‘‘(c) NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL REVIEW.—The 
Secretary shall enter into an agreement for the review by 
the National Research Council of the details of each—
‘‘(1) strategic plan under section 508; 
‘‘(2) performance plan required under section 
1115 of title 31; and 
‘‘(3) program performance report required 
under section 1116 of title 31, 
with respect to transportation research and develop-
ment.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis for 
chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
striking the item related to section 508 and inserting the 
following:
‘‘508. Transportation research and development strategic planning.’’.
SEC. 104. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT. 
(a) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT.—Section 502 of title 23, United States 
Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘may’’ 
and inserting ‘‘shall’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C) 
of paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
‘‘(B) all phases of transportation planning 
and development (including construction, trans-
portation system management and operation, 
modernization, development, design, mainte-
nance, safety, data collection, performance anal-
ysis, multimodal assessment, financing, demand 
forecasting, and traffic conditions); 
‘‘(C) institutional arrangements and sup-
port; and 
‘‘(D) the effect of State laws on the activi-
ties described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
(C).’’; 
(2) by amending subsection (c) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) CONTENTS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall include in surface trans-
portation research, development, and technology transfer 
programs carried out under this title coordinated activities 
in the following areas: 
‘‘(1) Research and development on materials 
and structures to improve the durability of surface 
transportation infrastructure and extend the life of 
pavements and bridges, including, as appropriate—
‘‘(A) development of nondestructive evalua-
tion equipment for use with existing infrastruc-
ture facilities and with next-generation infra-
structure facilities that use advanced materials; 
‘‘(B) standardized estimates, developed in 
conjunction with the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology and other appro-
priate organizations, of useful life under various 
conditions for advanced materials of use in sur-
face transportation; 
‘‘(C) research on the effects of climate con-
ditions (such as freezing, thawing, and precipi-
tation) on highway construction materials, and 
development of materials that can withstand cli-
matic conditions; and 
‘‘(D) economic highway geometrics, struc-
tures, and desirable weight and size standards 
for vehicles using the public highways and the 
feasibility of uniformity in State regulations 
with respect to such standards. 
‘‘(2) Research and development on the oper-
ation and management of the surface transportation 
system to improve efficiency, productivity, and safe-
ty, including, as appropriate—
‘‘(A) technologies and practices that reduce 
costs and minimize disruptions associated with 
the construction, rehabilitation, and mainte-
nance of surface transportation systems, includ-
ing responses to natural disasters; 
‘‘(B) research and system analysis to facili-
tate and integrate bicycle and pedestrian travel 
in the transportation system, including within 
National Parks and in areas adjacent to Na-
tional Park land; 
‘‘(C) development of dynamic simulation 
models of surface transportation systems for—
‘‘(i) predicting capacity, safety, and 
infrastructure durability problems; 
‘‘(ii) evaluating the extent to which 
projects are likely to achieve their stated 
objectives; and 
‘‘(iii) testing the strengths and weak-
nesses of proposed revisions to surface 
transportation operations and management 
programs; 
‘‘(D) improvement of life cycle cost anal-
ysis, including—
‘‘(i) establishing the appropriate anal-
ysis period and discount rates; 
‘‘(ii) learning how to value and prop-
erly consider use costs;
‘‘(iii) determining tradeoffs between 
reconstruction and rehabilitation; and 
‘‘(iv) establishing methodologies for 
balancing higher initial costs of new tech-
nologies and improved or advanced mate-
rials against lower maintenance costs; 
‘‘(E) research on the effects of climatic 
conditions (such as freezing, thawing, and pre-
cipitation) on the costs of highway construction 
materials and maintenance; 
‘‘(F) research, development, and tech-
nology transfer related to asset management; 
and 
‘‘(G) evaluation of traffic calming meas-
ures that promote community preservation, 
transportation mode choice, and safety. 
‘‘(3) Research, development, and technology 
transfer to improve safety. 
‘‘(4) Research and development to support the 
evaluation of how the surface transportation system 
and individual surface transportation projects meet 
the goals of the surface transportation system stated 
in section 102(a) of the Surface Transportation Re-
search and Development Act of 2005, including, as 
appropriate—
‘‘(A) development, use, and dissemination 
of indicators, including appropriate computer 
programs for collecting and analyzing data on 
the status of infrastructure facilities, to meas-
ure the performance of the surface transpor-
tation systems of the United States, including 
productivity, efficiency, energy use, air quality, 
congestion, safety, maintenance, and other fac-
tors that reflect system performance; and 
‘‘(B) research on, and dissemination of 
recommendations and best practices aimed at 
addressing, nontechnical barriers to technology 
deployment (such as fragmented local authority, 
rigid procurement rules, and privacy and liabil-
ity considerations). 
‘‘(5) To assess how the surface transportation 
system affects and is affected by social systems, in-
cluding, as appropriate—
‘‘(A) research aimed at understanding how 
emerging trends (including demographic, eco-
nomic, and social trends) will affect surface 
transportation usage and needs; 
‘‘(B) research on how land use affects and 
is affected by surface transportation invest-
ments; and
‘‘(C) telecommuting and the linkages be-
tween transportation, information technology, 
and community development, and the impact of 
technological change and economic restruc-
turing on travel demand. 
‘‘(6) Environmental research and development, 
including research described in the Transportation 
Research Board Special Report 268, entitled ‘Sur-
face Transportation Environmental Research: A 
Long-Term Strategy’ published in 2002. 
‘‘(7) Exploratory advanced research in any of 
the preceding areas. 
‘‘(8) Any other surface transportation research 
and development topics that the Secretary deter-
mines, in accordance with the strategic planning 
process under section 508, to be critical.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘explor-
atory’’ after ‘‘shall establish an’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
ing the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the research 
program under this subsection shall be to achieve 
breakthroughs in transportation research. Explor-
atory advanced research should have a broader ob-
jective, longer time frame, multidisciplinary nature, 
and have both a higher risk and a higher potential 
payoff than for problem-solving research. 
‘‘(3) WORKSHOP.—The Secretary shall convene 
a workshop with appropriate researchers and policy-
makers from Federal and State agencies, as well as 
academic researchers. The purpose of the workshop 
shall be to determine priority areas of exploratory 
advanced research and to identify the best way to 
accomplish this research (such as through federally 
funded research and development centers or aca-
demic researchers). The workshop shall include a di-
verse group of stakeholders. The Secretary shall 
make the results of the workshop widely available to 
the public. The workshop shall be held within 6 
months after the date of the enactment of this para-
graph. 
‘‘(4) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary may ad-
minister a competitive, peer-reviewed grant program 
to support exploratory advanced research. 
‘‘(5) REPORT.—The President’s annual budget 
request to the Congress shall indicate the amount of 
funding used in the previous fiscal year, and pro-
posed for the next fiscal year, to support exploratory 
advanced research under this subsection, including
the amount used to support extramural research 
grants in exploratory advanced research under this 
subsection.’’; 
(4) in subsection (e)(1), by striking ‘‘(105 
Stat.’’ and all that follows through ‘‘performance 
program’’ and inserting ‘‘and the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century’’; 
(5) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as 
subsections (g) and (h), respectively, and by insert-
ing after subsection (e) the following new subsection: 
‘‘(f) LONG-TERM
BRIDGE
PERFORMANCE
PRO-
GRAM.—
‘‘(1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a 20-year, long-term bridge performance pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND 
CONTRACTS.—Under the program, the Secretary 
shall make grants and enter into cooperative agree-
ments and contracts to—
‘‘(A) monitor, material-test, and evaluate 
test bridges; 
‘‘(B) analyze the data obtained in carrying 
out subparagraph (A); and
‘‘(C) prepare products to fulfill program 
objectives and meet future bridge technology 
needs.’’; 
(6) in subsection (h)(2), as so redesignated by 
paragraph (5) of this subsection, by striking ‘‘bian-
nual reports’’ and all that follows through ‘‘21st 
Century’’ and inserting ‘‘previous reports under this 
subsection’’; and 
(7) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(i) TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CEN-
TER.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall operate 
in the Federal Highway Administration a Turner-
Fairbank Highway Research Center. 
‘‘(2) USES
OF
THE
CENTER.—The Turner-
Fairbank Highway Research Center shall support 
the—
‘‘(A) conduct of highway research and de-
velopment related to new highway technology; 
‘‘(B) development of understandings, tools, 
and techniques that provide solutions to com-
plex technical problems through the develop-
ment of economical and environmentally sen-
sitive designs, efficient and quality controlled
construction practices, and durable materials; 
and 
‘‘(C) development of innovative highway 
products and practices.’’. 
(b) GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS.—Section 
5113 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Cen-
tury (23 U.S.C. 502 note) is amended by amending sub-
section (b) to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) NATIONAL POLICY.—The Secretary shall 
establish and maintain a national policy for the use 
of 
commercial 
remote 
sensing 
products 
and 
geospatial information technologies in national 
transportation infrastructure development and con-
struction. 
‘‘(2) POLICY
IMPLEMENTATION.—The Sec-
retary shall develop new applications of commercial 
remote sensing products and geospatial information 
technologies for the implementation of the national 
policy established and maintained under paragraph 
(1).’’. 
(c) ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING.—
(1) AMENDMENT.—Section 507 of title 23, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 507. Surface Transportation Environment and 
Planning Cooperative Research Program 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish and support a collaborative, public-private, 
multimodal surface transportation environment and 
planning cooperative research and development pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) 
PROGRAM.—The 
program 
established 
under paragraph (1) shall solely carry out research 
and development called for in the Transportation 
Research Board Special Report 268, entitled ‘Sur-
face Transportation Environmental Research: A 
Long-Term Strategy’, published in 2002, which in-
cluded the following research and development areas: 
‘‘(A) Human Health. 
‘‘(B) Ecology and Natural Systems. 
‘‘(C) Environmental and Social Justice. 
‘‘(D) Emerging Technologies. 
‘‘(E) Land Use. 
‘‘(F) Planning and Performance Measures. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATION.—
‘‘(1) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary shall enter 
into an arrangement with the National Research 
Council, or another nonprofit research organization,