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Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Funding Sources

FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE FEDERAL LANDS HIGHWAY PROGRAM (FLHP)

Park Roads and Parkways Program (PRP)

The PRP program of the FLHP is the primary funding source provided by the Highway Trust Fund for the road network serving the National Park System. Park roads and parkways are public roads that provide access within a National Park unit. The PRP projects are grouped into three categories. Category I includes 3R and 4R for road, bridge and safety projects. Category II includes completion of congressionally mandated projects, and Category III includes Alternative Transportation Program projects.

The PRP program is jointly administered by the NPS and FHWA. PRP program funds are distributed on a regional basis within the NPS in accordance with the 1983 FHWA/NPS interagency agreement and the FLHP PRP Revised Funding Allocation and Project Prioritization Criteria document. The NPS identifies program and project priorities and is responsible for planning, environment and resource protection. The FHWA provides planning, engineering and technical support for the NPS.

Public Lands Highway-Forest Highway Program (PFH)

The FH program of the FLHP is the primary funding source provided by the Highway Trust Fund for the forest highway network serving the National Forest System (NFS). FH funds may be used to fund projects on designated forest highways. Forest highways are public roads that provide access to, through, or within a forest unit. There is a designated network of forest highways. Forest Highways are primarily owned and maintained by the State/local-governments. The FH program is a portion of the Public Lands Highway (PLH) program. Sixty-six percent of the total PLH funds are set aside for the FH program. The planning and programming of projects are performed through tri-agency (FHWA/State/and Forest Service) agreements and annual program meetings in each State.

The FH program funds may be used to fund transportation planning, research, engineering and construction and reconstruction of any type of transportation project eligible for assistance under Title 23. These include, but are not limited to roadway, bridge, transit, pedestrian and bicycle facilities. FH program funds can be used as the non-Federal share for national scenic byways activities.

Public Lands Highway Discretionary Program (PLH-D)

The PLH-D of the FLHP program is a discretionary funding program within the PLH program. Thirty four percent of the total PLH funds are set aside for select discretionary projects. The FHWA administers the PLH-D program.

The FHWA issues annual calls for PLH-D projects. States submit project applications to the FHWA. Projects are selected for PLH-D funding by the FHWA from those candidate projects submitted by the States. Funds for selected projects are provided directly to the State transportation departments. Through agreements with the State, FLMAs may receive PLH-D funds directly from the FHWA if projects they submit through the State are selected for PLH-D funding. The projects are selected on the basis of need as determined by the FHWA. Preference is given to those projects that are significantly impacted by Federal land and resource management activities. Preference is also given to projects that are proposed by States that contain at least 3 percent of the total public lands in the Nation.

Refuge Roads Program (RR)

The RR program of the FLHP is the primary funding source provided from the Highway Trust Fund for the transportation network serving the national wildlife refuge system. RR funds may be used to fund projects on refuge roads. Refuge roads are public roads that provide access to or within a unit of the national wildlife refuge system and for which title and maintenance responsibility is vested in the U.S. Government. The FHWA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) jointly administer the program. RRP program funds are distributed on a regional basis in accordance with the 1999 FHWA/FWS interagency agreement.

RR program funds may be used for maintaining, reconstructing and improving existing refuge roads and bridges. RR program funds may be used for maintaining and improving adjacent vehicular parking areas, pedestrian walkways, and bicycle pathways, and for constructing and reconstructing roadside rest areas, including sanitary and water facilities that are located in and adjacent to wildlife refuges. The FWS identifies program and project priorities and is responsible for planning, environment and resource protection. The FHWA provides planning, engineering and technical support for the FWS.

Indian Reservation Roads Program (IRR)

The IRR program of the FLHP is the primary funding source provided from the Highway Trust Fund for the IRR system. IRR program funds may be used to fund projects on IRRs. Indian reservation roads are public roads that are located within or provide access to Native American reservations, land, communities, or to villages of Alaska natives. There is a designated network of IRRs. Approximately 50 percent of these roads are State and locally owned. The remaining 50 percent are Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owned. The FHWA and BIA jointly administer the program.

IRR program funds may be used to fund transportation planning, research, engineering and construction or reconstruction of any type of transportation project eligible for assistance under Title 23 that provides access to or within the American Indian reservations, lands or communities or to native Alaskan villages. These include, but are not limited to, roadway, bridge, transit, and pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

OTHER FUNDING SOURCES

Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program (ERFO)

The Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) Program provides assistance to roads that have been defined as Federal roads. These are roads providing access to and within Federal and tribal lands. They include Forest Highways, Forest Roads, Park Roads and Parkways, Refuge Roads, Indian Reservation Roads, Public Lands Highways (including Refuge Roads) and Public Lands Development Roads. This is similar to the Emergency Relief Program for Federal aid highways.

The intent of the ERFO Program is to pay the unusually heavy expenses to agencies that manage road systems, for the repair and reconstruction of Federal roads to pre-disaster conditions. These Federal roads were damaged by a natural disaster over a wide area or by a catastrophic failure from any external cause. The ERFO Program is intended to supplement the commitment of resources by Federal agencies to help pay unusually heavy expenses resulting from extraordinary conditions.

The Federal share for the repair of Federal roads is 100 percent under the ERFO Program. Funds for the ERFO Program are provided from the Highway Trust Fund. ERFO funds are not to duplicate assistance under another Federal program or compensation from insurance, cost share, or any other source.

The ERFO Manual provides detailed program guidance and instructions on how Federal agencies, State transportation departments, Indian tribal governments, and local highway authorities can apply for ERFO funding for road damage.

FLMA Funds (NPS, FS, FWS, DOD, ETC.)

Internal Federal agency funds (non-Title 23) are used often to supplement FLHP program funds for transportation projects. These funds are received through the federal agency's appropriations bill and can either be line-item construction, operations and maintenance, or other internal fund sources. In some cases a project may be entirely funded from this source. The funding prefix shown on projects indicates the abbreviation of the Federal agency (ie. NPS-National Park Service, FWS-Fish and Wildlife Service, FS-Forest Service, DOD-Department of Defense, etc.). The predominant funding type is always shown first.

Miscellaneous Department of Transportation (DOT) Appropriations (Misc)

New highway authorization legislations and annual DOT appropriation bills include congressional authorizations or earmarks for special projects from the Highway Trust Fund (Title 23) or General Fund. These funds can only be used for the specific project designated. Often times these projects may be supplemented with FLHP program funds. If the FHWA provides a specific prefix for these funds that prefix is used. If none is given, the prefix MISC is used at the beginning of the project number.

Surface Transportation Program (STP)

The EFLHD assists various states with the delivery of the State’s Federal-aid program. It is the States’ responsibility to develop a STIP that includes projects utilizing this funding category or other programs under Federal-aid highway program. For information relative to this funding source please visit the following web page: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tea21/factsheets/stp.htm

National Highway Systems (NHS)

The EFLHD assists various states with the delivery of the State’s Federal-aid program. It is the States’ responsibility to develop a STIP that includes projects utilizing this funding category or other programs under Federal-aid highway program. For information relative to this funding source please visit the following web page: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tea21/factsheets/nhs.htm

Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program (HBRRP)

The EFLHD assists various states with the delivery of the State’s Federal-aid program. It is the States’ responsibility to develop a STIP that includes projects utilizing this funding category or other programs under Federal-aid highway program. For information relative to this funding source please visit the following web page: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tea21/factsheets/bridge.htm