[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 723 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 723

    To direct the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study to 
   determine the feasibility of constructing a highway in California 
connecting State Route 130 in Santa Clara County with Interstate Route 
     5 in San Joaquin County, and to determine the feasibility of 
  constructing a fixed guideway system along the right-of-way of the 
                                highway.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2005

 Mr. Pombo (for himself, Mr. Doolittle, and Mr. Nunes) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To direct the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study to 
   determine the feasibility of constructing a highway in California 
connecting State Route 130 in Santa Clara County with Interstate Route 
     5 in San Joaquin County, and to determine the feasibility of 
  constructing a fixed guideway system along the right-of-way of the 
                                highway.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAY AND FIXED 
              GUIDEWAY SYSTEM IN SANTA CLARA AND SAN JOAQUIN COUNTIES, 
              CALIFORNIA.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) More than half of the road miles on the Interstate 
        System are congested during peak travel hours.
            (2) Over the next 20 years, the United States population is 
        projected to increase by 60,000,000 people and highway travel 
        by more than 40 percent.
            (3) Highway capacity must be increased to promote safer 
        travel conditions.
            (4) Forty-two percent of the Nation's major urban roads 
        carry a high volume of traffic, which is often more than they 
        were designed to handle.
            (5) Traffic congestion creates dangers for motorists, slows 
        the movement of goods, and hinders economic competitiveness.
            (6) Idling vehicles increase air pollution, while wasted 
        time and fuel cost the United States economy more than 
        $70,000,000,000 a year.
    (b) Feasibility Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
        conduct a study to determine the feasibility of constructing--
                    (A) a highway in California connecting State Route 
                130 in Santa Clara County with Interstate Route 5 in 
                San Joaquin County; and
                    (B) a fixed guideway system along the right-of-way 
                of the highway.
            (2) Delegation.--The Secretary shall delegate 
        responsibility for carrying out the study, with funds made 
        available to carry out this section, to the San Joaquin Council 
        of Governments upon request of the Council.
            (3) Assumptions.--In conducting the study, the Secretary 
        shall use the following assumptions:
                    (A) The highway will be open only to passenger 
                vehicles.
                    (B) The highway will have a total of 6 lanes, 
                including 3 lanes in each direction.
                    (C) A fixed guideway system will be constructed 
                along the right-of-way of the highway.
                    (D) The highway and fixed guideway system will be 
                constructed using innovative financing.
                    (E) The highway and fixed guideway system will be 
                constructed using performance-based contracting.
                    (F) The highway and fixed guideway system will be 
                constructed using procedures that allow streamlined 
                compliance with environmental requirements, without 
                undermining the purpose of the requirements.
                    (G) The highway may contain high occupancy vehicle 
                lanes, energy-efficient vehicle lanes, and high 
                occupancy toll lanes.
                                 <all>