I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3577
To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transportation for surface 
transportation research and development, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 21, 2003
Mr. EHLERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Science 
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. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
TITLE I—SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH 
Sec. 101. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 102. Goals, principles, and processes. 
Sec. 103. Transportation research and development strategic planning and an-
nual reporting. 
Sec. 104. Surface transportation research and development. 
Sec. 105. Technology deployment. 
Sec. 106. Future Strategic Highway Research Program.
Sec. 107. University Transportation Centers. 
Sec. 108. Intelligent Transportation systems. 
Sec. 109. National Multimodal Trends Research Program. 
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS 
Sec. 201. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 202. Transit research. 
Sec. 203. Transportation, energy, and environment. 
Sec. 204. National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research Program.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Research and development is 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 only about 0.5 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 
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH 
SEC. 101. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH, DE-
VELOPMENT, AND DEPLOYMENT.—To carry out sec-
tions 502, 503, 506, 507, and 509 of title 23, 
United States Code, and section 109 of this Act, re-
lating to research and development, there are au-
thorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Transportation the following: 
(A) $228,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, of 
which—
(i) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the Surface Transportation Envi-
ronment and Planning Cooperative Re-
search Program under section 507 of title 
23, United States Code; 
(ii) $7,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out advanced exploratory research 
under section 502(d) of title 23, United 
States Code; and 
(iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the National Multimodal Trends
Research Progam under section 109 of this 
Act. 
(B) $272,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, of 
which—
(i) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the Surface Transportation Envi-
ronment and Planning Cooperative Re-
search Program under section 507 of title 
23, United States Code; 
(ii) $10,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 502(d) of 
title 23, United States Code; and 
(iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 109 of 
this Act. 
(C) $316,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, of 
which—
(i) $20,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the Surface Transportation Envi-
ronment and Planning Cooperative Re-
search Program under section 507 of title 
23, United States Code; 
(ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 502(d) of 
title 23, United States Code; and
(iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 109 of 
this Act. 
(D) $367,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of 
which—
(i) $20,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the Surface Transportation Envi-
ronment and Planning Cooperative Re-
search Program under section 507 of title 
23, United States Code; 
(ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 502(d) of 
title 23, United States Code; and 
(iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 109 of 
this Act. 
(E) $423,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of 
which—
(i) $30,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the Surface Transportation Envi-
ronment and Planning Cooperative Re-
search Program under section 507 of title 
23, United States Code;
(ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 502(d) of 
title 23, United States Code; and 
(iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 109 of 
this Act. 
(F) $490,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of 
which—
(i) $30,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out the Surface Transportation Envi-
ronment and Planning Cooperative Re-
search Program under section 507 of title 
23, United States Code; 
(ii) $15,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 502(d) of 
title 23, United States Code; and 
(iii) $5,000,000 shall be set aside to 
carry out research under section 109 of 
this Act. 
(2) 
UNIVERSITY
TRANSPORTATION
RE-
SEARCH.—For carrying out section 5505 of title 49, 
United States Code, there are authorized to be ap-
propriated to the Secretary of Transportation the 
following: 
(A) $56,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
(B) $66,000,000 for fiscal year 2005. 
(C) $76,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(D) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. 
(E) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. 
(F) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 
(3) INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEMS 
RESEARCH.—For carrying out the Intelligent Trans-
portation Systems Act of 2003, there are authorized 
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transpor-
tation the following: 
(A) $130,000,000 for fiscal year 2004. 
(B) $135,000,000 for fiscal year 2005. 
(C) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(D) $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. 
(E) $145,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. 
(F) $145,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 
(b) COLLABORATIVE
RESEARCH
AND
DEVELOP-
MENT.—Section 502(b) of title 23, United States Code, 
is amended—
(1) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as 
paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively. 
SEC. 102. GOALS, PRINCIPLES, AND PROCESSES. 
(a) GOALS.—The Federal Government shall support 
surface transportation research in order to support the
goals established for the surface transportation 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 en-
hancing the environment, improving integration between 
modes of transportation, promoting efficiency, and empha-
sizing the preservation of the existing transportation sys-
tem. 
(b) BASIC PRINCIPLES GOVERNING RESEARCH AND 
DEVELOPMENT.—
(1) FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY.—Funding and 
conducting surface transportation research and de-
velopment and technology transfer activities shall be 
the responsibility of the Federal Government when—
(A) the work is of national significance; 
(B) it supports research in which there is 
a clear public benefit, and private sector invest-
ment is less than optimal due to market failure; 
(C) it supports critical research that is not 
otherwise being conducted by the public or pri-
vate sector; 
(D) it supports a Federal stewardship role 
in ensuring that State and local governments 
use national resources efficiently; or
(E) it presents the best means to support 
Federal policy goals compared to other policy 
alternatives. 
(2) ROLE.—Consistent with these Federal re-
sponsibilities, 
the 
Secretary 
of 
Transportation 
shall—
(A) conduct research; 
(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 
(D) support and facilitate technology and 
innovation deployment. 
(3) PROGRAM
CONTENT.—The surface trans-
portation research and development program shall 
include—
(A) fundamental, long-term research; 
(B) research aimed at significant research 
gaps, and emerging issues with national impli-
cations; and 
(C) research related to policy and plan-
ning. 
(c) PROCESSES.—
(1) STAKEHOLDER
INPUT.—Federally spon-
sored surface transportation research and develop-
ment activities shall address the needs of partners 
and stakeholders. Stakeholders include users of re-
search (such as States, metropolitan planning orga-
nizations, local governments, and the private sector), 
researchers, research sponsors, and other affected 
parties, including public interest groups. Stake-
holders shall be included at every level of research 
including strategic planning, agenda setting, and 
program evaluation. The Secretary shall expand the 
range and diversity of stakeholders engaged in the 
process. 
(2) COMPETITION AND PEER REVIEW.—All par-
ties entering into contracts or cooperative agree-
ments with the Secretary, or receiving grants, to 
perform research and development activities or pro-
vide technical assistance under this Act shall be se-
lected on a competitive basis, and on the basis of the 
results of peer review of proposals submitted to the 
Secretary. 
(3) PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
AND
EVALUA-
TION.—All surface transportation research and de-
velopment projects shall include a component of per-
formance measurement and evaluation. Performance
measures shall be established during the proposal 
stage of a research project and shall, to the max-
imum extent possible, be outcome-based. All evalua-
tions shall be made readily available to the public. 
The results of all surface transportation research 
and development funded under this Act shall be peer 
reviewed. 
SEC. 103. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT STRATEGIC PLANNING AND ANNUAL 
REPORTING. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 508 of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 508. Transportation research and development 
strategic planning and annual reporting 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) establish a strategic planning process, con-
sistent with section 306 of title 5 for the Depart-
ment of Transportation to determine national trans-
portation research and development priorities; 
‘‘(2) set national transportation strategic goals 
and research and development priorities; 
‘‘(3) coordinate Federal transportation research 
and development activities;
‘‘(4) measure the results of those activities and 
how they impact the performance of the transpor-
tation systems of the United States; and 
‘‘(5) ensure that planning and reporting activi-
ties carried out under this section are coordinated 
with all other transportation planning and reporting 
requirements. 
‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) provide for the integrated planning, coordi-
nation, and consultation among the operating ad-
ministrations of the Department of Transportation, 
including the aviation, transit, and rail operating ad-
ministrations, all other Federal agencies with re-
sponsibility for surface transportation research and 
technology development, State and local govern-
ments, institutions of higher education, industry, 
and other private and public sector organizations en-
gaged in surface transportation-related research and 
development activities; 
‘‘(2) ensure that the transportation research 
and development programs of the Department do 
not duplicate other Federal, State, or private sector 
research and development programs; and 
‘‘(3) provide for independent validation of the 
scientific and technical assumptions underlying the
transportation research and development programs 
of the Department. 
‘‘(c) TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT STRATEGIC PLAN.—
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the 
Secretary shall develop an integrated transportation 
research and development strategic plan. The Sec-
retary shall periodically revise such plan. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan shall—
‘‘(A) include the general goals and prin-
ciples of the Department of Transportation for 
transportation research and development pro-
gram set forth in section 102 of the Act that 
enacted this subparagraph; 
‘‘(B) define the roles of the Department 
and other Federal agencies in achieving the 
goals and principles identified under subpara-
graph (A), in order to avoid unnecessary dupli-
cation of effort; 
‘‘(C) define the Department’s overall strat-
egy and research and development priorities, 
and for each research area specified in section 
502, set out—
‘‘(i) specific research strategies;
‘‘(ii) research objectives and priorities; 
‘‘(iii) projects to be carried out; 
‘‘(iv) recommended technology trans-
fer activities to promote the deployment of 
research results; and 
‘‘(v) short-term, medium-term, and 
long-term technology development and de-
ployment activities; 
‘‘(D) define the role of each of the oper-
ating administrations of the Department in car-
rying out the plan over the next 5 years, includ-
ing a description of procedures for coordination 
of the efforts of the Secretary with the efforts 
of the operating administrations of the Depart-
ment and other Federal agencies; 
‘‘(E) assess how State and local research 
and development activities are contributing to 
the achievement of the goals identified under 
subparagraph (A) and priorities identified 
under subparagraph (C); 
‘‘(F) provide details of the transportation 
research and development programs of the De-
partment, including performance goals, re-
sources needed to achieve those goals, and per-
formance indicators as described in section
1115(a) of title 31 for the next 5 years for each 
area of research and development; 
‘‘(G) incorporate input from a wide range 
of interests in the transportation community, 
including State transportation officials, metro-
politan planning organizations, local govern-
ments, business, environmental and community 
organizations, academia, and other relevant 
Federal agencies, and summarize significant 
comments on the plan obtained from these in-
terests; and 
‘‘(H) incorporate the input of the National 
Academy of Sciences and include responses to 
significant comments obtained from the Acad-
emy and other advisory bodies, and describe 
any corrective actions taken pursuant to such 
comments. 
‘‘(3) NATIONAL ACADEMY
OF SCIENCES RE-
VIEW.—The Secretary shall enter into an agreement 
for the review by the National Academy of Sciences 
of the details of each—
‘‘(A) strategic plan or revision required 
under section 306 of title 5; 
‘‘(B) performance plan required under sec-
tion 1115 of title 31; and
‘‘(C) program performance report required 
under section 1116 of title 31, 
with respect to transportation research and develop-
ment. 
‘‘(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 results for the pre-
vious fiscal year of transportation research and 
development programs to which the Department 
of Transportation contributes, along with—
‘‘(i) an analysis of the relationship be-
tween those results and the goals identified 
under paragraph (2)(A); and 
‘‘(ii) a description of the methodology 
used for assessing the results; and 
‘‘(B) a description of significant transpor-
tation research and development initiatives, if 
any, undertaken during the previous fiscal year 
that were not in the plan developed under para-
graph (1), and any significant changes in the 
plan from the previous year’s plan. 
‘‘(d) MERIT REVIEW AND PERFORMANCE MEASURE-
MENT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this subsection, the Secretary shall transmit to Con-
gress a report describing competitive merit review proce-
dures for use in selecting grantees and contractors in the 
programs covered by the plan developed under subsection 
(c) and performance measurement procedures for evalu-
ating the programs. 
‘‘(e) PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES.—The Secretary 
shall—
‘‘(1) develop model procurement procedures 
that encourage the use of advanced technologies; and 
‘‘(2) develop model transactions for carrying 
out and coordinating Federal and State transpor-
tation research and development activities. 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL PROJECT REPORTS.—The Secretary 
shall publish and make publicly available an annual report 
documenting all transportation research and development 
activities of the Department. The report shall include de-
tailed accounting of how Federal funds were expended. 
‘‘(g) CONSISTENCY WITH GOVERNMENT PERFORM-
ANCE AND RESULTS ACT OF 1993.—The plans and re-
ports developed under this section shall be consistent with 
and incorporated as part of the plans developed under sec-
tion 306 of title 5 and sections 1115 and 1116 of title 
31.’’. 
(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 and annual 
reporting.’’.
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) 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).’’; and
(B) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting 
‘‘academic researcher,’’ after ‘‘association, insti-
tution,’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘acces-
sibility, connectivity,’’ after ‘‘United States, in-
cluding’’; 
(B) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(4) 
through (11) as paragraphs (5) through (12), 
respectively; 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) Methods and testing to determine the im-
pacts, both positive and negative, to communities 
from major transportation investments.’’; 
(D) in paragraph (6), as so redesignated 
by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph—
(i) by striking ‘‘research project’’ and 
inserting ‘‘improvements against policy ob-
jectives’’ in subparagraph (B); and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and management’’ 
after ‘‘transportation operations’’ in sub-
paragraph (C); 
(E) in paragraph (12), as so redesignated 
by subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, by
striking ‘‘, including unobtrusive eyetracking 
technology’’; and 
(F) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraphs: 
‘‘(13) Environmental research, including re-
search described in the Transportation Research 
Board Special Report 268, entitled ‘Surface Trans-
portation Environmental Research: A Long-Term 
Strategy’, published in 2002. 
‘‘(14) Assessment of planning strategies that 
link land use and transportation in metropolitan 
areas. 
‘‘(15) Exploratory advanced research under 
subsection (d). 
‘‘(16) Research aimed at understanding how 
emerging trends (including demographic, economic, 
and social trends) will affect and are affected by sur-
face transportation usage and needs. 
‘‘(17) Research on the link between transpor-
tation and health (including asthma and obesity). 
‘‘(18) Research on, and dissemination of rec-
ommendations and best practices aimed at address-
ing, nontechnical barriers to technology deployment 
(which include fragmented local authority, rigid pro-
curement rules, and privacy and liability consider-
ations). 
‘‘(19) Research on the effects of climate condi-
tions (such as freezing, thawing, and precipitation) 
on highway construction and maintenance, including 
research to reduce or repair damage caused by cli-
matic conditions, development of materials that can 
withstand climatic conditions, and research on the 
effects of climatic conditions on the costs of highway 
construction and maintenance. 
‘‘(20) Research to improve the infrastructure 
investment needs report under subsection (g) 
through new methods of collecting better quality 
data, monitoring in a system-wide manner, the de-
termination of critical metrics to assess condition 
and performance, and new methods of statistical 
analysis and computer models to improve the pre-
diction of future needs. 
‘‘(21) Research, development, and technology 
transfer related to asset management. 
‘‘(22) Any other surface transportation research 
topics that the Secretary determines, in accordance 
with the strategic planning process under section 
508, to be critical.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) by inserting ‘‘exploratory’’ after 
‘‘shall establish an’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘fundamental’’ after 
‘‘508, that addresses’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and insert-
ing the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(2) GOAL.—The goal of the research program 
under this subsection shall be to achieve break-
throughs in understanding transportation phe-
nomena. Exploratory advanced research should have 
a broader objective, longer time frame, multidisci-
plinary nature, and have both a higher risk and a 
higher potential payoff than for problem-solving re-
search. 
‘‘(3) AGENDA.—Not later than 15 months after 
that date of enactment of this paragraph, the Sec-
retary shall develop an agenda for exploratory ad-
vanced research. The agenda shall outline key ques-
tions to be addressed and proposed areas of research 
to address these questions. The agenda shall also 
document the best way to accomplish this research 
(such as through Federal laboratories or academic 
researchers). Upon completion, the agenda shall be 
transmitted to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure and the Committee on Science of the 
House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and 
made available to the general public. 
‘‘(4) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall con-
sult with the National Science Foundation in review-
ing fundamental research proposals, and to obtain 
advice on peer review protocols. 
‘‘(5) WORKSHOP.—In order to develop the 
agenda for exploratory advanced research under 
paragraph (3), the Secretary shall convene a work-
shop with appropriate researchers and policymakers 
from Federal and State agencies, as well as aca-
demic researchers, to gather recommendations. The 
goal of the workshop shall be to determine priority 
areas of exploratory advanced research for Federal 
investment. Emphasis shall be placed on hearing 
from a diverse group of stakeholders. The Secretary 
shall make the results of the workshop widely avail-
able to the public. The workshop shall be held within 
9 months after the date of the enactment of this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(6) USE OF FUNDS.—In any fiscal year with 
respect to which $5,000,000 or more is appropriated 
for carrying out this subsection, at least 1⁄2 of the
funds in excess of $5,000,000 shall be used to carry 
out the grant program described in paragraph (7). 
Funds appropriated for carrying out this subsection 
not used for the grant program described in para-
graph (7) shall be used to carry out the agenda de-
veloped under paragraph (3). All exploratory ad-
vanced research proposals and results under this 
subsection shall be peer reviewed. 
‘‘(7) GRANT PROGRAM.—If funds are available 
under paragraph (6), the Secretary shall administer 
a competitive, merit-reviewed and peer-reviewed 
grant program to support fundamental research out-
side of the Federal Government. Eligible applicants 
include academic researchers, and for-profit and not-
for-profit research institutions. Under this grant 
program, research solicitations shall be open and 
broad in order to spur creativity and innovation. 
Funds may be used under this paragraph to support 
research in a range of topics, including materials, 
operations, and social science. Proposals with the 
greatest merit shall be funded, and projects may re-
ceive funding for multiple years.’’; 
(4) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘(105 Stat.’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘performance program’’
and inserting ‘‘and the Transportation Equity Act 
for the 21st Century’’; 
(5) by amending subsection (f) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(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 (g)—
(A) in paragraph (1)—
(i) by striking ‘‘1999’’ and inserting 
‘‘2005’’; and
(ii) by striking ‘‘highway and bridge’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘sur-
face transportation’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), 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: 
‘‘(h) 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 of the 21st Cen-
tury (23 U.S.C. 502 note) is amended by revising 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 (b)(1) of 
this section.’’. 
(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 plan-
ning cooperative research program 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish 
and 
support 
a 
collaborative, 
public-private, 
multimodal surface transportation environment and plan-
ning cooperative research program. 
‘‘(b) AGREEMENT.—The Secretary shall make grants 
to or enter into cooperative agreements with the National 
Academy of Sciences, or another nonprofit research orga-
nization established for this purpose, to support, admin-
ister, and manage the surface transportation environment 
and planning cooperative research program. 
‘‘(c) ADVISORY BOARD.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The organization de-
scribed in subsection (b) shall establish an inde-
pendent advisory board drawn from core partners 
that represent environment, transportation, sci-
entific, and other interests, including the Depart-
ment of Transportation, the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, the National Science Foundation, other 
Federal agencies, the States, regional and local gov-
ernments, nonprofit organizations, academia, foun-
dations, and the private sector. 
‘‘(2) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Advisory Board 
shall have the responsibility for—
‘‘(A) development of a research agenda, 
which shall be published annually, shall serve as 
the basis of the annual project solicitation, and 
shall be based on the multiyear strategy de-
scribed in subsection (e), as revised under sub-
paragraph (D) of this paragraph; 
‘‘(B) annual solicitation of project pro-
posals, including open competition and peer re-
view of research proposals; 
‘‘(C) development of project selection cri-
teria, through an open and public consultation 
process with stakeholders, that emphasize—
‘‘(i) the development of fundamental 
knowledge; and 
‘‘(ii) collaborative research and fund-
ing; and 
‘‘(D) revision of the contents of the 
multiyear strategy described in subsection (e), 
through an open and public consultation proc-
ess, with the first revision to be completed 3 
years after the first grants are awarded under 
this section and subsequent revisions biennially 
thereafter. 
‘‘(d) DISSEMINATION
OF RESEARCH FINDINGS.—
The organization described in subsection (b) and the De-
partment of Transportation shall proactively disseminate 
research findings under this section to researchers, practi-
tioners, and decisionmakers, through conferences and 
seminars, field demonstrations, workshops, training pro-
grams, presentations, testimony to government officials, 
the Internet, and publications for the general public. 
‘‘(e) CONTENTS.—The national research agenda for 
the surface transportation environment and planning co-
operative research program required under subsection 
(c)(2)(C) shall be based on Transportation Research 
Board Special Report 268, entitled ‘Surface Transpor-
tation Environmental Research: A Long-Term Strategy’, 
published in 2002, which included the following research 
areas: 
‘‘(1) Human Health. 
‘‘(2) Ecology and Natural Systems. 
‘‘(3) Environmental and Social Justice. 
‘‘(4) Emerging Technologies. 
‘‘(5) Land Use. 
‘‘(6) Planning and Performance Measures. 
‘‘(f) PROJECT FUNDING.—
‘‘(1) MULTIYEAR FUNDING.—Projects may re-
ceive funding for multiple years under this section. 
‘‘(2) JOINT PROJECT FUNDING.—In addition to 
using funds authorized for this section, the organiza-
tion that administers this program may seek and ac-
cept additional funding sources from public and pri-
vate entities capable of attracting and accepting 
funding from Federal agencies, States, local govern-
ments, nonprofit foundations, and the private sector. 
‘‘(g) PROGRAMMATIC EVALUATIONS.—(1) Not later 
than 2 years after the first research project grants or con-
tracts are awarded under this section, the Secretary shall 
enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of 
Public Administration to review the program under this 
section, and recommend improvements. 
‘‘(2) The National Academy of Public Administration 
review shall—
‘‘(A) assess the degree to which the projects 
funded under this section have addressed the re-
search topics identified in the strategy established in 
the Transportation Research Board Special Report 
268, including identifying those topics which have 
not yet been addressed; 
‘‘(B) assess the peer review process for project 
proposals, and assess research project results; and 
‘‘(C) assess the extent of stakeholder involve-
ment in all facets of the program. 
‘‘(h) ANNUAL REPORT.—The organization described 
in subsection (b) shall prepare and transmit to the Sec-
retary an annual report that includes a project summary 
for every project funded under this section. Each summary 
shall characterize the project, summarize its status, and 
identify sponsors.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis 
for chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by striking the item related to section 507 
and inserting the following:
‘‘507. Surface transportation environment and planning cooperative research 
program.’’.
SEC. 105. TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT. 
Section 503 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by amending paragraph (7) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(7) GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND 
CONTRACTS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Under the program, 
the Secretary may make grants and enter into 
cooperative agreements and contracts with 
States, metropolitan planning organizations, 
local governments, other Federal agencies, uni-
versities and colleges, private sector entities, 
and nonprofit organizations to foster alliances 
and support efforts to stimulate advances in
transportation technology, and to pay the Fed-
eral share of the costs of research, development, 
and technology transfer concerning innovative 
technologies. 
‘‘(B) APPLICATIONS.—To receive a grant, 
cooperative agreement, or contract, under this 
paragraph, an entity described in subparagraph 
(A) shall submit an application to the Sec-
retary. The application shall be in such form 
and contain such information as the Secretary 
may require. The Secretary shall select and ap-
prove the applications based on the applica-
tions’ merit and on whether the project that is 
the subject of the grant, cooperative agreement, 
or contract meets the goals of the program de-
scribed in paragraph (3).’’; 
(B) in paragraph (8), by inserting ‘‘and 
the Committee on Science’’ after ‘‘Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure’’; 
(C) by redesignating paragraph (9) as 
paragraph (11); and 
(D) by inserting after paragraph (8) the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(9) TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION TRANS-
FER.—The Secretary shall ensure that the informa-
tion and technology resulting from research con-
ducted under this subsection is made available to 
State and local transportation departments, metro-
politan planning organizations, and other interested 
parties. 
‘‘(10) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of a project under this subsection shall be 
determined by the Secretary.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)—
(A) by striking ‘‘BRIDGE RESEARCH AND 
CONSTRUCTION’’ and inserting ‘‘RESEARCH 
AND DEPLOYMENT’’ in the subsection heading; 
(B) by amending paragraphs (1) and (2) 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish and carry out a program to demonstrate the ap-
plication of innovative technology in surface trans-
portation 
infrastructure 
construction 
(such 
as 
bridges, pavements, and other structures) and safe-
ty. 
‘‘(2) GOALS.—The goals of the program shall 
include—
‘‘(A) the development of new, cost-effective 
innovative material for surface transportation 
infrastructure applications;
‘‘(B) the deployment and evaluation of 
safety technologies and innovations at the State 
and local levels, and the deployment of best 
practices in training, management, design, and 
planning; 
‘‘(C) the reduction of life-cycle costs of 
surface transportation infrastructure, including 
the costs of new construction, replacement, 
maintenance, and rehabilitation of deficient 
highway infrastructure; 
‘‘(D) the development and deployment of 
construction techniques to increase safety and 
reduce construction time and traffic congestion; 
‘‘(E) the development of engineering de-
sign criteria for innovative products and mate-
rials for use in surface transportation infra-
structure; 
‘‘(F) the development of cost-effective and 
innovative techniques to separate vehicle and 
pedestrian traffic from railroad traffic; 
‘‘(G) the evaluation and documentation of 
the performance and benefits of innovative tech-
nologies deployed to improve life, performance, 
cost effectiveness, safety, and customer satisfac-
tion;
‘‘(H) the refinement of innovative tech-
nologies based on the evaluation described in 
subparagraph (G); 
‘‘(I) the wide dissemination of information 
developed under subparagraph (G); 
‘‘(J) the development of surface transpor-
tation infrastructure, including alternative proc-
esses for the seismic retrofit of bridges, that 
will withstand natural disasters and terrorist 
attacks; 
‘‘(K) for pavements, the development of 
designs and materials to reduce impacts of 
storm water runoff; 
‘‘(L) 
the 
development 
of 
new 
non-
destructive 
infrastructure 
evaluation 
tech-
nologies and techniques; and 
‘‘(M) effective technology transfer and in-
formation dissemination to accelerate imple-
mentation of innovative technologies.’’; 
(C) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘section’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(c) RESEARCH ON THE NONTECHNICAL BARRIERS 
TO TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT.—In order to support the
deployment goals established under subsection (a)(3), the 
Secretary shall carry out a research program addressing 
the nontechnical barriers to technology deployment, in-
cluding fragmented authority at the local and regional 
level and rigid procurement rules. The goal of this re-
search shall be to generate proposals for how to overcome 
these nontechnical barriers.’’. 
SEC. 106. FUTURE STRATEGIC HIGHWAY RESEARCH PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 5 of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 509. Future strategic highway research program 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the American Association of State Highway and 
Transportation Officials, shall enter into an arrangement 
with the National Academy of Sciences for the establish-
ment of a Future Strategic Highway Research Program. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, AND 
CONTRACTS.—The Secretary may make grants to, and 
enter into cooperative agreements and contracts with, the 
American Association of State Highway and Transpor-
tation Officials and the National Academy of Sciences to 
carry out activities under this section. Advance payments 
may be made as necessary to carry out the program under
this section. Although no matching funds are required for 
this program, collaborative research projects with multiple 
sources of funding shall be encouraged. 
‘‘(c) PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY.—Funds set aside to 
carry out this section shall remain available for the fiscal 
year for which such funds are made available and the 
three succeeding fiscal years. 
‘‘(d) SET ASIDE.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the Secretary of Transportation for each of fis-
cal years 2004 through 2009, to carry out this section, 
$75,000,000. 
‘‘(e) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.—In carrying out 
the program under this section, the National Academy of 
Sciences shall ensure that—
‘‘(1) the selection of projects and researchers 
shall be based on the open solicitation of proposals 
and be reviewed by panels of appropriate experts; 
and 
‘‘(2) State transportation officials and other 
stakeholders, including business, local governments, 
metropolitan planning organizations, environmental 
and community organizations, academia, other rel-
evant Federal agencies, and other members of the 
transportation community are involved in the gov-
ernance of the program at the executive, the overall
program, and the technical levels, through the use of 
expert panels and committees. 
‘‘(f) CONTENTS.—The program established under 
this section shall be based on Transportation Research 
Board Special Report 260, entitled ‘Strategic Highway 
Research: Saving Lives, Reducing Congestion, Improving 
Quality of Life’. It shall include the following research 
areas: 
‘‘(1) Accelerating the renewal of America’s 
highways. 
‘‘(2) Making a significant improvement in high-
way safety. 
‘‘(3) Providing a highway system with reliable 
travel times. 
‘‘(4) Providing highway capacity in support of 
the Nation’s economic, environmental, multi-modal 
transportation, and social goals. 
‘‘(g) PROJECT EVALUATION.—The products of all re-
search grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts 
awarded under this section shall be subject to peer review. 
‘‘(h) PROGRAMMATIC EVALUATIONS.—Within 2 years 
after the first research project grants, cooperative agree-
ments, or contracts are awarded under this section, the 
Secretary shall enter into an arrangement with the Na-
tional Academy of Public Administration to review the
program under this section, and to recommend improve-
ments. The review shall—
‘‘(1) assess the degree to which projects funded 
under this section have addressed the research topics 
identified in the research agenda established in 
Transportation Research Board Special Report 260, 
including identifying those topics which have not yet 
been addressed; 
‘‘(2) assess the merit and peer review process 
for project proposals, and assess research project re-
sults; and 
‘‘(3) assess the extent of stakeholder involve-
ment in all facets of the program. 
‘‘(i) ANNUAL PROGRESS
AND PERFORMANCE RE-
PORT.—The National Academy of Sciences shall produce 
an annual progress and performance report for the pro-
gram under this section. The report shall summarize the 
status, funding, and sponsors of all funded projects by the 
research areas specified in subsection (f). It shall docu-
ment the progress of each project relative to milestones 
included in the project proposal. The report shall identify 
research areas and projects remaining unfunded, and an-
ticipated funding needs for completing that research. The 
report shall be submitted to the Secretary, to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the
Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, 
and to the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
of the Senate.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis of 
chapter 5 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new item:
‘‘509. Future strategic highway research program.’’.
SEC. 107. UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS. 
Section 5505 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 5505. University transportation research 
‘‘(a) REGIONAL CENTERS.—The Secretary of Trans-
portation shall make grants to nonprofit institutions of 
higher learning to establish and operate 1 university 
transportation center in each of the 10 United States Gov-
ernment regions that comprise the Standard Federal Re-
gional Boundary System. 
‘‘(b) OTHER CENTERS.—The Secretary shall make 
grants to nonprofit institutions of higher learning to es-
tablish and operate university transportation centers, in 
addition to the centers receiving grants under subsection 
(a), to address transportation management and research 
and development matters, with special attention to in-
creasing the number of highly skilled individuals entering 
the field of transportation. 
‘‘(c) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—
‘‘(1) APPLICATIONS.—In order to be eligible to 
receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit insti-
tution of higher learning shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application that is in such form and con-
tains such information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(2) SELECTION CRITERIA.—Except as other-
wise provided by this section, the Secretary shall se-
lect each recipient of a grant under this section 
through a competitive, peer-reviewed process on the 
basis of the following: 
‘‘(A) For regional centers, the location of 
the center within the Federal region to be 
served. 
‘‘(B) The demonstrated research and ex-
tension resources available to the recipient to 
carry out this section. 
‘‘(C) The capability of the recipient to pro-
vide leadership in making national and regional 
contributions to the solution of immediate and 
long-range transportation problems. 
‘‘(D) The recipient’s establishment of a 
surface transportation program encompassing 
several modes of transportation. 
‘‘(E) The recipient’s demonstrated commit-
ment of at least $200,000 in regularly budgeted
institutional amounts each year to support on-
going transportation research and education 
programs. 
‘‘(F) The recipient’s demonstrated ability 
to disseminate results of transportation re-
search and education programs through a state-
wide or regionwide continuing education pro-
gram. 
‘‘(G) The strategic plan the recipient pro-
poses to carry out under the grant. 
‘‘(d) OBJECTIVES.—Each university transportation 
center receiving a grant under this section shall conduct 
the following programs and activities: 
‘‘(1) Basic and applied research that supports 
the Department’s research agenda consistent with 
section 508 of title 23, the products of which are 
peer-reviewed by other experts in the field to ad-
vance the body of knowledge in transportation. 
‘‘(2) An education program that includes multi-
disciplinary course work, faculty and student partici-
pation in research, and an opportunity for practical 
experience. 
‘‘(3) An ongoing program of technology transfer 
that makes research results available to potential
users in a form that can be implemented, utilized, 
or otherwise applied. 
‘‘(e) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.—To be eligible to 
receive a grant under this section, an applicant shall—
‘‘(1) enter into an agreement with the Secretary 
to ensure that the applicant will maintain total ex-
penditures from all other sources to establish and 
operate a university transportation center and re-
lated educational and research activities at a level 
that is at least equal to the average level of those 
expenditures during the 2 fiscal years before the 
date on which the grant is provided; 
‘‘(2) provide the annual institutional contribu-
tion required under subsection (c)(2); 
‘‘(3) submit to the Secretary, in a timely man-
ner, for use by the Secretary in the preparation of 
the annual research report under section 508(c)(5) 
of title 23, an annual report on the projects and ac-
tivities of the university transportation center for 
which funds are made available for the fiscal year 
covered by the report, a description of—
‘‘(A) the goals of the center; 
‘‘(B) the educational activities carried out 
by the center (including a detailed summary of 
the budget for those educational activities);
‘‘(C) teaching activities of faculty at the 
center; 
‘‘(D) each research project carried out by 
the center, including—
‘‘(i) the identity and location of each 
investigator working on a research project; 
‘‘(ii) the overall funding amount for 
each 
research 
project 
(including 
the 
amounts expended for the project as of the 
date of the report); 
‘‘(iii) the current schedule for each re-
search project; and 
‘‘(iv) the results of each research 
project through the date of submission of 
the report, with particular emphasis on re-
sults for the fiscal year covered by the re-
port; and 
‘‘(E) overall technology transfer and imple-
mentation efforts of the center; 
‘‘(4) make use of National Research Council, 
Transportation Research Board, and Transportation 
Research Information Services online databases 
for—
‘‘(A) program development and strategic 
planning;
‘‘(B) reporting of activities funded under 
this section; and 
‘‘(C) input and dissemination of results 
and reports from completed research; and 
‘‘(5) recommend a representative to serve as li-
aison to the Transportation Research Board. 
‘‘(f) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the 
costs of activities carried out using a grant made under 
subsection (a) is 80 percent of costs, and under subsection 
(b) is 50 percent of costs. The non-Federal share may in-
clude funds provided to a recipient under section 503, 
504(b), or 505 of title 23, United States Code. 
‘‘(g) PROGRAM COORDINATION.—
‘‘(1) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall co-
ordinate the research, education, training, and tech-
nology transfer activities that grant recipients carry 
out under this section, disseminate the results of the 
research, and establish and operate a clearinghouse. 
‘‘(2) ANNUAL REVIEW AND EVALUATION.—At 
least annually and consistent with the plan devel-
oped under section 508 of title 23, United States 
Code, the Secretary shall review and evaluate pro-
grams the grant recipients carry out. 
‘‘(3) FUNDING
LIMITATION.—The Secretary 
may use not more than 1 percent of amounts made
available from Government sources to carry out this 
subsection. 
‘‘(h) LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—
Funds made available to carry out this program shall re-
main available for obligation for a period of 2 years after 
the last day of the fiscal year for which such funds are 
authorized. 
‘‘(i) GRANTS.—The Secretary may make grants 
under this section as follows: 
‘‘(1) For grants under subsection (a)—
‘‘(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
‘‘(B) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; 
‘‘(C) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; 
‘‘(D) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 
‘‘(E) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and 
‘‘(F) $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 
‘‘(2) For grants under subsection (b) to centers 
that received funding for fiscal years 2002 and 2003 
under this section—
‘‘(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
‘‘(B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
‘‘(C) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
‘‘(3) For 6 additional grants under subsection 
(b)—
‘‘(A) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
‘‘(B) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
‘‘(C) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
‘‘(4) For 16 grants under subsection (b), which 
may include grants to centers described in para-
graph (2)—
‘‘(A) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; 
‘‘(B) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and 
‘‘(C) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 
‘‘(j) TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT 
PILOT PROGRAM.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a program to make grants to State Depart-
ments of Transportation, who in conjunction with 
nonprofit institutions of higher education, will de-
velop and test new curricula to educate the transpor-
tation workforce. 
‘‘(2) SELECTION
OF
GRANT
RECIPIENTS.—In 
selecting applications for awards under this sub-
section, the Secretary shall consider—
‘‘(A) the degree to which the new curricula 
will address the specific workforce needs of the 
State, evaluated on the basis of a State’s devel-
opment of a strategic human resources plan 
and how the new curricula will help fulfill the 
plan;
‘‘(B) the degree to which the new curricula 
will provide expertise in areas other than engi-
neering, such as business administration, eco-
nomics, information technology, environmental 
science, and law, as determined necessary by 
the State; and 
‘‘(C) a State’s commitment to continuing 
the program beyond the pilot effort. 
‘‘(3) NUMBER AND AMOUNT OF GRANTS.—For 
fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2006, the Secretary 
shall make 4 grants under this subsection, each in 
the amount of $1,000,000. For fiscal years 2007, 
2008, and 2009, the Secretary shall make 4 grants 
under this subsection, each in the amount of 
$500,000.’’. 
SEC. 108. INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Subtitle C of title V of the Trans-
portation Equity Act for the 21st Century is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘Subtitle C—Intelligent 
Transportation Systems 
‘‘SEC. 5201. SHORT TITLE. 
‘‘This subtitle may be cited as the ‘Intelligent Trans-
portation Systems Act of 2003’.
‘‘SEC. 5202. GOALS AND PURPOSES. 
‘‘(a) GOALS.—The goals of the intelligent transpor-
tation system program include—
‘‘(1) enhancement of surface transportation ef-
ficiency and facilitation of intermodalism and inter-
national trade to enable existing facilities to meet a 
significant portion of future transportation needs, 
including public access to employment, goods, and 
services, and to reduce regulatory, financial, and 
other transaction costs to public agencies and sys-
tem users; 
‘‘(2) achievement of national transportation 
safety goals, including the enhancement of safe oper-
ation of motor vehicles and nonmotorized vehicles, 
with particular emphasis on decreasing the number 
and severity of collisions; 
‘‘(3) protection and enhancement of the natural 
environment and communities affected by surface 
transportation, with particular emphasis on assisting 
State and local governments to achieve national en-
vironmental goals; 
‘‘(4) accommodation of the needs of all users of 
surface transportation systems, including operators 
of commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, motor-
cycles, and bicycles, and including pedestrians and 
individuals with disabilities; and
‘‘(5) improvement of the Nation’s ability to re-
spond to security related or other man made emer-
gencies and natural disasters, and enhancement of 
national defense mobility. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The Secretary shall implement ac-
tivities under the intelligent transportation system pro-
gram to, at a minimum—
‘‘(1) develop and test new and emerging tech-
nologies to meet the goals described in subsection 
(a); 
‘‘(2) expedite deployment, in both metropolitan 
and rural areas, and ensure integration and inter-
operability of proven intelligent transportation sys-
tems; 
‘‘(3) ensure that Federal, State, and local 
transportation officials have adequate knowledge of 
intelligent transportation systems for full consider-
ation in the transportation planning process; 
‘‘(4) improve regional cooperation and oper-
ations planning for effective intelligent transpor-
tation system deployment; 
‘‘(5) promote the innovative use of private re-
sources;
‘‘(6) develop a workforce capable of developing, 
operating, and maintaining intelligent transportation 
systems; and 
‘‘(7) evaluate costs and benefits of intelligent 
transportation systems projects. 
‘‘SEC. 5203. GENERAL AUTHORITIES AND REQUIREMENTS. 
‘‘(a) SCOPE.—Subject to the provisions of this sub-
title, the Secretary shall conduct an ongoing intelligent 
transportation system program to research, develop, and 
operationally test intelligent transportation systems and 
advance nationwide deployment of proven systems through 
research on barriers to deployment as a component of the 
surface transportation systems of the United States. 
‘‘(b) POLICY.—Intelligent transportation system re-
search, development, operational tests, and deployment 
projects funded pursuant to this subtitle shall encourage 
and not displace public-private partnerships or private sec-
tor investment in such research and development tests and 
projects. 
‘‘(c) COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENTAL, PRI-
VATE, AND EDUCATIONAL ENTITIES.—The Secretary 
shall carry out the intelligent transportation system pro-
gram in cooperation with State and local governments and 
other public entities, the United States private sector, the 
Federal laboratories, and colleges and universities, includ-
ing historically black colleges and universities and other 
minority institutions of higher education. 
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION WITH FEDERAL OFFICIALS.—
In carrying out the intelligent transportation system pro-
gram, the Secretary, as appropriate, shall consult with the 
Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Treasury, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Na-
tional Science Foundation, and the heads of other Federal 
departments and agencies. 
‘‘(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND IN-
FORMATION.—The Secretary shall provide technical as-
sistance, training, and information to State and local gov-
ernments seeking to implement, operate, maintain, or 
evaluate intelligent transportation system technologies and 
services. 
‘‘(f) TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.—The Secretary 
may provide funding to support adequate consideration of 
transportation system management and operations, in-
cluding intelligent transportation systems, within metro-
politan and statewide transportation planning processes. 
‘‘(g) INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) maintain a repository for technical 
and safety data collected as a result of federally
sponsored projects carried out under this sub-
title; and 
‘‘(B) make that information (except for 
proprietary information and data) readily avail-
able to all users of the repository at an appro-
priate cost. 
‘‘(2) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may 
delegate the responsibility of the Secretary 
under this subsection, with continuing oversight 
by the Secretary, to an appropriate entity not 
within the Department of Transportation. 
‘‘(B) FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.—If the Sec-
retary delegates the responsibility, the entity to 
which the responsibility is delegated shall be eli-
gible for Federal assistance under this section. 
‘‘(h) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish an Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary 
on carrying out this subtitle. 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee 
shall have no more than 20 members and include, at 
a minimum—
‘‘(A) a representative from a State high-
way department;
‘‘(B) a representative from a local highway 
department; 
‘‘(C) a representative from a State, local, 
or regional transit agency; 
‘‘(D) a representative from a metropolitan 
planning organization; 
‘‘(E) a private sector vendor of intelligent 
transportation system technologies; 
‘‘(F) a private sector user of intelligent 
transportation system technologies; 
‘‘(G) a academic researcher who is a civil 
engineer; 
‘‘(H) a academic researcher who is a social 
scientist; 
‘‘(I) a representative from the Intelligent 
Transportation Society of America; 
‘‘(J) a representative from a public interest 
group concerned with safety; 
‘‘(K) a representative from a public inter-
est group concerned with community develop-
ment; and 
‘‘(L) members with expertise in planning, 
safety, and operations. 
‘‘(3) DUTIES.—The Advisory Committee shall, 
at a minimum, perform the following duties—
‘‘(A) Provide input into the development of 
the National ITS Program Plan, and the Intel-
ligent Transportation System portion of each 
strategic plan under section 508 of title 23, 
United States Code. 
‘‘(B) Review the National ITS Program 
Plan and the Intelligent Transportation System 
portion of each strategic plan under section 508 
of title 23, United States Code, and transmit 
the Advisory Committee’s views on the plans to 
Congress. 
‘‘(C) Analyze intelligent transportation sys-
tems technologies, for which a plan or budget 
proposal has recommended funding for research 
and development activities or operational tests, 
to advise the Department on—
‘‘(i) whether the intelligent transpor-
tation system technologies are likely to be 
deployed by users, and, if not, to determine 
the barriers to deployment; 
‘‘(ii) the appropriate roles for govern-
ment and the private sector in investing in 
specific intelligent transportation system 
technologies; and
‘‘(iii) whether these activities are like-
ly to advance either the state-of-the-prac-
tice or state-of-the-art in intelligent trans-
portation systems. 
‘‘(4) APPLICABILITY
OF
FEDERAL
ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE ACT.—The Advisory Committee shall be 
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.). 
‘‘(i) PROCUREMENT METHODS.—
‘‘(1) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall develop appropriate technical assistance and 
guidance to assist State and local agencies in evalu-
ating and selecting appropriate methods of procure-
ment for intelligent transportation system projects 
carried out using funds made available from the 
Highway Trust Fund, including innovative and non-
traditional methods such as the Information Tech-
nology Omnibus Procurement. 
‘‘(2) INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM 
SOFTWARE.—To the maximum extent practicable, 
contracting officials shall use as a critical evaluation 
criterion the Software Engineering Institute’s Capa-
bility Maturity Model, or another similar recognized 
software design and development methodology, to re-
duce the cost, schedule, and performance risks asso-
ciated with the development, management, and inte-
gration of intelligent transportation system software. 
‘‘(j) EVALUATIONS.—
‘‘(1) GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
issue guidelines and requirements for the eval-
uation of operational tests and model deploy-
ment projects carried out under this subtitle. 
‘‘(B) CONTENT.—Such evaluations shall 
include specific, quantitative measures to deter-
mine whether a technology is meeting its in-
tended goal. To the maximum extent prac-
ticable, these measures shall evaluate the out-
come of the technology (such as accidents 
avoided or decreased travel times or travel time 
variability). 
‘‘(C) OBJECTIVITY AND INDEPENDENCE.—
The guidelines and requirements issued under 
subparagraph (A) shall include provisions to en-
sure the objectivity and independence of the 
evaluator so as to avoid any real or apparent 
conflict of interest or potential influence on the 
outcome by parties to any such test or deploy-
ment project or by any other formal evaluation 
carried out under this subtitle.
‘‘(D) FUNDING.—The guidelines and re-
quirements issued under subparagraph (A) shall 
establish evaluation funding levels, based on the 
size and scope of each test or project, that en-
sure adequate evaluation of the results of the 
test or project. 
‘‘(E) 
DISSEMINATION.—The 
Secretary 
shall make readily available through the Inter-
net all information collected through evalua-
tions carried out under this subtitle. 
‘‘(2) SPECIAL
RULE.—Any survey, question-
naire, or interview that the Secretary considers nec-
essary to carry out the evaluation of any test, de-
ployment project, or program assessment activity 
under this subtitle shall not be subject to chapter 35 
of title 44, United States Code.
‘‘(k) USE OF RIGHTS-OF-WAY.—Intelligent transpor-
tation system projects specified in section 5117(b)(3) and 
5117(b)(6) and involving privately owned intelligent trans-
portation system components that are carried out using 
funds made available from the Highway Trust Fund shall 
not be subject to any law or regulation of a State or polit-
ical subdivision of a State prohibiting or regulating com-
mercial activities in the rights-of-way of a highway for 
which Federal-aid highway funds have been utilized for
planning, design, construction, or maintenance, if the Sec-
retary of Transportation determines that such use is in 
the public interest. Nothing in this subsection shall affect 
the authority of a State or political subdivision of a State 
to regulate highway safety. 
‘‘SEC. 5204. NATIONAL ITS PROGRAM PLAN. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall publish an 
update of the ‘National Intelligent Transportation 
Systems Program Plan Five-Year Horizon’, pub-
lished in August, 2000. The Secretary shall consult 
with the Advisory Committee established under sec-
tion 5203(h) in carrying out this section. 
‘‘(2) SCOPE.—The National ITS Program Plan 
update shall—
‘‘(A) specify the goals, objectives, and mile-
stones for the research and deployment of intel-
ligent transportation systems in the context of 
major metropolitan areas, smaller metropolitan 
and rural areas, and commercial vehicle oper-
ations; 
‘‘(B) evaluate how the intelligent transpor-
tation systems program has progressed in 
achieving the goals, objectives, and milestones 
referred to in subparagraph (A);
‘‘(C) compare actual outcomes of the intel-
ligent transportation systems program over the 
last 5 years to projections from the 2000 Plan 
referred to in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(D) for each goal, objective, milestone, or 
projection found under subparagraph (B) or 
(C) not to have been achieved, document the 
barriers to achievement; 
‘‘(E) specify how specific programs and 
projects will achieve the goals, objectives, and 
milestones referred to in subparagraph (A), in 
the next 5 years; 
‘‘(F) specify necessary and realistically 
achievable timeframes and funding levels to 
conduct the programs and projects referred to 
in subparagraph (E) in order to achieve the 
goals, objectives, and milestones referred to in 
subparagraph (A); 
‘‘(G) develop a plan for addressing barriers 
documented under subparagraph (D); 
‘‘(H) identify activities that provide for the 
dynamic development of standards and proto-
cols to promote and ensure interoperability in 
the implementation of intelligent transportation
system technologies, including actions taken to 
establish critical standards; and 
‘‘(I) establish a cooperative process with 
State and local governments for determining 
desired surface transportation system perform-
ance levels and developing plans for incorpora-
tion of specific intelligent transportation system 
capabilities into surface transportation systems. 
‘‘(b) REPORTING.—The National ITS Program Plan 
shall be transmitted to the Congress not later than August 
31, 2005. 
‘‘(c) ADVISORY COMMITTEE REVIEW.—The Advisory 
Committee established under section 5203(h) shall review 
the National ITS Program Plan that is transmitted to 
Congress under this section, and shall transmit the Advi-
sory Committee’s views on the Plan to Congress. 
‘‘SEC. 5205. INFORMATION STRATEGY. 
‘‘(a) DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION.—The 
Secretary shall develop and implement a strategy to use 
information collected from intelligent transportation sys-
tem technologies (including technologies used in roadway, 
transit, and in-vehicle applications) for traffic manage-
ment and for planning, performance monitoring, program 
assessment, and policy applications. The Secretary shall 
ensure that the Bureau of Transportation Statistics plays
a significant role in the development of the strategy under 
this section. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—The strategy developed 
under this section shall—
‘‘(1) consider current data sources and propose 
future data sources, as well as proposing strategies 
for both real-time use and archived use of data; 
‘‘(2) determine what data should be centralized 
nationally in support of national planning and goals, 
what information should be aggregated regionally, 
and what information should be kept locally, and for 
nationally centralized data, identify how to ensure 
that data is collected and reported consistently; 
‘‘(3) assess the need for data standards; 
‘‘(4) outline how transportation decision proc-
esses can make best use of real-time data; 
‘‘(5) outline a vision for the future linkages be-
tween intelligent transportation system technologies 
and data; 
‘‘(6) identify public and private data sources 
other than intelligent transportation system data 
sources (such as roadway characteristics inventories 
and incident information) that, combined with intel-
ligent transportation system data, would enhance the 
utility of intelligent transportation system data to
decisionmakers, and how these data sources can be 
merged; 
‘‘(7) identify how to make data most accessible 
and useful to users; and 
‘‘(8) identify what information would be useful 
to stakeholders at the local, State, regional, and na-
tional levels. 
‘‘(c) STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT.—In developing 
the strategy under this section, the Secretary shall involve 
developers and users of intelligent transportation system 
technologies, including State and local highway depart-
ments, metropolitan planning organizations, transit agen-
cies, travelers, the private sector, not-for-profit organiza-
tions, and representatives from the planning, safety, oper-
ations, and research communities. 
‘‘(d) INCORPORATION
INTO NATIONAL ARCHITEC-
TURE.—The strategy developed under this section shall, 
to the extent practicable, be incorporated into the national 
architecture. 
‘‘(e) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall transmit to the Congress a report outlining 
the strategy developed under this section. 
‘‘SEC. 5206. NATIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND STANDARDS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND 
MAINTENANCE.—Consistent with section 12(d) of 
the National Technology Transfer and Advancement 
Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note; 110 Stat. 783), 
the Secretary shall develop, implement, and maintain 
a national architecture and supporting standards 
and protocols to promote the widespread use and 
evaluation of intelligent transportation system tech-
nology as a component of the surface transportation 
systems of the United States. 
‘‘(2) GOAL.—The goal of the national architec-
ture and standards shall be to ensure interoper-
ability among, and efficiency of, intelligent transpor-
tation system technologies implemented throughout 
the United States. 
‘‘(3) USE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT ORGA-
NIZATIONS.—In carrying out this section, the Sec-
retary may use the services of such standards devel-
opment organizations as the Secretary determines to 
be appropriate. 
‘‘(4) STANDARD
VALIDATION.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that new standards promulgated for in-
telligent transportation system technologies are test-
ed and validated, and shall ensure that the results
of such testing and validation are made publicly 
available. 
‘‘(b) PROVISIONAL STANDARDS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary finds that 
the development or balloting of an intelligent trans-
portation system standard jeopardizes the timely 
achievement of the objectives identified in subsection 
(a)(1) and (2), the Secretary may establish a provi-
sional standard after consultation with affected par-
ties, and using, to the extent practicable, the work 
product of appropriate standards development orga-
nizations. 
‘‘(2) PERIOD
OF
EFFECTIVENESS.—A provi-
sional standard established under paragraph (1) 
shall be published in the Federal Register and re-
main in effect until the appropriate standards devel-
opment organization adopts and publishes a stand-
ard. 
‘‘(c) CONFORMITY
WITH
NATIONAL
ARCHITEC-
TURE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graphs (2) and (3), the Secretary shall ensure that 
intelligent transportation system projects carried out 
using funds made available from the Highway Trust 
Fund, including funds made available to deploy in-
telligent transportation system technologies, conform 
to the national architecture, applicable standards or 
provisional standards, and protocols developed under 
subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) SECRETARY’S
DISCRETION.—The Sec-
retary may authorize exceptions to paragraph (1) 
for—
‘‘(A) projects designed to achieve specific 
research objectives outlined in the National ITS 
Program Plan under section 5204 or the Sur-
face Transportation Research and Development 
Strategic Plan developed under section 508 of 
title 23, United States Code; or 
‘‘(B) the upgrade or expansion of an intel-
ligent transportation system in existence on the 
date of enactment of the Transportation Equity 
Act for the 21st Century, if the Secretary de-
termines that the upgrade or expansion—
‘‘(i) would not adversely affect the 
goals or purposes of this subtitle; 
‘‘(ii) is carried out before the end of 
the useful life of such system; and 
‘‘(iii) is cost-effective as compared to 
alternatives that would meet the con-
formity requirement of paragraph (1).