressive
Safety Agenda
MAP-21 continues the successful Highway Safety Improvement Program, doubling funding for infrastructure safety, strengthening the linkage among modal safety programs, and creating a positive agenda to make significant progress in reducing highway fatalities. It also continues to build on other aggressive safety efforts, including the Department’s fight against distracted driving and its push to improve transit and motor carrier safety.
Streamlines Federal Highway Transportation Programs
The complex array of existing programs is simplified, substantially consolidating the program structure into a smaller number of broader core programs. Many smaller programs are eliminated, including most discretionary programs, with the eligibilities generally continuing under core programs.
Accelerates Project Delivery and Promotes Innovation
MAP-21 incorporates a host of changes aimed at ensuring the timely delivery of transportation projects. Changes will improve innovation and efficiency in the development of projects, through the planning and environmental review process, to project delivery.
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