I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2164 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify the authority of the 

Secretary of Transportation to make grants for new fixed guideway 

capital projects, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 29, 2009 

Mr. BLUMENAUER (for himself, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, and Mr. KLEIN of Florida) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify the authority of the Secretary of Transportation to make grants 

for new fixed guideway capital projects, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Streetcar Revi5 talization Act of 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Communities throughout the United States 

2 are exploring the reintroduction of streetcars. 

3 (2) Existing streetcar systems provide con4 vincing evidence that, for a modest cost, streetcars 

5 can provide transportation choice, attract economic 

6 development, link jobs and housing, and create dens7 er, pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods. 

8 (3) Streetcars provide transportation circulation 

9 within urbanized areas to catalyze economic develop10 ment and housing in urban centers. 

11 (4) The new starts program under section 5309 

12 of title 49, United States Code, supported streetcar 

13 projects in the past, but the existing small starts 

14 program under section 5309(e) of such title has 

15 failed to continue this legacy. 

16 (5) Appropriate assessment of the value pro17 vided by streetcar systems must encompass a cal18 culation of the number of automobile trips not 

19 taken, the decrease in passenger vehicle miles trav20 eled, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions 

21 that result from the streetcar system. 

22 SEC. 3. STREETCAR CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS. 

23 (a) AMENDMENTS TO SMALL STARTS PROGRAM.— 

24 Section 5309(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amend25 ed— 


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1 (1) in the subsection heading by striking 

2 ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000,000’’; 

3 (2) in paragraph (1)(A)— 

4 (A) by striking ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and insert5 ing ‘‘$100,000,000’’; and 

6 (B) by striking ‘‘$250,000,000’’ and in7 serting ‘‘$300,000,000’’; 

8 (3) in paragraph (1)(B)— 

9 (A) in the subparagraph heading by strik10 ing ‘‘$25,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$50,000,000’’; 

11 (B) by striking ‘‘$25,000,000’’ and insert12 ing ‘‘$50,000,000’’; and 

13 (C) by striking ‘‘until such date as the 

14 final regulation to be issued under paragraph 

15 (9) takes effect’’; 

16 (4) by striking paragraph (2)(B) and inserting 

17 the following: 

18 ‘‘(B) justified based on a review of its ef19 fect on local economic development, land use, 

20 travel patterns, and greenhouse gas reduction 

21 potential; and’’; 

22 (5) in paragraph (3) by adding at the end the 

23 following: ‘‘For purposes of this paragraph, the Sec24 retary shall compare the proposed project to a no 

25 build analysis to consider project outcomes.’’; 


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1 (6) in paragraph (4) by striking subparagraphs 

2 (A) through (E) and inserting the following: 

3 ‘‘(A) determine the degree to which the 

4 project will have a positive effect on local eco5 nomic development; 

6 ‘‘(B) determine the reduction in per capita 

7 auto travel demand that will result from the 

8 completed project, including related develop9 ment, travel pattern, and land use changes; and 

10 ‘‘(C) determine the reduction in per capita 

11 greenhouse gas emissions that will result from 

12 the completed project, including related develop13 ment, travel pattern, and land use changes.’’; 

14 (7) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the 

15 following: 

16 ‘‘(6) ADVANCEMENT OF PROJECT TO DEVELOP17 MENT AND CONSTRUCTION.—A proposed project 

18 under this subsection may advance from planning 

19 and alternatives analysis to project development and 

20 construction only if the Secretary finds that the 

21 project meets the requirements of this subsection 

22 and there is a reasonable likelihood that the project 

23 will continue to meet such requirements.’’; and 

24 (8) by striking paragraphs (8), (9), (10), and 

25 (11). 


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1 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 5309 of 

2 title 49, United States Code, is amended— 

3 (1) in subsection (a)(2) by striking 

4 ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000,000’’; 

5 (2) in the heading for subsection (d) by striking 

6 ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000,000’’; and 

7 (3) in subsection (m)(2)(A)(i) by striking 

8 ‘‘$75,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$100,000,000’’. 

Æ 


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