I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2254 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish national tunnel inspection standards for the proper 

safety inspection and evaluation of all highway tunnels, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 21, 2011 

Mr. CAPUANO (for himself, Mr. KEATING, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. 

GONZALEZ, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, 

Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. NEAL, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PASCRELL, 

Mr. SERRANO, Mr. TIERNEY, Ms. TSONGAS, and Mr. WU) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 23, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish national tunnel inspection standards for the proper safety inspection and 

evaluation of all highway tunnels, 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. NATIONAL TUNNEL INSPECTION PROGRAM. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title 23, United States Code, is 

5 amended by inserting after section 149 the following: 


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1 ‘‘§ 150. National tunnel inspection program 

2 ‘‘(a) NATIONAL TUNNEL INSPECTION STANDARDS.— 

3 The Secretary, in consultation with State transportation 

4 departments and interested and knowledgeable private or5 ganizations and individuals, shall establish national tunnel 

6 inspection standards for the proper safety inspection and 

7 evaluation of all highway tunnels. The standards estab8 lished under this subsection shall be designed to ensure 

9 uniformity among the States in the conduct of such in10 spections and evaluations. 

11 ‘‘(b) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR INSPECTION

12 STANDARDS.—The standards established under sub13 section (a) shall, at a minimum— 

14 ‘‘(1) specify, in detail, the method by which 

15 highway tunnel inspections shall be carried out by 

16 the States; 

17 ‘‘(2) establish the maximum time period be18 tween the inspections based on a risk-management 

19 approach; 

20 ‘‘(3) establish the qualifications for those 

21 charged with carrying out the inspections; 

22 ‘‘(4) require each State to maintain and make 

23 available to the Secretary upon request— 

24 ‘‘(A) written reports on the results of the 

25 inspections together with notations of any acVerDate Mar 15 2010 19:57 Jun 23, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2254.IH H2254

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1 tion taken pursuant to the findings of the in2 spections; and 

3 ‘‘(B) current inventory data for all high4 way tunnels located in the State reflecting the 

5 findings of the most recent highway tunnel in6 spections conducted; 

7 ‘‘(5) establish procedures for national certifi8 cation of highway tunnel inspectors; 

9 ‘‘(6) establish procedures for conducting annual 

10 compliance reviews of State inspections and State 

11 implementation of quality control and quality assur12 ance procedures; and 

13 ‘‘(7) establish standards for State tunnel man14 agement systems to improve the tunnel inspection 

15 process and the quality of data collected and re16 ported by the States to the Secretary for inclusion 

17 in the national tunnel inventory to be established 

18 under this section. 

19 ‘‘(c) TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR

20 TUNNEL INSPECTORS.—The Secretary, in cooperation 

21 with State transportation departments, shall establish a 

22 program designed to ensure that all individuals carrying 

23 out highway tunnel inspections receive appropriate train24 ing and certification. Such program shall be revised from 


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1 time to time to take into account new and improved tech2 niques. 

3 ‘‘(d) NATIONAL TUNNEL INVENTORY.—The Sec4 retary shall establish a national inventory of highway tun5 nels reflecting the findings of the most recent highway 

6 tunnel inspections conducted by States under this section. 

7 ‘‘(e) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—To carry out this 

8 section, the Secretary may use funds made available pur9 suant to the provisions of sections 104(a) and 502.’’. 

10 (b) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.—Section 

11 133(b)(1) of such title is amended by inserting ‘‘, tunnels 

12 that are eligible for assistance under this title (including 

13 safety inspection of such tunnels),’’ after ‘‘highways)’’. 

14 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis for 

15 chapter 1 of such title is amended by inserting after the 

16 item relating to section 149 the following: 

‘‘150. National tunnel inspection program.’’. 

Æ 


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