[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59621-59623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29484]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION


Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; Implementation 
Information for Innovative Bridge Research and Construction Program 
Funds

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document publishes implementation information on the 
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) enacted on June 
9, 1998, for eligible candidate projects in Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999 
concerned with the innovative bridge research and construction program. 
The FHWA is issuing this notice to specifically address the 
construction of bridges using innovative materials. Implementation 
information materials on this topic were issued to FHWA region and 
division offices on July 29, 1998. This material describes activities 
eligible for funding for the program, the application process, and 
criteria used to evaluate candidate projects. This notice further 
identifies all statutory and regulatory criteria applicable to the 
program.


[[Page 59622]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For bridge program: Mr. George P. 
Romack, HNG-33, Office of Engineering, (202) 366-4606, or Mr. John 
Hooks, Office of Technology Applications, HTA-22, (202) 366-6712; for 
legal issues: Mr. Wilbert Baccus, HCC-32, Office of the Chief Counsel, 
(202) 366-1396, Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., 
Washington, D.C. 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem 
and suitable communications software from the Government Printing 
Office Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet 
users may reach the Federal Register's home page at: http://
www.nara.gpo.fedreg and the Government Printing Office's database at: 
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Background

    The TEA-21 (Pub. L. 105-178, 112 Stat.107) implementation material 
published in this notice is provided for informational purposes. 
Specific questions on any of the material published in this notice 
should be directed to the contact person named in the caption FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT for this program.
    Publication of this implementation information for the innovative 
bridge research and construction program satisfies the requirement of 
section 9004(a) of the TEA-21 Restoration Act, Pub. L. 105-206, 112 
Stat. 685 (1998).

(Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315 and 503; 49 CFR 1.48)

    Issued on: October 28, 1998.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.

    The text of the FHWA implementation guidelines memorandum follows:

July 29, 1998.
(HNG-33)
Action: Request for Candidates Innovative Bridge Research and 
Construction Program (Reply Due: September 1, 1998)
Director, Office of Engineering
Regional Administrators
Division Administrators

    The purpose of this memorandum is to solicit candidate projects 
from the States for using innovative materials in the repair, 
rehabilitation, replacement and new construction of bridges. The TEA-21 
establishes Title V--Transportation Research and sets up substantial 
annual funding to demonstrate the application of innovative material 
technology for bridge construction. The new Section 503(b) provides for 
an Innovative Bridge Research and Construction program. Research, 
development and technology transfer portion of the program is funded at 
$1 million per year, and the construction portion at a level of $10 
million in FY 1998 to a high of $20 million in FY 2003. These figures 
will be adjusted to reflect any obligation limitations.
    The seven goals of the program are specified in 503(b)(2), and 
emphasize new materials and construction techniques to reduce 
maintenance and life-cycle costs. The construction provision specifies 
funding to the States to pay the Federal share of the cost of repair, 
rehabilitation, replacement, and new construction of bridges using 
innovative materials. The TEA-21 allows the Federal share to vary and 
instructs the Secretary of Transportation to determine the Federal 
share (percentage) of the cost of a project under this section. Actual 
percentages will depend on the number of projects, the types of 
innovative technologies, and the cost of the candidate projects.
    We are requesting your assistance to identify candidate bridge 
projects to allocate FY 1998 and FY 1999 funds to demonstrate 
innovative bridge materials. For the remaining years of the program, 
annual solicitations will be made sufficiently in advance to allow 
allocation by the beginning of the fiscal year. Please discuss the 
program with your State transportation departments to determine their 
interest in the program and solicit their candidate projects. Examples 
of innovative materials include high performance concrete, high 
performance steel, aluminum and fiber reinforced polymer composites. It 
is likely there are other innovative materials that your State has 
considered or would like to consider.
    Preliminary engineering and construction are eligible work, 
although construction projects will be given priority consideration. 
Also, the program would support projects to develop design standards, 
specifications, and material applications that would lead to continuing 
use of innovative materials. Bridges on all public roads, including 
State and locally funded projects, are eligible. These funds may be 
used for the Federal share of the cost of the construction of the 
``innovative materials'' portion of the project. A consideration in the 
selection will also be a State's willingness to provide performance 
data for a reasonable period of time during and after construction. 
Examples of documentation during construction include photographs and 
written accounts of the methods and techniques used to incorporate the 
innovative material into the project.
    Attached is an application form which is to be used for candidate 
projects. The State's application should describe the innovative 
material(s), how it is being used in the project, and how the project 
meets one or more of the program goals. The application should be 
completed and submitted along with supporting documents that provide a 
further description of the project including the scope of work. Please 
furnish your response by September 1, 1998.
    In this initial call for candidate projects for the program, all 
project applications will be evaluated by the FHWA on a case-by-case 
basis and being [sic] guided by the goals set out in TEA-21. 
Thereafter, the FHWA will be working with States and industry partners 
to develop more definitive project selection methods and criteria for 
determining the appropriate Federal share of the project costs.
    Any questions concerning this program should be addressed to George 
Romack of the Bridge Division at (202) 366-4606 or John Hooks of the 
Office of Technology Applications at (202) 366-6712.
Henry H. Rentz

APPLICATION

TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT

INNOVATIVE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM

State------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Type (New construction, replacement, rehabilitation, or 
repair)
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NBI Structure No.------------------------------------------------------

Location (e.g., county, city, route)-----------------------------------
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Structure Description (e.g., spans, length, width, design, material)

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Innovative Material (Describe the material, how it is used and how 
the project meets one or more of the program goals)

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Schedule for start of work (Month/year)--------------------------------

Cost Estimates

Total project cost-----------------------------------------------------
Cost of ``innovative material'' portion of construction project

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[[Page 59623]]

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Preliminary engineering cost, if requested-----------------------------

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Cost of innovative material performance evaluation (e.g., a 2-year 
post-construction period)

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Total funds requested--------------------------------------------------

                                          Technology Deployment Innovative Bridge Construction Program Funding
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                               Year                                  1998(TEA21)        1999          2000          2001          2002          2003
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Authorization....................................................            $10M          $15M          $17M          $20M          $20M          $20M
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     Section 5001 of the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 
21st Century (TEA-21) authorized the sums shown to be available to the 
States for projects to demonstrate innovative materials relating to 
repair, rehabilitation, and construction of bridges.
     The Federal share of project costs may vary and is to be 
determined by the Secretary.

Eligibility

     Funds are available for bridge projects that meet one or 
more of the seven program goals listed in Section 503(b)(2) of TEA-21.
     The project may be on any public roadway, including State 
and locally funded projects.
     Funds are available for preliminary engineering, 
construction and project performance evaluations costs.

Selection Criteria

     For FY 1998 and 1999 allocations, the FHWA will select 
candidate projects using the following criteria:

(1) Projects which will meet one or more of the goals of the program
(2) Projects which will incorporate materials and/or products that are 
available
(3) Projects ready for or near the construction phase will be given 
priority consideration
(4) Projects that leverage Federal funds with other significant public 
or private resources will given preference
(5) Projects with designs that are repeatable or have wide spread 
application

     For subsequent years, the FHWA will select candidate 
projects utilizing input from a panel of experts from the States and 
industry using the criteria above.

Schedule

     The following is the schedule for the program:

8/98  Call for FY 1998-99 projects
12/98  Selection of FY 1998-99 project

     The following schedule will be used for subsequent years 
for the program:

4/99--02 Call for projects
10/99--02 Selection of projects

[FR Doc. 98-29484 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-P