SAFE Bridges Act of 2015

To direct the Secretary of Transportation to assist States to rehabilitate or replace certain bridges, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Strengthen And Fortify Existing Bridges Act of 2015 SAFE Bridges Act of 2015 2. Strengthen and fortify existing bridges (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Bridge The term bridge (2) Eligible bridge The term eligible bridge (A) structurally deficient; (B) functionally obsolete; or (C) fracture critical. (3) Federal-aid highway The term Federal-aid highway (4) Fracture critical The term fracture critical (5) Functionally obsolete The term functionally obsolete (6) Public road The term public road (7) Rehabilitation The term rehabilitation (A) to restore the structural integrity of the bridge; or (B) to correct a major safety defect of the bridge. (8) Replacement The term replacement (9) Secretary The term Secretary (10) State The term State (A) a State; and (B) the District of Columbia. (11) Structurally deficient The term structurally deficient (A) has significant load-carrying elements that are in poor or worse condition due to deterioration, damage, or both; (B) has a load capacity that is significantly below truckloads using the bridge and that requires replacement; or (C) has a waterway opening causing frequent flooding of the bridge deck and approaches resulting in significant traffic interruptions. (b) Establishment Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to assist States to rehabilitate or replace eligible bridges. (c) Apportionment of funds (1) In general Amounts made available to carry out the program established under subsection (b) for a fiscal year shall be apportioned to each State according to the ratio that— (A) the total cost to rehabilitate or replace structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges in that State; bears to (B) the total cost to rehabilitate or replace structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges in all States. (2) Calculation of total cost (A) Categories of bridges The Secretary shall place each structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridge into 1 of the following categories: (i) Federal-aid highway bridges eligible for rehabilitation. (ii) Federal-aid highway bridges eligible for replacement. (iii) Bridges not on Federal-aid highways eligible for rehabilitation. (iv) Bridges not on Federal-aid highways eligible for replacement. (B) Calculation For purposes of the calculation under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall multiply the deck area of structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridges in each category described in subparagraph (A) by the respective unit price on a State-by-State basis, as determined by the Secretary, to determine the total cost to rehabilitate or replace bridges in each State. (C) Data used in making determinations The Secretary shall make determinations under this subsection based on the latest available data, which shall be updated not less than annually. (D) Use of existing inventories To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall make determinations under this subsection using inventories prepared under section 144 of title 23, United States Code. (d) Use of funds Funds apportioned to a State under the program established under subsection (b) shall— (1) be used by that State for the rehabilitation and replacement of eligible bridges; (2) except as otherwise specified in this section, be administered as if apportioned under chapter 1 (3) be subject to the requirements described in section 1101(b) of MAP–21 ( 23 U.S.C. 101 (4) not be subject to any limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways or highway safety construction programs set forth in any Act. (e) Condition at project completion A bridge that is rehabilitated or replaced under the program established under subsection (b) may not be structurally deficient, functionally obsolete, or fracture critical upon the completion of the rehabilitation or replacement. (f) Federal share The Federal share of the cost of a project carried out with funds apportioned to a State under the program established under subsection (b) shall be 100 percent. (g) Reapportionment of unobligated funds Any funds apportioned to a State under the program established under subsection (b) and not obligated by that State at the end of the third fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year during which the funds were apportioned shall be withdrawn from that State and reapportioned by the Secretary to States that have not had funds withdrawn under this subsection in accordance with the formula specified in subsection (b). (h) Nonsubstitution In carrying out the program established under subsection (b), the Secretary shall ensure that funding made available to a State under the program supplements, and does not supplant— (1) other Federal funding made available for the rehabilitation or replacement of eligible bridges; and (2) the planned obligations of that State with respect to eligible bridges. (i) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and each year thereafter if States obligated funds apportioned under the program established under subsection (b) during that year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report that describes the amounts obligated by each State for projects under the program. (j) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $2,750,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2018, to remain available until expended.

Summary: Strengthen And Fortify Existing Bridges Act of 2015 or the SAFE Bridges Act of 2015 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a program to assist states to rehabilitate or replace bridges found to be structurally deficient, functionally obsolete, or fracture critical. States shall use apportioned program funds for projects to rehabilitate and replace such bridges. The federal share of project costs is 100%.