Title: Increase Transportation Alternatives Investment Act of 2017
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Increase Transportation Alternatives Investment Act of 2017
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that states give preference, under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, to eligible projects that are located in areas that are undergoing extensive repair or reconstruction of transportation infrastructure, including federal-aid highways, federally owned roads open for public travel, passenger rail facilities, and public transportation facilities and that will provide transportation alternatives related to the closure of transportation infrastructure in such areas.
DOT shall: (1) carry out a competitive grant program to support community efforts to invest in transportation alternatives; and (2) give grant preference to projects located in such areas. Entities eligible for grants include state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and rural planning organizations.
Grants may be used to plan for, facilitate, and provide initial support for:

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 765 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 765

To authorize programs and activities to support transportation options 
  in areas that are undergoing extensive repair or reconstruction of 
         transportation infrastructure, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 31, 2017

 Ms. Velazquez (for herself, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Meeks, and Mr. Jeffries) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                   Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize programs and activities to support transportation options 
  in areas that are undergoing extensive repair or reconstruction of 
         transportation infrastructure, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Increase Transportation Alternatives 
Investment Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

    Section 133 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(j) Transportation Alternatives for Areas Undergoing Extensive 
Repair or Reconstruction of Transportation Infrastructure.--The 
Secretary shall issue regulations to ensure that States give preference 
to eligible projects under this section that--
            ``(1) are located in areas that are undergoing extensive 
        repair or reconstruction of transportation infrastructure, 
        including Federal-aid highways, federally owned roads open for 
        public travel, passenger rail facilities, and public 
        transportation facilities; and
            ``(2) will provide transportation alternatives related to 
        the full or partial closure of the transportation 
        infrastructure in such areas.''.

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall carry out a 
grant program to support community efforts to invest in transportation 
alternatives.
    (b) Award of Grants.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award grants under the 
program on a competitive basis.
    (c) Preference.--In awarding the grants, the Secretary shall give 
preference to projects located in areas that are undergoing extensive 
repair or reconstruction of transportation infrastructure, including 
Federal-aid highways, federally owned roads open for public travel, 
passenger rail facilities, and public transportation facilities.
    (d) Eligible Entities.--The following entities shall be eligible to 
receive grants under the program:
            (1) State and local governments.
            (2) Metropolitan planning organizations.
            (3) Rural planning organizations.
    (e) Eligible Activities.--Amounts received in grants under the 
program may be used to plan for, facilitate, and provide initial 
support for any of the following activities:
            (1) Transportation demand management programs, including 
        support for transportation management associations.
            (2) Carpool or telecommuting projects.
            (3) Planning, design, acquisition of rights-of-way, 
        construction, improvement, and management of streets, pathways, 
        and public transportation facilities to facilitate expanded 
        bicycle and pedestrian mobility and access.
    (f) Application.--To receive a grant under the program, an eligible 
entity shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form and 
manner as the Secretary prescribes.
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