[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 227 (Friday, November 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62381-62383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28411]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2009-0113]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under Supplementary 
Information. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by November 27, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
FHWA-2009-0113, by any of the following methods:
    Web Site: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning the Truck 
Parking Initiatives Grant Program, please contact Thomas Kearney, 
Office of Freight Management and Operations, HOFM-1, at (518) 431-4125 
ext. 218, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, 
Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Truck Parking Initiative .
    OMB Control #: 2125-0610.

Background

    The shortage of long-term truck parking on the National Highway 
System (NHS) is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is nationally 
recognized that truck drivers frequently cannot find adequate, safe 
parking in order to obtain rest needed to comply with the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations and ensure safety. Further, parking areas 
are often designed or maintained for short-term parking only, and as a 
result, allow parking for limited time periods. Section 1305 of the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, and Transportation Equity Act: 
A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) directed the Secretary of 
Transportation to establish a Pilot program to address the long-term 
parking shortages along the NHS. Eligible projects under Section 1305 
include:
    1. Promoting the real-time dissemination of publicly or privately 
provided commercial motor vehicle parking availability on the NHS using 
ITS and other means;
    2. Opening non-traditional facilities to commercial motor vehicle 
parking, including inspection and weigh stations, and park and ride 
facilities;
    3. Making capital improvements to public commercial motor vehicle 
parking facilities currently closed on a seasonal basis to allow the 
facilities to remain open year round;
    4. Constructing turnouts along the NHS to facilitate commercial 
motor vehicle access to parking facilities, and/or improving the 
geometric design of interchanges to improve access to commercial motor 
vehicle parking facilities;
    5. Constructing commercial motor vehicle parking facilities 
adjacent to commercial truck stops and travel plazas;
    6. Constructing safety rest areas that include parking for 
commercial motor vehicles.
    In considering the award of funds to projects applications, the 
Secretary was directed to give priority to projects that:
    1. Demonstrate a severe shortage of commercial vehicle parking 
capacity in the corridor;
    2. Have consulted with affected State and local governments, 
community groups, private providers of commercial vehicle parking and 
trucking and motorist organizations; and
    3. Demonstrate that implementation will likely contribute to 
positive effects

[[Page 62382]]

on highway safety, traffic congestion or air quality.
    It is the belief of FHWA that, given the limited resources 
available, the broad dissemination of information regarding the 
availability of public or private long-term parking spaces provides the 
greatest opportunity to maximize the effectiveness of this pilot 
program.

Guidelines and Administration

    To administer this program, the FHWA will collect information 
necessary to evaluate and rank projects. The information collection is 
intended to only address the project funding allotted through the 
program.
    1. Projects funded under this section shall be treated as projects 
on a Federal-Aid System under Chapter 1 of Title 23, United States 
Code.
    2. Grants may be funded at an 80 to 100 percent funding level based 
on the criteria specified in Section 120 of Title 23, U.S. Code.
    As soon as practicable, a Federal Register Notice will be published 
with information and guidance relating to the application process. 
Also, a solicitation letter will be sent to all FHWA Division Offices 
containing the same information. This information will also be posted 
on the FHWA Web site, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/. All applications must 
be submitted thru a State Department of Transportation to FHWA's Office 
of Freight Management and Operations, via the FHWA Division Office in 
the state in which the application was submitted. Awarded projects will 
be administered by the applicable State Department of Transportation as 
a Federal aid grant.

Information Proposed for Collection

    Information recommended under SAFETEA-LU and proposed for the 
current program includes the following:
    1. Project Description. The proposal should include a detailed 
project description, which would include the extent of the long-term 
truck parking shortage in the corridor/area to be addressed, along with 
contact information for the project's primary point of contact, and 
whether funds are being requested under 120 U.S.C. (b) or (c) of Title 
23. Data helping to define the shortage may include truck volume 
(Average Daily Truck Traffic--ADTT) in the corridor to be addressed, 
current number of long-term commercial motor vehicle parking spaces, 
utilization of current long-term parking spaces, driver surveys, 
observational field studies, proximity to freight loading/unloading 
facilities, proximity to the NHS, etc.
    2. Project Rationale. The proposal should set forth the rationale 
for the project and should include an analysis and demonstration of how 
the proposed project will positively affect truck parking, safety, 
traffic congestion, or air quality in the identified corridor. Examples 
may include: advance information on availability of parking that may 
help to reduce the number of trucks parked on roadsides and increase 
the utilization of available truck parking spaces, etc.
    3. Scope of work. The scope of work should include a complete 
listing of activities to be funded through the grant; including 
technology development, information processing, information integration 
activities, developmental phase activities (planning, feasibility 
analysis, environmental review, engineering or design work, and other 
activities), construction, reconstruction, acquisition of real property 
(including land related to the project and improvements to land), 
environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of 
equipment, and operational improvements. Also to be included should be 
a 3-year performance measurement plan that continues beyond the 
demonstration period of the project.
    4. Stakeholder identification. Stakeholder identification should 
include evidence of prior consultation and/or partnership with affected 
Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), local governments, community 
groups, private providers of commercial motor vehicle parking, and 
motorist and trucking organizations. It should include a listing of all 
public and private partners, and the role each will play in the 
execution of the project. Consultation examples may include: 
Memorandums of Agreement, Memorandums of Understanding, contracts, 
meeting minutes, letters of support/commitment, documentation in a 
Transportation Improvement Program (TIPS) or Statewide Transportation 
Improvement Program (STIPS) plans, etc.
    5. Cost estimate. Applicants should provide a detailed 
quantification of eligible project costs by activity, an identification 
of all funding sources that will supplement the grant and be necessary 
to fully fund the project, and the anticipated dates on which the 
additional funds are to be made available. Public and private sources 
of funds (non-federal commitment) will be considered by FHWA as an in-
kind match contributing to the project. State matching funds will be 
required for projects eligible under 120 U.S.C. (b).
    6. Timeline. Applicants should also submit a timeline that includes 
work to be completed and anticipated funding cycles. Gantt charts are 
preferred.
    7. Environmental process. Applicants should show the timeline for 
complying with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if 
applicable.
    8. Project map. Applicants should include a project map consisting 
of schematic illustrations depicting the project and connecting 
transportation infrastructure.
    9. Proposals should not exceed 20 pages in length.

Burden Hours for Information Collection

    Frequency: Annual.
    Respondents: The 50 State DOTs and Puerto Rico and the District of 
Columbia.
    Estimated Average Burden per response: Burden hours estimates and 
discussions are provided for each item presented and required within 
the application submittal process.
     Project Description (16 hours)--The project description 
will be submitted through the submitting State agency, in conjunction 
with local governments, MPO's, and other potential partners.
     Project Rationale (8 hours)--Project rationale should 
include an analysis and demonstration of how the proposed project will 
positively effect truck parking, safety, traffic congestion, or air 
quality in the identified corridor.
     Scope of Work (6 hours)--A complete listing of activities 
to be funded through the grant; including technology development, 
information processing, information integration activities, 
developmental phase activities (planning, feasibility analysis, 
environmental review, engineering or design work, and other 
activities), construction, reconstruction, acquisition of real property 
(including land related to the project and improvements to land), 
environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of 
equipment, operational improvements, and a 3 year performance 
measurement plan that continues beyond the demonstration period of the 
project.
     Stakeholder Identification (1 hour)--Evidence of prior 
consultation and/or partnership with affected MPOs, local governments, 
community groups, private providers of commercial motor vehicle 
parking, and motorist and trucking organizations. A listing of all 
public and private partners, and the role each will play in the 
execution of the project should also be included.
     Cost estimate (4 hours)--A detailed quantification of 
eligible project costs by

[[Page 62383]]

activity, and an identification of all funding sources that will 
supplement the grant and be necessary to fully fund the project, and 
the anticipated dates on which the additional funds are to be made 
available. Public and private sources of funds (non-federal commitment) 
will be considered. State matching funds will be required for projects 
eligible under 120 U.S.C. (b).
     Project Timeline (1 hour 30 minutes)--That includes work 
to be completed and anticipated funding cycles. Gantt charts preferred
     Environmental process (2 hours)--Applicant should show the 
timeline for complying with the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), if applicable.
     Project Map (1 hour)--Consisting of schematic 
illustrations depicting the project and connecting transportation 
infrastructure.
     Contact information for the State DOT, Local Agency or MPO 
(if applicable), FHWA Division Office (5 minutes)--This requires 
providing a list of contacts and involves a nominal amount of time.
    The total amount of time estimated to complete the application is 
39 hours and 35 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1187 hours and 30 minutes. It 
is estimated 30 applications will be processed annually.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic 
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Authority:  The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

    Issued on November 20, 2009.
Tina Campbell,
Acting Chief, Management Programs, and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. E9-28411 Filed 11-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P