[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 621-622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33286]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2010-0180]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request 
described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval of a new information collection. We published a Federal 
Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information 
collection on September 7, 2010. We are required to publish this notice 
in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by February 4, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. 
You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, 
including: (1) Whether the proposed collection is necessary for the 
FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways 
for the FHWA to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
collected information; and (4) ways that the burden could be minimized, 
including the use of electronic technology, without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. All comments should include the 
Docket number FHWA-2010-0180.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Bergeron, (202) 366-5508, 
Office of Infrastructure, Federal Highway Administration, Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey

[[Page 622]]

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Highways for LIFE Omnibus Survey for Technology Deployment.
    Background: The Highways for LIFE program was established by the 
109th Congress within Sections 1101 and 1502 of the Safe, Accountable, 
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (Pub. 
L. 109-59). Within that law, under the topic ``Technology Transfer and 
Information Dissemination,'' it states that ``The Secretary shall 
conduct a highways for life technology transfer program.'' It further 
states that ``The Secretary shall establish a process for stakeholder 
input and involvement in the development, implementation, and 
evaluation of the Highways for LIFE Pilot Program. The process may 
include participation by representatives of the State departments of 
transportation and other interested persons.'' Also, it states that, 
``The Secretary shall monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of any 
activity carried out under this section.''
    A critical element in accomplishing these goals is to ensure that 
the technologies being deployed by FHWA and implemented by the States 
actually fill a specific need. Therefore, it is important that FHWA 
obtain feedback both before and after specific technologies are 
transferred. If, for example, FHWA determined on its own that a 
particular innovation was important, yet never actually determined 
whether States would value such an innovation, much time and money 
would have been wasted. Or, if there were an innovation that was 
deployed to States, yet FHWA never followed up to determine if the 
effort was a success, or how it might be even more successful, lessons 
could not be learned and put into effect.
    In FHWA's Strategic Plan, the first goal listed is ``National 
Leadership.'' Under that topic, the first objective is ``Advance 
Innovation: FHWA is recognized as a leader in the development and 
promotion of innovative solutions that address current and emerging 
transportation issues.'' Item 1.1 is ``Systematically identify emerging 
issues and needs that could impact transportation,'' and item 1.2 is 
``Identify, develop, promote, and rapidly implement new and proven 
technologies and innovative solutions to improve system performance.'' 
These ``innovative solutions'' cannot properly identify what might work 
without discussing the needs for such things with the user groups--the 
States. Likewise, it cannot promote and implement them without an 
appropriate understanding of how the user organizations--the States--
feel about the particular innovations; and this can only come from a 
formal survey.
    Respondents: There are 260 respondents, including 5 each from 50 
State Transportation Departments, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    Frequency: Once a year, for three years.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Each survey will require 15 
minutes to respond.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 65 hours.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the U.S. DOT's performance, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the U.S. DOT's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
information collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, 
and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that the burden 
could be minimized, including the use of electronic technology, without 
reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will 
summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on: December 29, 2010.
Cynthia Thornton,
Acting Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 2010-33286 Filed 1-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P