Teacher:In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? Solve this instance: 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.''.
Student:
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.