II 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2004 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 14, 2005 Mr. Vitter introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works A BILL To amend title 23, United States Code, to establish a demonstration project to begin correcting structural bridge deficiencies.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Bridge Safety and Repair Demonstration Act of 2005.

2.

Findings

Congress finds that— (1)590,750 bridges in the United States are a vital link in a seamless and efficient transportation system, connecting communities, States, and regions; (2)14 percent of all bridges in the United States that are 20 feet or longer are structurally deficient; (3)as of the date of enactment of this Act, the cost of correcting all bridge deficiencies in the United States is $136,000,000,000; (4)faced with budget cutbacks, many States are struggling to maintain an acceptable schedule of maintenance, repair, and replacement of roads and bridges; (5)to begin correcting structural bridge deficiencies, a demonstration program is necessary, beginning with States that have significant numbers of structurally deficient bridges; and (6)33 percent of the bridges in the State of Louisiana, and a significant percentage of bridges in each of the States of Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, Vermont, West Virginia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Maine are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.

3.

Rural development bridge repair program

Section 144 of title 23, United States Code, is amended— (1)by redesignating subsection (q) as subsection (r); and (2)by adding after subsection (p) the following: (q)

Demonstration project

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall provide grants to the State departments of transportation for each of the States of Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, Vermont, West Virginia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maine, and Louisiana to provide for the rehabilitation of the most structurally deficient off-system bridges in those States. (2)

Report

Not later than October 31, 2006, and annually thereafter, each of the State departments of transportation referred to in paragraph (1) shall submit to Congress a report describing the number of bridges and extent of corrected deficiencies made in the applicable State during the preceding fiscal year. (3)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection— (A)$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; (B)$15,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and (C)$30,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. .