To direct the Secretary of Transportation to delay certain target compliance dates for minimum retroreflectivity level standards applicable to traffic signs, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Roads for America Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) An individual who is 65 years of age needs 4 times the 
        amount of light to see at night as compared to an individual 
        who is 25 years of age.
            (2) The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety projects that by 
        2030 1 in every 4 drivers will be 65 years of age or older.
            (3) Increasing the retroreflectivity and size of traffic 
        signs provides added decision time for older drivers.
            (4) Increasing the retroreflectivity and size of traffic 
        signs also provides for faster response time by emergency 
        medical technicians and police and fire personnel by increasing 
        their ability to read and understand signs and reduce travel 
        time to a site.
            (5) More than 50 percent of traffic accidents resulting in 
        fatalities occur at night, and increased retroreflectivity of 
        traffic signs addresses this issue.
            (6) In 2007, the following deadlines were established in 
        the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in response to a 
        statutory requirement from Congress:
                    (A) By January 22, 2012, roadway owners must adopt 
                a plan to ensure that their signs meet minimum levels 
                of retroreflectivity.
                    (B) By January 22, 2015, regulatory and warning 
                signs and post-mounted signs must meet minimum levels 
                of retroreflectivity.
                    (C) By January 22, 2018, overhead and street name 
                signs must meet minimum levels of retroreflectivity.
            (7) The Federal Highway Administration has estimated that 
        the cost for making these retroreflectivity improvements for 
        signage throughout the United States is $37,000,000 over a 10-
        year period.
            (8) At no point must a roadway owner replace a sign that 
        meets the minimum levels of retroreflectivity.
            (9) The United States is currently experiencing the worst 
        economic conditions since the Great Depression.
            (10) As a result, local governments across the United 
        States are experiencing one of the most economically 
        challenging times in history, with available revenues unable to 
        match the costs of services demanded by the public.
            (11) To compensate for depressed revenue collections during 
        the economic downturn, counties and cities are adopting severe 
        cost-cutting measures, such as laying off and furloughing 
        employees (including public safety personnel), cancelling or 
        postponing planned capital improvements, deferring necessary 
        maintenance, cutting equipment inventories, and in some cases 
        declaring bankruptcy.
            (12) The costs of employee benefits continue to rise and 
        local governments have to devote more resources to keep up with 
        inflation.
            (13) States are passing along the costs of services to 
        local governments as a method to balance their budgets.
            (14) The outlook for recovery appears to be at least 5 
        years away given that, even when the economy recovers, local 
        governments experience a delay in increased tax collections due 
        to the nature of property tax collections.

SEC. 3. RETROREFLECTIVITY LEVEL STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO TRAFFIC SIGNS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall modify the 
target compliance dates for minimum retroreflectivity level standards 
set forth in section 2A.08 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control 
Devices for Streets and Highways, 2009 Edition (incorporated by 
reference in subpart F of part 655 of title 23, Code of Federal 
Regulations) so that the following target compliance dates apply:
            (1) A target compliance date of January 22, 2012, for 
        implementation and continued use of an assessment or management 
        method that is designed to maintain traffic sign 
        retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels.
            (2) A target compliance date of January 22, 2018, for 
        replacement of regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide 
        (except street name) signs that are identified using the 
        assessment or management method as failing to meet the 
        established minimum levels.
            (3) A target compliance date of January 22, 2021, for 
        replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs that 
        are identified using the assessment or management method as 
        failing to meet the established minimum levels.
    (b) Effect on Proposed Regulations.--The Secretary shall revise the 
notice of proposed amendments published in the Federal Register on 
August 31, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 54156), to incorporate the target 
compliance dates specified in subsection (a).
    (c) Funding.--The Secretary may use funds available to the 
Secretary to carry out this section notwithstanding any funding 
limitation enacted before the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Highway Signs and Pavement Markings.--Section 148(a)(3)(B)(xi) 
of title 23, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
                            ``(xi) Installation, replacement, and 
                        upgrade of highway signs and pavement markings, 
                        including any upgrade of materials and the 
                        implementation of any assessment or management 
                        method designed to meet a State-established 
                        performance standard, Federal regulation, or 
                        requirement contained in the Manual on Uniform 
                        Traffic Control Devices relating to minimum 
                        levels of retroreflectivity.''.
    (b) Maintaining Minimum Levels of Retroreflectivity.--
            (1) Definition.--Section 148(a) of such title is amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
            ``(7) Project to maintain minimum levels of 
        retroreflectivity.--The term `project to maintain minimum 
        levels of retroreflectivity' means a project undertaken 
        pursuant to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 
        requiring public agencies to use an assessment or management 
        method that is designed to maintain highway sign or pavement 
        marking retroreflectivity at or above prescribed minimum 
        levels.''.
            (2) Eligible projects.--Section 148(d)(1) of such title is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (A);
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                subparagraph (C); and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                following:
                    ``(B) any project to maintain minimum levels of 
                retroreflectivity on a public road, whether or not such 
                project is included in the State strategic highway 
                safety plan; or''.
            (3) Increased federal share.--The first sentence of section 
        120(c)(1) of such title is amended by inserting ``maintaining 
        minimum levels of retroreflectivity of highway signs or 
        pavement markings,'' after ``signalization,''.
    (c) Standards for Projects To Upgrade Highway Signs and Pavement 
Markings.--Section 148 of such title is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
    ``(i) Standards for Projects To Upgrade Highway Signs and Pavement 
Markings.--The Secretary shall issue standards for the use of funds 
apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(5) for highway safety 
improvement projects to upgrade highway signs and pavement markings in 
order to meet or exceed minimum maintained levels of retroreflectivity. 
Such standards shall ensure that the projects are carried out so as to 
meet defined criteria, consistent with other safety upgrades, using a 
systematic approach. Such standards shall permit the use of the funds 
for an initial upgrade of highway signs and pavement markings in the 
State, but shall prohibit the funds from being used for maintenance 
activities.''.

Summary: Safe Roads for America Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Transportation to modify the target compliance dates for the following minimum retroreflectivity level standards: (1) implementation and continued use of an assessment or management method that is designed to maintain traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above the established minimum levels; (2) replacement of regulatory, warning, and post-mounted guide (except street name) signs identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum levels; and (3) replacement of street name signs and overhead guide signs that are identified using the assessment or management method as failing to meet the established minimum levels.

 Requires the Secretary to revise the notice of proposed amendments published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2011, to incorporate the new target compliance dates.

Includes measures designed to meet a state-established performance standard, federal regulation, or requirement contained in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices relating to minimum levels of retroreflectivity as projects for purposes of the highway safety improvement program.

Allows a maximum 100% federal share of the costs of construction related to maintaining minimum levels of retroreflectivity of highway signs or pavement markings.

Directs the Secretary to issue standards for the use of funds apportioned to a state for highway safety improvement projects to upgrade highway signs and pavement markings in order to meet or exceed minimum maintained levels of retroreflectivity. Requires such standards to prohibit fund use for maintenance activities.