U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
MAP-21 - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century
Updated 6/26/2013
1. Where under Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21, is this program established?
The Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) is established under Section 1119, along with the rest of the Federal Lands and Tribal Transportation Program (FLTTP). See: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/
2. Is this program only for Federal agencies?
Yes.
3. Which Federal agencies receive funding under the FLTP program?
The National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S.D.A. Forest Service (FS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
4. Can any other entity, besides the NPS, FWS, FS, USACE, and BLM receive FLTP funding?
No, only these five FLMAs can receive FLTP funds directly from FHWA. Other agencies can receive these funds at the request of the NPS, FWS, FS, USACE, or BLM, however, and question 8 addresses this situation.
5. How much funding does this program receive and how do we determine how much each agency receives?
The FLTP is authorized at $300,000,000 annually for each year of MAP-21. By statute, the NPS will receive $240,000,000 annually and the FWS will receive $30,000,000 annually. Both agencies must submit an application prior to receiving funds. The remaining $30,000,000 will be distributed among the FS, the USACE, and the BLM through a competitive application process. The application process for all five agencies will be done on an annual or multi-year basis.
6. The NPS and the FWS will receive a fixed amount of funding. Why do they need to submit an application (investment strategy)?
MAP-21 requires all five agencies to submit an application (investment strategy) to document their needs and to show how the funds will be used.
7. What reductions or rescissions will be applied before allocating the funds?
Like other allocated programs, the FLTP is subject to obligation limitation and lop-off. Most years, this has reduced the amount available by 5 to 10 percent from the authorized amount. In addition, MAP-21 authorizes the Secretary to set aside up to 5 percent of the FLTP Program to be used for transportation planning, data collection, and bridge inspections. Other rescissions may apply, but this information will be generally unknown until our respective appropriation is passed each year.
8. Can a Federal agency use FLTP funds for improvements on a non-Federal facility (e.g., state or local road)?
Although 23 U.S.C. 203(a)(1)(C) allows using these funds on any public transportation facility that is within or adjacent to or provides access to Federal lands, using FLTP funds on a non-Federal facility will generally not support the FLTP performance goals, such as improving pavement and bridge condition on roads that are on the Federal inventory. Setting and achieving the performance goals are critical activities for implementing MAP-21.
9. Can FLTP Program funds be used as the non-Federal match for other Title 23 programs, including the Federal Lands Access Program?
Yes, MAP-21 amends 23 U.S.C. 120 to allow FLTP funds as the non-Federal match for any transportation project eligible for assistance under title 23 or chapter 53 of title 49 that provides access to or within Federal or tribal land.
10. 23 U.S.C. 203(d), as amended by MAP-21, requires the Federal land management agencies to prohibit the use of bicycles on each federally owned road that has a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or greater and an adjacent paved path for use by bicycles within 100 yards of the road, unless the Secretary determines that the bicycle level of service on that roadway is rated B or higher. How do the FLMAs determine the Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) rating?
The BLOS calculation methodology can be found in the Highway Capacity Manual published by the Transportation Research Board at: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/164718.aspx. The determination of BLOS is based primarily upon consideration of variables such as: lateral speed and vehicular speed, percent of trucks, presence of on-street parking and pavement width and condition. However, since alternative methodologies exist to calculate BLOS in addition to that contained in the Highway Capacity Manual, it is left to the individual FLMAs to determine the most appropriate BLOS methodology.