I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 954
To improve the safety of rural roads. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 17, 2005
Mr. NEY (for himself and Mr. HOLDEN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To improve the safety of rural roads.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rural Transportation 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. RURAL ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that it is in the vital 
interest of the Nation that a rural road safety program 
be established to ensure that the safety of the traveling 
public is enhanced on rural two-lane highways.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
and implement a rural road safety program in accordance 
with this section. 
(c) APPORTIONMENTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—On October 1 of each fiscal 
year, the Secretary shall apportion to each State to 
carry out this section an amount in the ratio of the 
percentage of the centerline mileage of two-lane 
roads in rural areas functionally classified as minor 
and major collectors and arterials in each State 
bears to the total centerline mileage of two-lane 
roads in rural areas functionally classified as minor 
and major collectors and arterials in all the States. 
(2) ALLOCATION
OF
APPORTIONED
FUNDS.—
Within each State, funds for the rural road safety 
program for each fiscal year shall be allocated 
among State, county, city, and other levels of gov-
ernment commensurate with each entity’s ownership 
ratio of eligible two-lane road mileage of two-lane 
roads in rural areas functionally classified as minor 
and major collectors and arterials. 
(c) LOCATION OF PROJECTS.—Funds authorized to 
carry out this section shall be available for expenditure 
only for activities described in subsection (g).
(d) OBLIGATION OF FUNDS.—Funds authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section shall be available 
for obligation in the same manner and the same extent 
as if such funds were apportioned under section 104(b) 
of title 23, United States Code,, except that the Secretary 
is authorized to waive provisions that the Secretary con-
siders inconsistent with the purposes of this section. 
(e) COST SHARING.—The Federal share of a project 
under this section shall be 80 percent of the total cost 
for such project. 
(f) TRANSFERABILITY.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law no portion of a State’s apportionment al-
located for the rural road safety program may be trans-
ferred to any other apportionment of the State for such 
fiscal year. 
(g) USE OF FUNDS.—A State that receives an appor-
tionment under this section may use funds—
(1) to improve horizontal and vertical align-
ment; 
(2) to eliminate wheel lane rutting, increase 
skid resistance, and smooth roadways; 
(3) to improve sight distances; 
(4) to widen lanes and shoulders; 
(5) to install dedicated turn lanes;
(6) to install and upgrade guardrails, traffic 
barriers, crash cushions, protective devices, and 
rumblestrips; 
(7) to install traffic and safety lights, improve 
signage and pavement markings; and 
(8) to implement other safety activities des-
ignated by the Secretary. 
(h) PROGRAM.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, each State that receives 
an apportionment under this section shall conduct and 
systematically maintain an engineering survey of all two-
lane rural roads classified as minor and major collectors 
and minor arterials—
(1) to identify dangerous locations, sections, 
and elements, including roadside obstacles and un-
marked or poorly marked roads, which may con-
stitute a danger to motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, 
impaired, and ‘‘older’’ drivers; 
(2) to assign priorities for the correction of 
such locations, sections, and elements; and 
(3) establish and implement a schedule of 
projects for improvement of such roads. 
(i) EVALUATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall establish 
an evaluation process approved by the Secretary to
analyze and assess results achieved by safety im-
provement projects carried out in accordance with 
the procedures and criteria established by this sec-
tion. 
(2) PRIORITIES.—Such evaluation process shall 
develop cost-benefit data for various types of correc-
tions and treatments, which shall be used in setting 
priorities for safety improvement projects. 
(j) REPORTING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall report to 
the Secretary not later than December 30 of each 
year, regarding the progress of implementing safety 
improvement projects for danger elimination and the 
effectiveness of such improvements. 
(2) STATE
ASSESSMENT.—Each State report 
shall contain an assessment of the cost of, and safe-
ty benefits derived from, the various means and 
methods used to mitigate or eliminate dangers and 
the previous and subsequent accident experience at 
dangerous locations. 
(3) SECRETARY’S
REPORT.—The Secretary 
shall submit a report to the Committee on Environ-
ment and Public Works of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives not later than April 1 of
each year regarding the progress of the States in im-
plementing the rural road safety program. The re-
port shall—
(A) include the number of projects under-
taken, their distribution by cost range, road 
system, means and methods used, the previous 
and subsequent accident experience at improved 
locations and a cost-benefit analysis; and 
(B) analyze and evaluate each State’s pro-
gram, identify any State found not to be in 
compliance with the schedule of improvements 
required by subsection (a), and include rec-
ommendations for future implementation of the 
rural road safety program. 
(k) DEFINITIONS.—In this section—
(1) the term ‘‘rural area’’ means all areas of 
the State not included in urban areas as defined in 
section 101(a)(29); 
(2) the term ‘‘rural road’’ means all roads in 
rural areas; and 
(3) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Transportation. 
(l) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS RURAL 
ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM.—To carry out the rural road 
safety program under this section there are authorized to