I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3551
To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transportation for surface 
transportation research and development, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 20, 2003
Mr. EHLERS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Science, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize appropriations to the Department of Transpor-
tation for surface transportation research and develop-
ment, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Surface Transportation Research and Development Act 
of 2003’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
TITLE I—SURFACE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH 
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. Training and education. 
Sec. 107. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 
Sec. 108. State planning and research. 
Sec. 109. Future Strategic Highway Research Program. 
Sec. 110. University Transportation Centers. 
Sec. 111. Intelligent Transportation systems. 
Sec. 112. National Multimodal Trends Research Program. 
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS 
Sec. 201. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 202. Transit research. 
Sec. 203. National Transit Institute. 
Sec. 204. Human resource programs. 
Sec. 205. Highway safety research and development. 
Sec. 206. Motor carrier research and technology program. 
Sec. 207. Transportation, energy, and environment. 
Sec. 208. National Cooperative Freight Transportation Research Program. 
Sec. 209. Next Generation National Transportation Policy Study Commission. 
Sec. 210. Real-time system management information program. 
Sec. 211. Planning capacity building initiative.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Research and development 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 112 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 112 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 112 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 112 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 112 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 112 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 112 of 
this Act.
(2) TRAINING AND EDUCATION.—To carry out 
section 504 of title 23, United States Code, there 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
of Transportation the following: 
(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2004. 
(B) $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2005. 
(C) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(D) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2007. 
(E) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. 
(F) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2009. 
(3) BUREAU
OF
TRANSPORTATION
STATIS-
TICS.—For the Bureau of Transportation Statistics 
to carry out section 111 of title 49, United States 
Code, there are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Transportation the following: 
(A) $36,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be set aside for research 
and development grants under subsection 
(k)(1)(B) of such section. 
(B) $37,000,000 for fiscal year 2005, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be set aside for research 
and development grants under subsection 
(k)(1)(B) of such section. 
(C) $38,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be set aside for research
and development grants under subsection 
(k)(1)(B) of such section. 
(D) $43,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be set aside for research 
and development grants under subsection 
(k)(1)(B) of such section. 
(E) $47,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be set aside for research 
and development grants under subsection 
(k)(1)(B) of such section. 
(F) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, of 
which $5,000,000 shall be set aside for research 
and development grants under subsection 
(k)(1)(B) of such section. 
(4) 
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.
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 the Surface Transpor-
tation Research and Development Act of 2003 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 Surface 
Transportation Research and Development Act 
of 2003; 
‘‘(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 the Surface Transportation Research and Development 
Act of 2003, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a 
report describing competitive merit review procedures for 
use in selecting grantees and contractors in the programs 
covered by the plan developed under subsection (c) and
performance measurement procedures for evaluating 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-
retary of Transportation on the sources and reli-
ability of the statistics proposed by the heads of the 
operating administrations of the Department to 
measure outputs and outcomes as required by the 
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, 
and the amendments made by such Act, and shall 
carry out such other reviews of the sources and reli-
ability of other data collected or statistical informa-
tion published by the heads of the operating admin-
istrations of the Department as shall be requested 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(10) MAKING STATISTICS ACCESSIBLE.—Mak-
ing the statistics published under this subsection 
readily accessible. 
‘‘(d) INFORMATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Within 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of the Surface Transportation 
Research and Development Act of 2003, the Sec-
retary shall enter into an arrangement with the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences to develop and publish a 
National Transportation Information Needs Assess-
ment. The Assessment shall be published not later 
than 24 months after such arrangement is entered 
into. 
‘‘(2) CONTENT.—The Assessment shall—