Public Lands Highway Discretionary (PLHD)
The Public Lands Highways (PLH) Program’s two components—the Public Lands Highways Discretionary (PLHD) Program and the Forest Highway (FH) Program— provides funding for public roads serving Federal and Indian lands that are on the Federal-aid primary and secondary systems; i.e., State and/or locally owned public roads providing access to or within national forests and grasslands or to areas adjacent to those lands.
Sixty-six percent of PLH funds are available for the FH Program. Approximately 29,000 miles of State or locally owned public roads are designated as forest highways. Conversely, 34 percent of the PLH category funds, as reflected in SAFETEA-LU, are available for the PLHD Program. This program currently provides funding for congressionally selected transportation projects providing access to or within Federal and Indian lands or to areas adjacent to those lands. Per Section 202 Title 23, planning funds are made available from PLHD and FH Programs.