I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 242
To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transportation for surface 
transportation research and development, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2005
Mr. EHLERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transpor-
tation for surface transportation research and develop-
ment, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Surface Transportation Research and Development Act 
of 2005’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
TITLE I—SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT 
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 102. Goals, principles, and processes. 
Sec. 103. Transportation research and development strategic planning. 
Sec. 104. Surface transportation research and development. 
Sec. 105. Technology deployment. 
Sec. 106. Training and education. 
Sec. 107. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 
Sec. 108. State planning and research. 
Sec. 109. Future Strategic Highway Research Program. 
Sec. 110. University transportation research. 
Sec. 111. Intelligent Transportation Systems. 
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS 
Sec. 201. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 202. Innovative Practices and Technologies Demonstration and Deploy-
ment Program. 
Sec. 203. National Transit Institute. 
Sec. 204. Human resource programs. 
Sec. 205. Highway safety research and development. 
Sec. 206. Motor carrier research and development program. 
Sec. 207. Transportation, energy, and environment. 
Sec. 208. National cooperative freight transportation research and development 
program. 
Sec. 209. Next Generation National Transportation Policy Study Commission. 
Sec. 210. Real-time system management information program. 
Sec. 211. Planning capacity building initiative.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Research and development are critical to de-
veloping and maintaining a transportation system 
that meets the goals of safety, mobility, economic vi-
tality, efficiency, equity, and environmental protec-
tion. 
(2) Federally sponsored surface transportation 
research and development has produced many suc-
cesses. The development of rumble strips has in-
creased safety; research on materials has increased 
the lifespan of pavements, saving money and reduc-
ing the disruption caused by construction; and Geo-
graphic Information Systems have improved the 
management and efficiency of transit fleets. 
(3) Despite these important successes, the Fed-
eral surface transportation research and develop-
ment investment represents less than one percent of 
overall government spending on surface transpor-
tation. 
(4) While Congress increased funding for over-
all transportation programs by about 40 percent in 
the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, 
funding for transportation research and development 
remained relatively flat. 
(5) The Federal investment in research and de-
velopment should be balanced between short-term 
applied and long-term fundamental research and de-
velopment. The investment should also cover a wide 
range of research areas, including research on mate-
rials and construction, research on operations, re-
search on transportation trends and human factors, 
and research addressing the institutional barriers to 
deployment of new technologies.
(6) Therefore, Congress finds that it is in the 
United States interest to increase the Federal in-
vestment in transportation research and develop-
ment, and to conduct research in critical research 
gaps, in order to ensure that the transportation sys-
tem meets the goals of safety, mobility, economic vi-
tality, efficiency, equity, and environmental protec-
tion. 
TITLE I—SURFACE TRANSPOR-
TATION RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT 
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated for each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010, to 
carry out this title and the amendments made by this title 
(other than sections 108 and 109) and other programs 
described in subsection (b), the greater of—
(1) 1.08 percent of the amounts made available 
in each fiscal year from the Highway Trust Fund; 
or 
(2) $500,000,000. 
(b) PROGRAMS.—Of the amount authorized to be ap-
propriated under subsection (a)—
(1) 50 percent shall be for carrying out sections 
502, 503, 506, 507, 508, and 510 of title 23, United
States Code, section 5113(b) of the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century, and section 104(d) 
of this Act, for each of fiscal years 2005 through 
2010, of which—
(A) not less than $20,000,000 shall be for 
the Surface Transportation Environment and 
Planning Cooperative Research Program under 
section 507 of title 23, United States Code, for 
each of those fiscal years; 
(B) not less than $10,000,000 shall be for 
advanced exploratory research under section 
502(d) of title 23, United States Code, for each 
of those fiscal years; and 
(C) not less than $5,000,000 shall be for 
the National Multimodal Trends Policy Re-
search Program under section 104(d) of this 
Act for each of those fiscal years; 
(2) 6.5 percent shall be for carrying out section 
504 of title 23, United States Code, for each of fis-
cal years 2005 through 2010; 
(3) 7.5 percent shall be for carrying out section 
111 of title 49, United States Code, for each of fis-
cal years 2005 through 2010, of which not less than 
$5,000,000 shall be for research and development
grants under subsection (i)(2) of such section for 
each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010; 
(4) 11.5 percent shall be for carrying out sec-
tion 5505 of title 49, United States Code, for each 
of fiscal years 2005 through 2010; and 
(5) 24.5 percent shall be for carrying out the 
Intelligent Transportation Systems Act of 2005 for 
each of fiscal years 2005 through 2010. 
SEC. 102. GOALS, PRINCIPLES, AND PROCESSES. 
(a) GOALS.—The Federal Government shall support 
surface transportation research and development to help 
achieve the goals established for the surface transpor-
tation system as set forth in the Transportation Equity 
Act for the 21st Century, including supporting economic 
vitality, improving safety and security, increasing mobility, 
protecting and enhancing the environment, improving in-
tegration between modes of transportation, promoting effi-
ciency, and emphasizing the preservation of the existing 
transportation system. 
(b) BASIC PRINCIPLES GOVERNING RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT.—
(1) COVERAGE.—Surface transportation re-
search and development shall include all activities 
leading to technology development and transfer, as 
well as the introduction of new and innovative ideas,
practices, and approaches, through such mechanisms 
as field applications, education and training, and 
technical support. 
(2) FEDERAL
RESPONSIBILITY.—The Federal 
Government shall fund and conduct surface trans-
portation research and development and technology 
transfer activities that—
(A) are of national significance; 
(B) support research and development in 
which there is a clear public benefit, and pri-
vate sector investment is less than optimal due 
to market failure; 
(C) support research and development that 
the Secretary determines is critical that is not 
otherwise being conducted by the public or pri-
vate sector; or 
(D) support a Federal stewardship role in 
ensuring that State and local governments use 
national resources efficiently. 
(3) ROLE.—Consistent with these Federal re-
sponsibilities, 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Transportation 
shall—
(A) conduct research and development; 
(B) support and facilitate research and de-
velopment and technology transfer activities by
State highway agencies, metropolitan planning 
organizations, and local governments; 
(C) share results of completed research 
and development; and 
(D) support and facilitate technology and 
innovation deployment. 
(4) PROGRAM
CONTENT.—The surface trans-
portation research and development program shall 
include—
(A) fundamental, long-term research; 
(B) research and development aimed at 
significant research gaps, and emerging issues 
with national implications; and 
(C) research related to policy and plan-
ning. 
(c) PROCESSES.—
(1) STAKEHOLDER
INPUT.—Federal surface 
transportation research and development activities 
shall address the needs of stakeholders. Stakeholders 
include States, metropolitan planning organizations, 
local governments, the private sector, researchers, 
research sponsors, and other affected parties, includ-
ing public interest groups. 
(2) COMPETITION AND PEER REVIEW.—Except 
as otherwise provided in this Act, the Secretary shall
award all grants, contracts, and cooperative agree-
ments for research and development under this Act 
based on open competition and peer review of pro-
posals. 
(3) PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
AND
EVALUA-
TION.—To the maximum extent practicable, all sur-
face 
transportation 
research 
and 
development 
projects shall include a component of performance 
measurement and evaluation. Performance measures 
shall be established during the proposal stage of a 
research and development project and shall, to the 
maximum extent possible, be outcome-based. All 
evaluations shall be made readily available to the 
public. 
SEC. 103. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT STRATEGIC PLANNING. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 508 of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 508. Transportation research and development 
strategic planning 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of the Surface Transpor-
tation Research and Development Act of 2005, the 
Secretary shall develop a 5-year transportation re-
search and development strategic plan to guide Fed-
eral transportation research and development activi-
ties. This plan shall be consistent with section 306 
of title 5, sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, and 
any other research and development plan within the 
Department of Transportation. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The strategic plan developed 
under paragraph (1) shall—
‘‘(A) describe the primary purposes of the 
transportation research and development pro-
gram, which shall include, at a minimum—
‘‘(i) reducing congestion and improv-
ing mobility; 
‘‘(ii) promoting safety; 
‘‘(iii) promoting security; 
‘‘(iv) protecting and enhancing the en-
vironment; 
‘‘(v) preserving the existing transpor-
tation system; and 
‘‘(vi) improving the durability and ex-
tending the life of transportation infra-
structure; 
‘‘(B) for each purpose, list the primary re-
search and development topics that the Depart-
ment intends to pursue to accomplish that pur-
pose, which may include the fundamental re-
search in the physical and natural sciences, ap-
plied research, technology development, and so-
cial science research intended for each topic; 
and 
‘‘(C) for each research and development 
topic, describe—
‘‘(i) the anticipated annual funding 
levels for the period covered by the stra-
tegic plan; and 
‘‘(ii) the additional information the 
Department expects to gain at the end of 
the period covered by the strategic plan as 
a result of the research and development in 
that topic area. 
‘‘(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the stra-
tegic plan, the Secretary shall ensure that the 
plan—
‘‘(A) reflects input from a wide range of 
stakeholders; 
‘‘(B) includes and integrates the research 
and development programs of all the Depart-
ment’s operating administrations, including 
aviation, transit, rail, and maritime; and
‘‘(C) takes into account how research and 
development by other Federal, State, private 
sector, and not-for-profit institutions contrib-
utes to the achievement of the purposes identi-
fied under paragraph (2)(A), and avoids unnec-
essary duplication with these efforts. 
‘‘(4) PERFORMANCE PLANS AND REPORTS.—In 
reports submitted under sections 1115 and 1116 of 
title 31, the Secretary shall include—
‘‘(A) a summary of the Federal transpor-
tation research and development activities for 
the previous fiscal year in each topic area; 
‘‘(B) the amount of funding spent in each 
topic area; 
‘‘(C) a description of the extent to which 
the research and development is meeting the ex-
pectations set forth in paragraph (2)(C)(ii); and 
‘‘(D) any amendments to the strategic 
plan. 
‘‘(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit 
to Congress an annual report, along with the President’s 
annual budget request, describing the amount spent in the 
last completed fiscal year on transportation research and 
development and the amount proposed in the current 
budget for transportation research and development.