H. R. 3—90
‘‘(2) LODGING.—The lodging under paragraph (1) shall be 
in accordance with section 1910.142 of title 29, Code of Federal 
Regulations (relating to temporary labor camp requirements). 
‘‘(3) PER DIEM.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Contractors are encouraged to use 
commercial facilities and lodges on remote projects, how-
ever, when such facilities are not available, per diem in 
lieu of room and lodging may be paid on remote Federal 
highway projects at a basic rate of $75.00 per day or 
part of a day the worker is employed on the project. Where 
the contractor provides or furnishes room and lodging or 
pays a per diem, the cost of the amount shall not be 
considered a part of wages and shall be excluded from 
the calculation of wages. 
‘‘(B) SECRETARY OF LABOR.—Such per diem rate shall 
be adopted by the Secretary of Labor for all applicable 
remote Federal highway projects in Alaska. 
‘‘(C) EXCEPTION.—Per diem shall not be allowed on 
any of the following remote projects for the construction 
of a highway or portion of a highway located on a Federal-
aid system: 
‘‘(i) West of Livengood on the Elliot Highway. 
‘‘(ii) Mile 0 on the Dalton Highway to the North 
Slope of Alaska; north of Mile 20 on the Taylor High-
way. 
‘‘(iii) East of Chicken on the Top of the World 
Highway and south of Tetlin Junction to the Alaska 
Canadian border. 
‘‘(4) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the following defini-
tions apply: 
‘‘(A) REMOTE.—The term ‘remote’, as used with respect 
to a project, means that the project is 65 road miles or 
more from the international airport in Fairbanks, Anchor-
age, or Juneau, Alaska, as the case may be, or is inacces-
sible by road in a 2-wheel drive vehicle. 
‘‘(B) RESIDENT.—The term ‘resident’, as used with 
respect to a project, means a person living within 65 road 
miles of the midpoint of the project for at least 12 consecu-
tive months prior to the award of the project.’’. 
SEC. 1410. NATIONAL WORK ZONE SAFETY INFORMATION CLEARING-
HOUSE. 
(a) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall make grants for fiscal years 
2006 through 2009 to a national nonprofit foundation for the oper-
ation of the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, 
authorized by section 358(b)(2) of Public Law 104–59, created for 
the purpose of assembling and disseminating, by electronic and 
other means, information relating to improvement of roadway work 
zone safety. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized 
to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than 
the Mass Transit Account) to carry out this section $1,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009. 
(c) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—Funds authorized by this subsection 
shall be available for obligation in the same manner as if the 
funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, United States 
Code, except the Federal share of the cost of activities carried
H. R. 3—91
out using such funds shall be 100 percent, and such funds shall 
remain available until expended and shall not be transferable. 
SEC. 1411. ROADWAY SAFETY. 
(a) ROAD SAFETY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into an agree-
ment to assist in the activities of a national nonprofit organiza-
tion that is dedicated solely to improving public road safety—
(A) by improving the quality of data pertaining to 
public road hazards and design features that affect or 
increase the severity of motor vehicle crashes; 
(B) by developing and carrying out a public awareness 
campaign to educate State and local transportation officials, 
public safety officials, and motorists regarding the extent 
to which public road hazards and design features are a 
factor in motor vehicle crashes; and 
(C) by promoting public road safety research and tech-
nology transfer activities. 
(2) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appropriated from 
the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
$500,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009 to carry 
out this subsection. 
(3) APPLICABILITY OF TITLE 23.—Funds made available by 
this subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 
of title 23, United States Code, except that the funds shall 
remain available until expended. 
(b) BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY GRANTS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make grants to a 
national, not-for-profit organization engaged in promoting 
bicycle and pedestrian safety—
(A) to operate a national bicycle and pedestrian 
clearinghouse; 
(B) to develop information and educational programs; 
and 
(C) to disseminate techniques and strategies for 
improving bicycle and pedestrian safety. 
(2) FUNDING.—There is authorized to be appropriated from 
the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
$300,000 for fiscal year 2005 and $500,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2006 through 2009 to carry out this subsection. 
(3) APPLICABILITY OF TITLE 23.—Funds made available by 
this subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 
of title 23, United States Code, except that the funds shall 
remain available until expended. 
SEC. 1412. IDLING REDUCTION FACILITIES IN INTERSTATE RIGHTS-
OF-WAY. 
Section 111 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) IDLING REDUCTION FACILITIES IN INTERSTATE RIGHTS-OF-
WAY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), a State 
may—
‘‘(A) permit electrification or other idling reduction 
facilities and equipment, for use by motor vehicles used 
for commercial purposes, to be placed in rest and recreation
H. R. 3—92
areas, and in safety rest areas, constructed or located on 
rights-of-way of the Interstate System in the State, so 
long as those idling reduction measures do not reduce 
the existing number of designated truck parking spaces 
at any given rest or recreation area; and 
‘‘(B) charge a fee, or permit the charging of a fee, 
for the use of those parking spaces actively providing power 
to a truck to reduce idling. 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The exclusive purpose of the facilities 
described in paragraph (1) (or similar technologies) shall be 
to enable operators of motor vehicles used for commercial pur-
poses—
‘‘(A) to reduce idling of a truck while parked in the 
rest or recreation area; and 
‘‘(B) to use installed or other equipment specifically 
designed to reduce idling of a truck, or provide alternative 
power for supporting driver comfort, while parked.’’. 
Subtitle E—Construction and Contract 
Efficiency 
SEC. 1501. PROGRAM EFFICIENCIES. 
(a) ADVANCE CONSTRUCTION.—Section 115 of title 23, United 
States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and 
(2) by striking subsections (a) and (b) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may authorize a State to 
proceed with a project authorized under this title—
‘‘(1) without the use of Federal funds; and 
‘‘(2) in accordance with all procedures and requirements 
applicable to the project other than those procedures and 
requirements that limit the State to implementation of a 
project—
‘‘(A) with the aid of Federal funds previously appor-
tioned or allocated to the State; or 
‘‘(B) with obligation authority previously allocated to 
the State. 
‘‘(b) OBLIGATION OF FEDERAL SHARE.—The Secretary, on the 
request of a State and execution of a project agreement, may obli-
gate all or a portion of the Federal share of a project authorized 
to proceed under this section from any category of funds for which 
the project is eligible.’’. 
(b) OBLIGATION
AND RELEASE
OF FUNDS.—Section 118(d) of 
such title is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) OBLIGATION AND RELEASE OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds apportioned or allocated to a State 
for a purpose for any fiscal year shall be considered to be 
obligated if a sum equal to the total of the funds apportioned 
or allocated to the State for that purpose for that fiscal year 
and previous fiscal years is obligated. 
‘‘(2) RELEASED FUNDS.—Any funds released by the final 
payment for a project, or by modifying the project agreement 
for a project, shall be—
‘‘(A) credited to the same class of funds previously 
apportioned or allocated to the State for the project; and
H. R. 3—93
‘‘(B) immediately available for obligation. 
‘‘(3) NET OBLIGATIONS.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law (including a regulation), obligations recorded against 
funds made available under this subsection shall be recorded 
and reported as net obligations.’’. 
SEC. 1502. HIGHWAYS FOR LIFE PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish and imple-
ment a pilot program to be known as the ‘‘Highways for LIFE 
Pilot Program’’. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the pilot program shall be 
to advance longer-lasting highways using innovative tech-
nologies and practices to accomplish the fast construction of 
efficient and safe highways and bridges. 
(3) OBJECTIVES.—Under the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall provide leadership and incentives to demonstrate and 
promote state-of-the-art technologies, elevated performance 
standards, and new business practices in the highway construc-
tion process that result in improved safety, faster construction, 
reduced congestion from construction, and improved quality 
and user satisfaction. 
(b) PROJECTS.—
(1) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to participate in the pilot 
program, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application 
that is in such form and contains such information as the 
Secretary requires. Each application shall contain a description 
of proposed projects to be carried by the State under the pilot 
program. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY.—A proposed project shall be eligible for 
assistance under the pilot program if the project—
(A) constructs, reconstructs, or rehabilitates a route 
or connection on a Federal-aid highway eligible for assist-
ance under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code; 
(B) uses innovative technologies, manufacturing proc-
esses, financing, or contracting methods that improve 
safety, reduce congestion due to construction, and improve 
quality; and 
(C) meets additional criteria as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
(3) PROJECT
PROPOSAL.—A project proposal submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall contain—
(A) an identification and description of the projects 
to be delivered; 
(B) a description of how the projects will result in 
improved safety, faster construction, reduced congestion 
due to construction, user satisfaction, and improved quality; 
(C) a description of the innovative technologies, manu-
facturing processes, financing, and contracting methods 
that will be used for the proposed projects; and 
(D) such other information as the Secretary may 
require. 
(4) SELECTION CRITERIA.—In selecting projects for approval 
under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that the projects 
provide an evaluation of a broad range of technologies in a 
wide variety of project types and shall give priority to the 
projects that—