Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 20, 2009 / Notices 23771 

observing drivers’ behavior under 

differing signaling conditions. However, 

direct verbal reports of drivers are often 

needed to determine why drivers are 

making their decisions. For example 

FHWA may learn from questioning 

drivers that they would be less likely to 

speed up when approaching a signal if 

they knew the signal system would 

recognize this behavior and respond 

accordingly. One way this might happen 

is by advising the motorist earlier of the 

impending signal change. Driver 

interviews performed under this study 

area can provide information on many 

key issues including behavioral 

adaptation, decision making, and 

reaction times to signal phases and 

changes. This kind of information could 

lead to improvements to signal 

controllers that increase mobility and 

improve safety. Speed management is 

another area that could benefit from 

interview data. For example, lower 

speed limits in construction zones are 

difficult to enforce, and interview data 

with drivers can provide information on 

better methods of restraining driver 

speeds in these hazardous situations. 

Categories C and D (Intelligent 

Transportation Systems (ITS), including 

Driver-Vehicle and Driver-Infrastructure 

Interfaces and Traffic Management 

Centers). One ITS safety countermeasure 

being studied by FHWA is a system to 

protect the potential victim of a red light 

runner at a signalized intersection. ITS 

affords the capability, via wireless 

communication and advanced sensing 

technologies, to warn a driver if another 

driver is about to run a red light and a 

collision is imminent. This warning can 

be given in the car or from special 

signals placed in the infrastructure. 

FHWA is interested in determining how 

drivers respond to these new warnings 

that tell them to slow down or stop. 

Information acquired in interviews with 

drivers is needed to clarify their 

understanding of the purpose of various 

special signals, as well as aspects of 

their behavior not readily detectable, 

such as whether they checked their rear 

view mirror before braking, and whether 

they would have proceeded through the 

intersection had the signal not come on. 

Such information will assist FHWA in 

designing intelligent infrastructure 

systems to benefit highway safety and 

operations. 

Category E (Older and Younger 

Drivers). The opinions of these two high 

risk groups are needed for almost all 

FHWA safety related studies. For 

example, data on the ease of use 

expressed by older drivers with respect 

to an innovative design informs the 

engineer which aspects of the new 

design present potential safety problems 

and may be in need of modification. In 

contrast, young drivers present a 

separate set of challenges for highway 

engineers. Their ability to negotiate a 

new design may be less of a concern, 

however; it is necessary to understand 

how these drivers regard the conflict 

points presented by new designs. This 

is of particular importance as some 

younger drivers may be willing to take 

extra risks in situations where 

ambiguity exists. Gathering verbal 

feedback from younger drivers will help 

engineers determine areas of potential 

ambiguity in design and modify these 

areas as necessary to ensure they are not 

introducing safety hazards. 

Category F (Pedestrians and 

Bicyclists). Research related to 

pedestrians and bicyclists arises from 

the need to determine the most effective 

ways to accommodate these 

infrastructure users. While overt 

pedestrian and bicyclist behavior can be 

directly observed fairly easily, it is 

sometimes necessary to collect user 

opinions and reactions. For example, 

when a new intersection design is being 

introduced (e.g., a triple lane 

roundabout) it is especially 

advantageous to acquire data that 

provides insights into the needs and 

challenges that pedestrians and 

bicyclists face as they negotiate such an 

intersection. The needs of disabled 

pedestrians are also considered when 

researching new intersection treatments, 

and in these efforts FHWA works 

closely with the U.S. Access Board to 

ensure that novel intersection 

treatments accommodate their needs. 

Another example of research in this area 

is determining bicyclists’ reactions to 

such treatments as separately marked 

bicycle lanes, signage, and overall 

roadway configuration. 

Description of How Field and 

Laboratory Study Participants Will Be 

Acquired 

Samples for research studies will be 

acquired by advertisement in local 

papers, by the distribution of flyers, or 

by postings to the internet. Typically, 

interested parties contact FHWA and 

they are asked a few questions to 

determine whether they qualify for the 

study. These questions involve such 

issues as age, driver familiarity with the 

location or scenario being used, number 

of miles driven per year, and gender. 

Estimate of the Total Annual Reporting 

and Recordkeeping Burden Resulting 

From These Information Collections 

and Requests for Comments 

Frequency: This approval request is 

for 30 studies over a 3-year period. 

Individual Respondent Burden: 

FHWA estimates data acquisition from 

persons participating in research will 

average about 1 hour. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: The maximum burden for any 

single field study with in-person 

interviewing will be (200*10)/60 or 33 

hours. The maximum burden for any 

single research study (including a short 

interview of approximately 10 minutes) 

will be (200*60)/60 or 200 hours. The 

grand total of burden hours under this 

approval request is 3,000 hours (30 

studies, at 1 hour per study). Since this 

burden will be over a three-year period, 

the total annual burden becomes 1,000 

hours. Respondents will not incur any 

reporting or record keeping cost, or any 

record keeping burden as a result of 

these collections. 

Public Comments Invited: You are 

asked to comment on any aspect of 

these information collections, including: 

(1) Whether the proposed collections are 

necessary for FHWA’s performance; (2) 

the accuracy of the estimated burden; 

(3) ways for 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. 

FHWA will respond to your comments 

and summarize or include them when 

requesting clearance from OMB for 

these information data collections. 

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.48. 

Issued on May 14, 2009. 

James R. Kabel, 

Chief, Management Programs and Analysis 

Division. 

[FR Doc. E9–11726 Filed 5–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

[Docket No. FHWA–2009–0039] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Notice of Request for 

Renewal of a Previously Approved 

Information Collection Titled: Federal 

Highway Administration (FHWA) State 

Reports for American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public 

comments about our intention to request 

23772 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 20, 2009 / Notices 

the Office of Management and Budget’s 

(OMB) approval for information 

collection that is summarized below 

under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We 

are required to publish this notice in the 

Federal Register by the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: Please submit comments by July 

20, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by DOT Docket ID Number 

FHWA–2009–0039, by any of the 

following methods: 

Web Site: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments received go to the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

West Building Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. 

Department of Transportation, West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Karen White, 202–366–9474, Office of 

Policy and Governmental Affairs, HPTS, 

Federal Highway Administration, 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC 20590, between 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) State Reports 

for American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act (ARRA), OMB Control 

# 2125–0623. 

Background: The American Recovery 

and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), 

provides the State Departments of 

Transportation and Federal Lands 

Agencies with $27.5 billion for highway 

infrastructure investment. With these 

funds also comes an increased level of 

data reporting with the stated goal of 

improving transparency and 

accountability at all levels of 

government. According to President 

Obama ‘‘Every American will be able to 

hold Washington accountable for these 

decisions by going online to see how 

and where their tax dollars are being 

spent.’’ The Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA) in concert with 

the Office of the Secretary of 

Transportation (OST) and the other 

modes within the U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT) will be taking the 

appropriate steps to ensure that this 

accountability and transparency is in 

place for all infrastructure investments. 

The reporting requirements of the 

ARRA are covered in Sections 1201, 

1512 and 1609. Section 1201 (c)(1) 

stipulates that ‘‘notwithstanding any 

other provision of law each grant 

recipient shall submit to the covered 

agency (FHWA) from which they 

received funding periodic reports on the 

use of the funds appropriated in this Act 

for covered programs. Such reports shall 

be collected and compiled by the 

covered agency (FHWA) and 

transmitted to Congress. Covered 

agencies (FHWA) may develop such 

reports on behalf of grant recipients 

(States) to ensure the accuracy and 

consistency of such reports.’’ 

Section 1512 of the ARRA requires 

‘‘any entity that receives recovery funds 

directly from the Federal Government 

(including recovery funds received 

through grant, loan, or contract) other 

than an individual,’’ including States, to 

provide regular ‘‘Recipient Reports.’’ 

Section 1609 references the National 

Environmental Policy Act of January 1, 

1970. The ARRA legislation requires 

that ‘‘The President shall report to the 

Senate Environment and Public Works 

Committee and the House National 

Resources Committee every 90 days... 

the status and progress of projects and 

activities funded by this Act with 

respect to compliance with National 

Environmental Policy act requirements 

and documentation.’’ 

As the recipients or grantees for the 

majority of the ARRA funds, States and 

Federal Land Management Agencies 

(FLMA) are by statute responsible for 

reporting to FHWA on the projects, use 

of ARRA funds, and jobs supported. 

States and FLMA that receive recovery 

fund apportionments directly from the 

Federal government are responsible for 

reporting to FHWA, which in turn is 

responsible for reporting periodically to 

Congress and quarterly to the 

Recovery.gov Web site. To achieve a 

high-quality, consistent basis for 

reporting, the FHWA has designed a 

system for obtaining and summarizing 

data for all purposes. 

States and FLMA will be responsible 

for providing the data that are not 

currently available at the national level. 

Not every data element required to be 

reported by the ARRA needs to be 

specifically collected. To the maximum 

extent possible, FHWA will utilize 

existing data programs to meet the 

ARRA reporting requirements. For 

example, for the requirement to report 

aggregate expenditures of State funds, 

FHWA will use existing reports 

submitted by States and data collected 

in the Financial Management 

Information System (FMIS). While the 

reporting obligations in the ARRA are 

only applicable to the grant recipients, 

the States and FLMA may need to 

obtain certain information from their 

contractors, consultants, and other 

funding recipients in order to provide 

the FHWA with all of the required 

information. Additional information on 

the American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act of 2009 is available at 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ 

economicrecovery/index.htm. 

Respondents: In a reporting cycle, it is 

estimated that reports will be received 

from approximately 70 grant recipients. 

Respondents include: 50 State 

Departments of Transportation, the 

District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, 

the U.S. territories, the following 

Federal Land Management Agencies: 

National Park Service, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife, National Forest Service and 

the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and several 

Native American Indian Governments 

who, by contract, manage their own 

transportation program. These reports 

will be submitted online and reviewed 

for accuracy by the FHWA Division 

Offices before being submitted to FHWA 

Headquarters for compilation and 

submission to OST for publication on 

Recovery.gov. 

Form#: FHWA–1585. 

Background: This form is used by the 

State DOTs and the FLMAs to provide 

information on the status of all their 

ARRA projects. The data that is 

collected on this form addresses the 

reporting requirements of Sections 1201 

and 1512. 

Frequency: Monthly until September 

2012. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 1 hour. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 3,010 hours. 

Form#: FHWA–1586. 

Background: This form is used to 

collect information concerning how 

each State and FLMA plans to invest its 

allotment of ARRA funding. The list 

needs to be consistent with the list of 

projects provided in the State’s Section 

1511 certification, as it may be 

amended. States and FLMA should 

provide their best estimates of a 

complete list of projects to be funded 

with ARRA grants as of the plan’s due 

date. If a State has not programmed all 

ARRA funds by that time, that 

information should be provided as well. 

These data will be used for meeting the 

reporting requirements of Sections 1201, 

1512 and 1609. 

Frequency: Initial list was due March 

31, 2009. Additional updates are due 

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 96 / Wednesday, May 20, 2009 / Notices 23773 

within 2 weeks of the State or FLMA 

issuing a new Section 1511 certification. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 1 hour. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 280 hours. 

Form#: FHWA–1587. 

Background: This form is used by 

States, FLMA and the FHWA to provide 

summary employment information for 

all active ARRA projects. These data 

will be used for meeting the reporting 

requirements of Sections 1201 and 1512. 

Frequency: Monthly until September 

2012. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 1 hour. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 3,010 hours. 

Form#: FHWA–1588. 

Background: This report form is for 

cases in which a State or FLMA needs 

to provide information on one or more 

individual ARRA projects that are part 

of a previously awarded grouped, 

bundled or area wide project. These 

data will be used for meeting the 

reporting requirements of Sections 1201, 

1512 and 1609. States and FLMA shall 

provide the required information as 

individual projects. If a State or Federal 

Lands agency has no grouped or 

bundled projects, then no report is 

necessary. An example of an area wide 

grouped or bundled project would be a 

district wide bridge project that involves 

re-decking one bridge and replacing the 

guardrail on a second. Each of these 

individual bridge projects would be 

reported on this form after they have 

been awarded. 

Frequency: Monthly as needed until 

September 2012 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 1 hour. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 560 hours. 

Form#: FHWA–1589 

Background: This form is to be used 

by the FHWA to gather employment 

information on every ARRA project that 

is initiated by the FHWA. Monthly 

employment information will be used to 

meet the requirements of Sections 1201 

and 1512. In order for FHWA to fulfill 

the reporting obligations, FHWA must 

collect and analyze certain employment 

data for each FHWA ARRA funded 

contract. FHWA will require contractors 

and consultants to provide the required 

information for their own workforce as 

well as the workforce of all 

subcontractors that were active on their 

ARRA funded project(s) for the 

reporting month. 

Frequency: Monthly until the contract 

is completed or September 2012 

whichever occurs first. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 0.5 hour. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 500 hours. 

Form#: FHWA–1590. 

Background: This form contains the 

detailed instructions for completing the 

previous ARRA data reporting forms. 

Frequency: Issued once initially. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: 10 minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 12 hours. 

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.48. 

Issued on: May 14, 2009. 

James R. Kabel, 

Chief, Management Programs and Analysis 

Division. 

[FR Doc. E9–11724 Filed 5–19–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions 

on Proposed Highways in Washington 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of Limitation on Claims 

for Judicial Review of Actions by FHWA 

and Other Federal Agencies. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces actions 

taken by the FHWA that are final within 

the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The 

actions relate to a proposed highway 

project, the Mercer Corridor 

Improvements Project, located in the 

city of Seattle, King County, 

Washington. Those actions grant 

licenses, permits, and approvals for the 

project. 

DATES: By this notice, the FHWA is 

advising the public of final agency 

actions subject to 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). A 

claim seeking judicial review of the 

Federal agency actions on the highway 

project will be barred unless the claim 

is filed on or before November 16, 2009. 

If the Federal law that authorizes 

judicial review of a claim provides a 

time period of less than 180 days for 

filing such claim, then that shorter time 

period still applies. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brian Hasselbach, Area Engineer, 

Federal Highway Administration— 

Washington Division, 711 South Capitol 

Way, Suite 501, Olympia, WA 98501. 

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Pacific 

Time), (360) 753–9411, 

Brian.Hasselbach@dot.gov. You may 

also contact Angela Brady, Project 

Manager, Seattle Department of 

Transportation (SDOT), P.O. Box 34996, 

Seattle, WA 98124; telephone: 206–684– 

3115; and e-mail: 

angela.brady@seattle.gov. SDOT’s 

regular office hours are between 8 a.m. 

and 5 p.m. (Pacific Time). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that the FHWA has taken 

final agency actions by issuing a 

Finding of No Significant Impacts 

(FONSI) for the Mercer Corridor 

Improvements Project. The purpose of 

the project is to provide vehicular and 

pedestrian improvements to the Mercer 

Street corridor between Interstate 5 (I– 

5) on and off ramps and Dexter Avenue 

North. The project is located in the 

South Lake Union neighborhood of 

Seattle, King County, Washington. 

The actions by FHWA on this project, 

and the laws under which such actions 

were taken, are described in the 

December 2008 Environmental 

Assessment (EA); the May 2009 FONSI; 

and in other documents in the FHWA’s 

administrative record for the project. 

The EA, FONSI, and other documents in 

the FHWA administrative record are 

available by contacting FHWA or the 

Seattle Department of Transportation at 

the addresses provided previously. 

The EA and FONSI can be viewed and 

downloaded from the project Web site at 

http://www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ 

ppmp_mercer.htm or viewed at the 

Seattle Public Library, as well as local 

neighborhood service centers within the 

project area. This notice applies to all 

Federal agency decisions on the project, 

as of the issuance date of this notice, 

and all laws under which such actions 

were taken, including but not limited to: 

1. General: National Environmental 

Policy Act [42 U.S.C. 4321–4351]; 

Federal-Aid Highway Act [23 U.S.C. 

109]. 

2. Air: Clean Air Act, as amended [42 

U.S.C. 7401–7671(q)]. 

3. Land: Section 4(f) of the 

Department of Transportation Act of 

1966 [49 U.S.C. 303]; Landscaping and 

Scenic Enhancement (Wildflowers) [23 

U.S.C. 319]. 

4. Wildlife: Endangered Species Act 

[16 U.S.C. 1531–1544]; Anadromous 

Fish Conservation Act [16 U.S.C. 757(a)- 

757(g)]; Fish and Wildlife Coordination 

Act [16 U.S.C. 661–667(d)]; MagnusonStevenson Fishery Conservation and 

Management Act of 1976, as amended 

[16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.]. 

5. Historic and Cultural Resources: 

Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966, as amended 

[16 U.S.C. 470(f) et seq.]; Archaeological 

Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16 

U.S.C. 470(aa)–11]; Archaeological and 

Historic Preservation Act [16 U.S.C. 

469–469(c)]; Native American Grave 

Protection and Repatriation Act [25 

U.S.C. 3001–3013].