To relieve traffic congestion.

Summary: National Highway Chokepoint Congestion Relief Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) issue regulations to establish a chokepoint congestion relief program; and (2) develop criteria for designating national chokepoint regions in a state.

Authorizes the Secretary to make capital improvement grants to states in order to carry out eligible projects that reduce traffic congestion in the national chokepoint regions. Sets forth a formula for the apportioning of grant funds.

Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) states should adopt both interim and long-term objectives for significantly reducing traffic congestion at chokepoint areas; (2) establishment of performance measures and quantitative goals will allow states to make efficient use of available resources on projects that have the maximum impact in reducing traffic congestion and improving mobility at chokepoint areas; and (3) alleviation of traffic congestion requires Congress to commit to authorizing and funding nonautomotive travel modes as well as travel demand management, growth management, land use, and green infrastructure strategies.

Requires the Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), through the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, to study and report to specified congressional committees on the extent to which congestion pricing (including that utilized in London, England, and Stockholm, Sweden) can encourage travelers to drive during off-peak hours, or change their mode of transportation, and can also generate revenue and thus require less tax-based funding.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Highway Chokepoint 
Congestion Relief Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) In 2007, traffic congestion in the top 437 urban areas 
        resulted in major chokepoints and bottlenecks, causing 
        Americans to lose 4.2 billion hours and 2.9 billion gallons of 
        fuel sitting in traffic jams.
            (2) At the most traffic congested chokepoints, each rush 
        hour traveler ``pays'' an annual virtual congestion tax of 
        between $600 and $1,600 in lost time and fuel and spends the 
        equivalent of almost eight work days each year stuck in 
        traffic.
            (3) Traffic congestion threatens business productivity 
        through the loss of efficient delivery cycles, the need for 
        increased inventory, and the cost of congestion-related fuel 
        emissions.
            (4) Traffic congestion causes highway crashes that can kill 
        drivers, their passengers and other motorists. As highway 
        crowding grows and motorists jockey for position at exits and 
        entryways, the potential for highway crashes increases.
            (5) Traffic congestion chokepoints hinder the Nation's 
        progress in improving air quality. Vehicles caught in stop-and-
        go traffic emit far more pollutants, particularly carbon 
        monoxide and volatile organic compounds, than they do when 
        operating without frequent braking and acceleration.
            (6) In the largest cities of the Nation, highway congestion 
        impacts 67 percent of travel, lasts seven hours per day in 
        duration, and increases by 37 percent the length of the average 
        rush hour driver's trip.
            (7) Traffic congestion is no longer simply a problem in the 
        central areas of large cities. In fact, the rate of congestion 
        has increased dramatically in medium-sized cities and suburban 
        areas.
            (8) In a 2005 National League of Cities survey, traffic 
        congestion led all other categories, including education and 
        healthcare, when respondents were asked to identify the most 
        deteriorated conditions in their cities over the last five 
        years.
            (9) In December 2007, the National Surface Transportation 
        Policy and Revenue Study Commission noted that certain 
        chokepoints impede national and regional movements and 
        recommended that a distinct program be established to fund 
        projects that reduce traffic congestion.

SEC. 3. CHOKEPOINT CONGESTION RELIEF PROGRAM.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall issue regulations that establish 
a chokepoint congestion relief program pursuant to the requirements of 
this Act.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL CHOKEPOINT REGIONS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall develop criteria for designating national 
chokepoint regions in a State, or more than one State if the States are 
contiguous, based on factors, including--
            (1) daily vehicle-miles of travel;
            (2) estimates of annual hours of delay per traveler;
            (3) comparisons of peak period travel time to free-flow 
        travel time (travel time index);
            (4) percentage of trucks in traffic stream;
            (5) estimates of wasted fuel per traveler;
            (6) estimates of extra costs due to travel delay and fuel 
        consumption;
            (7) percentage of daily travel in congested conditions;
            (8) proximity to shipping ports, airports, commuter rail, 
        tourist destinations, and freight transportation corridors;
            (9) estimates of incident-related travel delay, including 
        roadside distractions and ``rubbernecking'';
            (10) abrupt changes in highway alignment such as sharp 
        curves and hills;
            (11) intended interruption to highway flow such as 
        tollbooths and freeway ramp meters; and
            (12) vehicle merging maneuvers such as ``lanedrop,'' lane-
        blocking incidents, ``weaving areas'', freeway on-ramps, and 
        freeway-to-freeway interchanges.

SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary may make a grant for capital 
improvements under this Act to a State department of transportation 
having jurisdiction over an area within a national chokepoint region.
    (b) Secretarial Approval.--A grant may only be made under this Act 
for an eligible project described in section 7.
    (c) Coordination With Existing Programs.--The Secretary shall 
coordinate the chokepoint congestion relief program with existing 
programs, including the corridors of the future program.
    (d) Construction Standards.--A project to be carried out with 
assistance under this Act that is for a highway that is on a Federal-
aid system (as defined in section 101 of title 23, United States Code) 
shall be constructed to the same standards that would apply if such 
project was being carried out with assistance under chapter 1 of title 
23, United States Code.
    (e) Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of an 
        eligible project for which a grant is made under this Act shall 
        be 80 percent.
            (2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the cost 
        of an eligible project for which a grant is made under this Act 
        may not be provided from Federal funds made available under any 
        other law.

SEC. 6. APPORTIONMENT OF FUNDS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to carry out the 
chokepoint congestion relief program described in section 5 by 
apportioning amounts to State departments of transportation, in the 
form of capital improvement grants, for carrying out eligible projects 
in the national chokepoint regions.
    (b) Formula for Apportionment.--The Secretary shall develop a 
formula for apportioning amounts to eligible projects in national 
chokepoint regions based on--
            (1) estimates of annual hours of delay per traveler;
            (2) daily vehicle-miles of travel on Federal-aid highways; 
        and
            (3) comparisons of peak period travel time to free-flow 
        travel time (travel time index).
    (c) Apportionments to More Than One State.--If a national 
chokepoint region is within the boundaries of more than one State, the 
Secretary shall apportion the funds apportioned under subsection (a) 
for carrying out eligible projects in such national chokepoint regions 
among such States as follows:
            (1) 50 percent of the apportionment in the ratio that--
                    (A) the total lane miles of Federal-aid highways in 
                the national chokepoint region in each of such States; 
                bears to
                    (B) the total lane miles of Federal-aid highways in 
                the national chokepoint region in all of such States.
            (2) 50 percent of the apportionments in the ratio that--
                    (A) the total vehicle miles traveled on lanes on 
                Federal-aid highways in the national chokepoint region 
                in each of such States; bears to
                    (B) the total vehicle miles traveled on lanes on 
                Federal-aid highways in the national chokepoint region 
                in all of such States.
    (d) Period of Availability.--Amounts granted to a State department 
of transportation for carrying out an eligible project, from amounts 
apportioned under this subsection, shall remain available for 
obligation for a period of 6 years after the last day of the fiscal 
year for which the funds are authorized to be appropriated. Any amounts 
so apportioned that remain unobligated at the end of such period shall 
be allocated to other States for the purpose of funding eligible 
projects located in national chokepoint regions at the discretion of 
the Secretary.

SEC. 7. PROJECT SELECTION AND ELIGIBILITY.

    (a) Selection Process Guidelines.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue project 
selection guidelines for a State department of transportation to follow 
in selecting eligible projects for which grants may be made under this 
Act.
    (b) Minimum Requirements.--The selection guidelines issued by the 
Secretary pursuant to subsection (a) shall include a requirement that a 
State department of transportation--
            (1) consult with local governments, port authorities, and 
        regional planning organizations during the project selection 
        process;
            (2) adhere to applicable metropolitan and statewide 
        planning processes, including sections 134 and 135 of title 23, 
        United States Code, in selecting projects for which grants may 
        be made under this Act;
            (3) develop and implement a selection process that is in 
        writing and available to the public;
            (4) develop and implement a process for rating proposed 
        projects for which grants may be made under this Act; and
            (5) identify the basis for rating projects under paragraph 
        (4).

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Eligible project.--The term ``eligible project'' means 
        a project or activity eligible for assistance under chapter 1 
        of title 23, United States Code.
            (2) Federal-aid highway.--The term ``Federal-aid highway'' 
        has the meaning such term has under section 101 of title 23, 
        United States Code.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (4) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the 50 States, 
        the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
            (5) State department of transportation.--The term ``State 
        department of transportation'' has the meaning such term has 
        under section 101 of title 23, United States Code.

SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND 
              QUANTITATIVE GOALS FOR STATE DOTS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) States should adopt both interim and long-term 
        objectives for significantly reducing traffic congestion at 
        chokepoint areas within each State; and
            (2) establishing performance measures and quantitative 
        goals will allow State departments of transportation to use 
        available resources as efficiently as possible on projects that 
        have the maximum impact in reducing traffic congestion and 
        improving mobility.

SEC. 10. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON NONAUTOMOTIVE TRAVEL MODES, TRAVEL DEMAND 
              MANAGEMENT, GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AND GREEN 
              INFRASTRUCTURE.

    It is the sense of Congress that alleviating traffic congestion 
requires that the House of Representatives and the Senate commit to 
authorizing and funding--
            (1) nonautomotive modes of travel, including intercity 
        passenger rail, commuter rail, light rail, heavy rail, bus 
        transit, and bikeways;
            (2) travel demand management strategies, including 
        ridesharing, dedicated highway lanes for high occupancy 
        vehicles, staggered work hour initiatives, and telecommuting;
            (3) growth management and land use strategies; and
            (4) strategies that promote the inclusion of trees and 
        green infrastructure along transportation corridors, which has 
        been shown to reduce air pollution by removing airborne 
        contaminants and to reduce congestion by calming traffic and 
        creating safer roadways.

SEC. 11. RITA STUDY OF CONGESTION PRICING.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, 
through the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, shall--
            (1) study the extent to which congestion pricing can 
        provide an incentive for travelers to drive during off-peak 
        hours or to change their mode of transportation for time-
        sensitive journeys;
            (2) study the potential for congestion pricing to generate 
        revenue and thus require less tax-based funding;
            (3) study foreign congestion pricing practices, such as 
        those utilized in London, England, and Stockholm, Sweden, and 
        the cost and feasibility of implementing selected best 
        practices in the United States; and
            (4) report the results of the study to the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund 
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act for fiscal years 
2010 through 2015.