Authority: 23 U.S.C. 103(e)(2), 103(e)(4), 103(g), 103(h) and 315; 49 CFR 1.48(b) and 1.50(f).

[TOP] §476.2   Definitions.

1. Except as otherwise provided, terms defined in 23 U.S.C. 101(a) are used in this part as so defined.
2. The following terms, where used in the regulations in this part, have the following meaning:
   1. Base cost year for the latest Interstate System cost estimate approved by Congress shall be the calendar year specified in the Interstate Cost Estimate Manual ¹ for that estimate. For example, the base cost year for the 1972 estimate is 1970.
      

      ¹The "Instructional Manual for the Preparation and Submission of the (Year) Estimate of the Cost of Completing the Interstate System in Accordance with section 104(b)(5) of title 23 U.S.C., Highways," published by the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, is available for inspection and copying as prescribed in 49 CFR part 7, appendix D.

   2. Concurrence means written agreement which is currently binding on the concurring party and which addresses the specific proposal being submitted for approval.
   3. Governor means the Governor of any one of the fifty States and the Mayor of the District of Columbia. It also refers to any State or local entity specifically designated by the Governor for the purpose of executing any of his/her responsibilities under this part.
   4. Interstate segment means any designated, toll-free route, or portion thereof, of the Interstate System.
   5. Local governments concerned means local units of general purpose government under State law within whose jurisdiction the Interstate segment lies, or is to be withdrawn.
   6. Open to traffic means a segment which has been constructed or has had major improvements with Federal-aid Interstate funds and open to normal Interstate traffic; or a segment which was an existing freeway, meeting acceptable Interstate geometric standards and recognized as the final location of the route, when incorporated into the System. Open to traffic does not mean a segment of existing highway that is ultimately planned to be replaced by an entirely new facility.
   7. Responsible local officials means:
      1. In urbanized areas, principal elected officials of general purpose local governments acting through the Metropolitan Planning Organization in accordance with part 450, subpart A of this title, and;
      2. In rural areas and urban areas not within any urbanized area, principal elected officials of general purpose local governments.
   8. Substitute highway project means any undertaking for highway construction, which may encompass phases of work including preliminary engineering, right-of-way, and actual construction, individually or any combination thereof, on any of the Federal-aid systems described in 23 U.S.C. 103 and which is eligible for Federal financial assistance under title 23, U.S.C. A substitute highway project may include the construction of exclusive or preferential bus lanes, high occupancy vehicle lanes, highway traffic control devices, bus passenger loading areas and facilities (including shelters), and fringe and corridor parking facilities to serve bus and other public mass transportation passengers. A substitute highway project may also be a carpool and vanpool project including but not limited to, providing carpooling opportunities to the elderly and handicapped, systems for locating potential riders and informing them of convenient carpool opportunities, acquiring vehicles appropriate for carpool use, designating existing highway lanes as preferential carpool highway lanes, providing related traffic control devices, and designating existing facilities for use as preferential parking for carpools.
   9. Substitute nonhighway public mass transit project means any undertaking to develop or improve public mass transit facilities or equipment. A project in an urbanized area must be included in and related to the transportation improvement program (TIP) required under 23 CFR part 450, subpart B. The TIP in urbanized areas and all projects in nonurbanized areas must include either the construction of fixed rail facilities, or the purchase of passenger equipment, or both. Passenger equipment includes buses, fixed rail rolling stock, and other transportation equipment for passenger use.
   10. Under construction or under contract for construction means funds for physical construction have been obligated (for highway projects) or have been included in an approved grant (for transit projects) which would commit the final development of the ultimate project in both length and scope. When projects do not involve physical construction, under construction or under contract for construction means the obligation of funds (for highway projects) or grant approval (for transit projects) has occurred.

[45 FR 69396, Oct. 20, 1980, as amended at 51 FR 39748, Oct. 31, 1986]

Source: 45 FR 69397, Oct. 20, 1980, unless otherwise noted.

[TOP] §476.300   Purpose.

The purpose of the regulations in this subpart is to prescribe policies and procedures for implementation of 23 U.S.C. 103(e)(4), which permits the withdrawal of Interstate System segments and the substitution of public mass transit or highway projects or both.

[TOP] §476.302   Applicability.

1. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this subpart applies to an Interstate segment at any stage of development if:
   1. The segment is within an urbanized area; or
   2. The segment passes through and connects urbanized areas within a State.
2. The regulations in this subpart shall not apply to:
   1. A segment removed from the Interstate System prior to August 13, 1973;
   2. A segment added to the Interstate System after May 5, 1976, under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 103(e)(2);
   3. Interstate segments designated under 23 U.S.C. 139;
   4. A toll bridge, tunnel, or approach thereto for which funds were advanced in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 124(b); or
   5. After September 30, 1979, an Interstate segment open to traffic before the date of the proposed withdrawal. If only a portion of an Interstate segment (between logical termini) is open to traffic the regulations of this subpart are applicable to the portion not open to traffic. The open to traffic portion will be removed from the Interstate System under 23 U.S.C. 103(f).
   6. Any segment added to the Interstate System by specific legislation unless a comparable statute permitting its withdrawal is enacted.
   7. A segment added to the Interstate System after August 13, 1973, under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 103(e)(1).
3. Withdrawal requests may not be approved under this subpart after September 30, 1983, unless the route segment was under a court injunction prohibiting its construction as of November 6, 1978. For segments under such injunction, withdrawal requests may not be approved under this subpart after September 30, 1986. However, as indicated in §476.310(g), the September 30, 1986, substitute project construction time limitation remains applicable to these segments.

[45 FR 69397, Oct. 20, 1980, as amended at 46 FR 45603, Sept. 14, 1981]

[TOP] §476.304   Withdrawal request.

1. A request to withdraw an Interstate segment within a State under this subpart shall be submitted jointly by the Governor and local governments concerned. For those segments within urbanized areas, the concurrence of responsible local officials is also required. The withdrawal request shall be submitted to the Federal Highway Admininstrator and the Urban Mass Transportation Administrator, through the Federal Highway Administrator.
2. Joint submittal may be accomplished by a single request prepared by the Governor and concurred in by the local governments concerned. This may also be accomplished by a request by the Governor with separate concurrence documentation by the local governments concerned. In either case, for those segments within urbanized areas, the concurrence of responsible local officials is also required. While unanimous local action is not required, the withdrawal request is expected to have substantial support.
3. The request for withdrawal shall include the following:
4. A statement that the request is filed pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 103(e)(4).
5. Reasons why the segment is not essential to the completion of a unified and connected Interstate System.
6. A detailed statement of mileage and cost of the segment to be withdrawn as included in the latest Interstate cost estimate approved by Congress.
7. An assurance that a toll road will not be constructed in the traffic corridor which would be served by the segment.

[TOP] §476.306   Withdrawal approval.

1. The Federal Highway Administrator and the Urban Mass Transportation Administrator may approve the withdrawal of an Interstate segment under the provisions of this subpart after considering the impact of the withdrawal on national defense needs if:
   1. The requirements of §476.304 are met; and
   2. The Federal Highway Administrator determines that the segment is not essential to completion of a unified and connected Interstate System.
2. When the withdrawal of an Interstate segment is approved under paragraph (a) of this section, an amount equal to the Federal share of the cost to complete the withdrawn segment as shown in the latest Interstate System cost estimate approved by Congress is authorized for substitute projects. The amount authorized will be increased or decreased, as determined by the Federal Highway Administrator, based on changes in construction costs of the withdrawn route occurring between the base cost year of the latest cost estimate approved by Congress which included the costs of the withdrawn route and the date of approval of each substitute project. The changes in construction costs will be computed on the basis of the Composite Index shown in the quarterly publication "Price Trends for Federal- Aid Highway Construction." ¹ For purposes of cost adjustments, the Composite Index for the calendar quarter within which the approval of the substitute project occurs will be used in computing the change in construction costs.

   ¹Published by FHWA, Interstate Reports Branch, and available for inspection and copying as prescribed in 49 CFR part 7, appendix D.

3. Authorizations of funds made available by the withdrawal of an Interstate route under 23 U.S.C. 103(e)(4) shall remain available until expended within the limitations described in §476.310 (f) and (g).
4. Effective as of date of approval of the withdrawal of an Interstate segment, the unobligated apportionments for the Interstate System of the State receiving the approval will be reduced in the proportion that the Federal share of the cost of the withdrawn segment bears to the Federal share of the total cost of all Interstate routes in the State as reported in the latest Interstate System cost estimate approved by Congress.
5. Mileage withdrawn under the provisions of this subpart may not be redesignated in any State under any provision of title 23 U.S.C.
6. The payback of Federal-aid Interstate funds expended on a segment withdrawn under this subpart shall be governed by 23 CFR part 480, Use and Disposition of Property Acquired by States for Modified or Terminated Highway Projects.
7. Segments withdrawn under the provisions of this subpart may not be redesignated under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 139.

[TOP] §476.308   Concept approval for substitute projects.

1. A concept program which identifies the proposed substitute projects to be approved in concept and which, as a minimum, accounts for all unobligated funding made available by this subpart must be submitted as soon as practicable after the effective date of this subpart or after a withdrawal is formally approved.
   1. The substitute project concepts included in the program must be selected in a manner consistent with the procedures provided in §476.310(b) and (c).
   2. The concept program submission must contain:
      1. A proposed split, if any, of Interstate withdrawal authorizations between transit and highway projects;
      2. A concept description (e.g., type of work, termini, length, estimated cost, number and type of vehicles, size and type of facility, identification of major transportation investment, etc.) of the proposed transit and/or highway projects for which concept approval is requested; and
      3. A summary of the anticipated level of overall funding needs by individual fiscal year, as estimated on a general transit and/or highway basis.
   3. The concept program shall be endorsed by the Governor and the responsible local officials.
   4. The concept program should be submitted by the Governor to the Federal Highway Administrator and the Urban Mass Transportation Administrator, through the Federal Highway Administrator.
2. Approval of substitute project concepts must be given jointly by the Federal Highway Administrator and the Urban Mass Transportation Administrator by September 30, 1983. This time limitation does not apply to segments which were under court injunction prohibiting construction as of November 6, 1978.
   1. Adjustments and refinements to the previously approved project concepts may be permitted after September 30, 1983.
   2. Approval of the project concepts does not commit funding under this subpart nor does such approval constitute an obligation on the State or local governments to fully implement the project concepts. Approval of a project concept is processed as a categorical exclusion under 23 CFR part 771.

[TOP] §476.310   Proposals for substitute public mass transit and highway projects.

1. The proposed substitute projects must serve the urbanized area or connecting nonurbanized area corridor, or both, from which the Interstate segment was withdrawn.
2. Substitute projects in or serving urbanized areas shall be based on an urban transportation planning process in accordance with 23 CFR part 450, subpart A (and policies and regulations pertaining thereto), and shall be selected by the responsible local officials of the urbanized area in accordance with 23 CFR part 450, subpart B. Substitute projects located outside but serving the urbanized area shall also have the concurrence of the responsible local officials of the jurisdiction in which the project is located.
3. Substitute projects in or serving the nonurbanized area corridor shall be selected by the responsible local officials of the nonurbanized area corridor. Substitute projects located outside but serving the nonurbanized area corridor shall also have the concurrence of the responsible local officials of the jurisdiction in which the project is located.
4. Applications for substitute nonhighway public mass transit projects shall be developed either by the principal elected officials of general purpose local units of government in consultation with local transit officials or by local transit officials. Substitute highway projects shall be developed in accordance with the policies and procedures established for the Federal-aid highway system of which they will be a part. Substitute highway projects need not appear in the statewide Federal-aid program described in 23 CFR part 630, subpart A.
5. Applications for substitute nonhighway public mass transit projects are submitted to the Urban Mass Transportation Administrator by the Governor. Requests for authorization to proceed with substitute highway projects are submitted to the Federal Highway Administrator by the Governor.
6. After September 30, 1983, only applications for those substitute projects which have previously received concept approval under §476.308 should be submitted.
7. Substitute projects (for which sufficient funds are available) must be under construction or under contract for construction by September 30, 1986. This time limitation is applicable to all substitute projects, including those related to Interstate segments which were under court injunction prohibiting construction on November 6, 1978. Approval for substitute projects not meeting this requirement will be withdrawn or not issued, and no funds will be appropriated or authorized for these projects.

[45 FR 69397, Oct. 20, 1980, as amended at 51 FR 39748, Oct. 31, 1986]

[TOP] §476.312   Combined proposal.

A proposal for one or more substitute projects may be combined with projects utilizing other Federal funds available including, but not limited to, financial assistance available under either the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended, or 23 U.S.C. 104. Only the funds available from a withdrawal under this subpart are constrained by the limiting amount described in §476.306(b).

[TOP] §476.314   Administrator's review and approval of substitute projects.

1. The Urban Mass Transportation Administrator shall review substitute nonhighway public mass transit projects and the Federal Highway Administrator shall review substitute highway projects to determine that the projects meet the following requirements.
2. The proposed projects serve the urbanized area or connecting nonurbanized area corridor or both from which the Interstate segment was withdrawn.
3. The Federal share of the costs of the proposed projects which is to be provided under this subpart by virtue of the withdrawal of an Interstate segment does not exceed the Federal share of the cost of the withdrawn segment, as determined in §476.306(b).
4. Approval of substitute projects can be given only to the extent that authority to obligate the funds is available.
5. For substitute nonhighway public mass transit projects, the approval of the plans, specifications, and estimates of a project, or any phase thereof, shall be deemed to occur on the date the Urban Mass Transportation Administrator approved the substitute project or phase thereof in accordance with the policies and procedures established for the UMTA section 3 capital grant program.
6. Substitute highway projects will be approved by the Federal Highway Administrator in accordance with policies and procedures established for the Federal-aid highway program.
7. Approval of a substitute project or phase thereof obligates the United States to pay its proportional share of the cost of the project or phase thereof out of the general funds in the Treasury.
8. The Federal share for substitute projects approved after November 6, 1978, shall not exceed 85 percentum, notwithstanding the Federal share for nonhighway public mass transit projects established under the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended, and highway projects under title 23 U.S.C.
9. The labor protective provisions of section 3(e)(4) of the UMT Act of 1964, as amended, (49 U.S.C. section 1602(e)(4)) are applicable to nonhighway public mass transit projects funded under the provisions of this subpart.