To amend title 23, United States Code, to improve the safety of high risk rural roads, and for other purposes.

Summary: High Risk Rural Roads Safety Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to carry out a program to improve the safety of high risk rural roads.

Requires the Secretary to apportion formulated percentages of federal funds to states to carry out specified projects and activities to improve the safety of such roads.

Prescribes the federal share of project costs at 90%.

Authorizes a state to use not more than 1.25% or $100,000 (whichever is greater) of apportioned funds for a road safety assessment program.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``High Risk Rural Roads Safety Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. HIGH RISK RURAL ROADS SAFETY PROGRAM.

    Title 23, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
149 the following:
``Sec. 150. High risk rural roads safety program
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to 
improve the safety of high risk rural roads in accordance with this 
section.
    ``(b) High Risk Rural Road Projects.--Funds apportioned to a State 
under this section may be used for any of the following projects and 
activities to improve the safety of a high risk rural road:
            ``(1) A road safety audit.
            ``(2) An intersection safety improvement.
            ``(3) Installation of rumble strips or another warning 
        device, if the rumble strips or other warning devices do not 
        adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, 
        pedestrians, and the disabled.
            ``(4) An improvement for pedestrian or bicyclist safety or 
        safety of the disabled.
            ``(5) Construction of a railway-highway crossing safety 
        feature, including installation of protective devices.
            ``(6) Construction of a traffic calming feature.
            ``(7) Improvement of highway signage and pavement markings, 
        including to meet minimum levels of retroreflectivity 
        established by the Department of Transportation.
            ``(8) Installation of a priority control system for 
        emergency vehicles at signalized intersections.
            ``(9) Installation of a traffic control or other warning 
        device at a location with high accident potential.
            ``(10) Installation of guardrails, barriers (including 
        barriers between construction work zones and traffic lanes for 
        the safety of motorists and workers), and crash attenuators.
            ``(11) The addition or retrofitting of structures or other 
        measures to eliminate or reduce accidents involving vehicles 
        and wildlife.
            ``(12) Installation and maintenance of signs (including 
        fluorescent, yellow-green signs) at pedestrian-bicycle 
        crossings and in school zones.
            ``(13) Installation of a skid-resistant surface at an 
        intersection or other location with a high frequency of 
        accidents.
            ``(14) Improvement of an edge drop-off that is greater than 
        4 inches.
            ``(15) Spot pavement and shoulder widening.
            ``(16) Elimination of a roadside obstacle.
            ``(17) Systemic improvements focusing on low-cost safety 
        infrastructure investments.
            ``(18) Traffic enforcement or other activities relating to 
        work zone safety.
    ``(c) Apportionment of Funds.--On October 1 of each fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall apportion the sums authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out this section for such fiscal year among the States in 
accordance with the following:
            ``(1) 25 percent in the ratio that--
                    ``(A) the total rural major collector lane miles in 
                each State; bears to
                    ``(B) the total rural major collector lane miles in 
                all States.
            ``(2) 25 percent in the ratio that--
                    ``(A) the total rural minor collector lane miles in 
                each State; bears to
                    ``(B) the total rural minor collector lane miles in 
                all States.
            ``(3) 25 percent in the ratio that--
                    ``(A) the total rural local road lane miles in each 
                State; bears to
                    ``(B) the total rural local road lane miles in all 
                States.
            ``(4) 25 percent in the ratio that--
                    ``(A) the total number of fatalities, in the most 
                recent fiscal year for which data is available, on 
                rural major collector, rural minor collector, and rural 
                local roads in each State; bears to
                    ``(B) the total number of fatalities, in the most 
                recent fiscal year for which data is available, on 
                rural major collector, rural minor collector, and rural 
                local roads in all States.
    ``(d) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a high risk 
rural road project carried out with funds apportioned to a State under 
this section shall be 90 percent.
    ``(e) Road Assessment Programs.--Notwithstanding subsection (b), a 
State may use not more than 1.25 percent or $100,000 of the funds 
apportioned to the State under this section in a fiscal year, whichever 
is greater, for a road assessment program, under which any of the 
following may be carried out to improve the safety of a high risk rural 
road:
            ``(1) Risk mapping to document the safety performance of a 
        road.
            ``(2) Documenting the risk of death or serious injury from 
        an accident with respect to a road, including specifying the 
        locations where that risk is high or low.
            ``(3) Monitoring changes in the safety performance of a 
        road segment over time and determining how those changes relate 
        to safety improvement activities.
            ``(4) Examining the effectiveness of road infrastructure 
        improvements with respect to protecting road users from 
        accidents, including accidents that result in death or serious 
        injury.
            ``(5) Identifying roads eligible to be assisted under 
        subsection (b).
            ``(6) Identifying cost-effective improvements for a 
        specific road segment.
    ``(f) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit annually to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives a report describing progress made in reducing the 
number of fatalities and incapacitating injuries on each of the high 
risk rural roads with respect to which a project was carried out under 
this section.
    ``(g) High Risk Rural Road Defined.--In this section, the term 
`high risk rural road' means any roadway functionally classified as a 
rural major or minor collector or a rural local road--
            ``(1) with respect to which there is a significant 
        likelihood of accidents resulting in fatalities or 
        incapacitating injuries; or
            ``(2) with respect to which there is a physical condition 
        that presents to users of the roadway an increased risk of an 
        accident, including an accident resulting in a serious injury.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit 
Account) to carry out this section $400,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2012 through 2017. Funds made available to carry out this section 
shall not be transferrable and shall remain available until 
expended.''.

SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    Section 148 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (f); and
            (2) by redesignating subsections (g) and (h) as subsections 
        (f) and (g), respectively.

SEC. 4. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.

    The analysis for chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 149 the 
following:

``150. High risk rural roads safety program.''.