Sec. 1213. STUDIES AND REPORTS

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## SEC. 1213 STUDIES AND REPORTS ###

(a)Highway Economic Requirement System ####

(1)Methodology #####

(A)Evaluation The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an evaluation of the methodology used by the Department of Transportation to determine highway needs using the highway economic requirement system (in this subsection referred to as the “model”). #####

(B)Required element The evaluation shall include an assessment of the extent to which the model estimates an optimal level of highway infrastructure investment, including an assessment as to when the model may be overestimating or underestimating investment requirements. #####

(C)Report to congress Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the evaluation. ####

(2)State investment plans #####

(A)Study In consultation with State transportation departments and other appropriate State and local officials, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the extent to which the model can be used to provide States with useful information for developing State transportation investment plans and State infrastructure investment projections. #####

(B)Required elements The study shall— ######

(i)identify any additional data that may need to be collected beyond the data submitted, before the date of enactment of this Act, to the Federal Highway Administration through the highway performance monitoring system; and ######

(ii)identify what additional work, if any, would be required of the Federal Highway Administration and the States to make the model useful at the State level. #####

(C)Report to congress Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study. ###

(b)International Roughness Index ####

(1)Study The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the international roughness index that is used as an indicator of pavement quality on the Federal-aid highway system. ####

(2)Required elements The study shall specify the extent of usage of the index and the extent to which the international roughness index measurement is reliable across different manufacturers and types of pavement. ####

(3)Report to congress Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study. ###

(c)Use of Uniformed Police Officers on Federal-Aid Highway Construction Projects ####

(1)Study In consultation with the States, State transportation departments, and law enforcement organizations, the Secretary shall conduct a study on the extent and effectiveness of use by States of uniformed police officers on Federal-aid highway construction projects. ####

(2)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study, including any legislative and administrative recommendations of the Secretary. ###

(d)Southwest Border Transportation Infrastructure ####

(1)Assessment The Secretary shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of the state of the transportation infrastructure on the southwest border between the United States and Mexico (in this subsection referred to as the “border”). ####

(2)Consultation In carrying out the assessment, the Secretary shall consult with— #####

(A)the Secretary of State; #####

(B)the Attorney General; #####

(C)the Secretary of the Treasury; #####

(D)the Commandant of the Coast Guard; #####

(E)the Administrator of General Services; #####

(F)the American Commissioner on the International Boundary Commission, United States and Mexico; #####

(G)State agencies responsible for transportation and law enforcement in border States; and #####

(H)municipal governments and transportation authorities in sister cities in the border area. ####

(3)Requirements In carrying out the assessment, the Secretary shall— #####

(A)assess the flow of commercial and private traffic through designated ports of entry on the border; #####

(B)assess the adequacy of transportation infrastructure in the border area, including highways, bridges, railway lines, and border inspection facilities; #####

(C)assess the adequacy of law enforcement and narcotics abatement activities in the border area, as the activities relate to commercial and private traffic and infrastructure; #####

(D)assess future demands on transportation infrastructure in the border area; and #####

(E)make recommendations to facilitate legitimate cross-border traffic in the border area, while maintaining the integrity of the border. ####

(4)Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the assessment conducted under this subsection, including any related legislative and administrative recommendations. ###

(e)Study of Procurement Practices and Project Delivery ####

(1)Study The Comptroller General shall conduct a study to assess the impact that a utility company's failure to relocate its facilities in a timely manner has on the delivery and cost of Federal-aid highway and bridge projects. The study shall also assess the following: #####

(A)Methods States use to mitigate such delays, including the use of the courts to compel cooperation. #####

(B)The prevalence and use of incentives to utility companies for early completion of utility relocations on Federal-aid transportation project sites and, conversely, penalties assessed on utility companies for utility relocation delays on such projects. #####

(C)The extent to which States have used available technologies, such as subsurface utility engineering, early in the design of Federal-aid highway and bridge projects so as to eliminate or reduce the need for or delays due to utility relocations. #####

(D)Whether individual States compensate transportation contractors for business costs incurred by the contractors when Federal-aid highway and bridge projects under contract to them are delayed by utility-company-caused delays in utility relocations and any methods used by States in making any such compensation. ####

(2)Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study with any recommendations the Comptroller General determines appropriate as a result of the study. ###

(f)Specialized Hauling Vehicles ####

(1)Study The Secretary shall conduct a study to examine the impact of the truck weight standards on specialized hauling vehicles. The study shall include, at a minimum, an analysis of the economic, safety, and infrastructure impacts of the standards. ####

(2)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study with any recommendations the Secretary determines appropriate as a result of the study. ###

(g)Study of State Practices on Specific Service Signing ####

(1)Study The Secretary shall conduct a study to determine the practices in the States for specific service food signs described in sections 2G–5.7 and 2G–5.8 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways. The study shall examine, at a minimum— #####

(A)the practices of all States for determining businesses eligible for inclusion on such signs; #####

(B)whether States allow businesses to be removed from such signs and the circumstances for such removal; #####

(C)the practices of all States for erecting and maintaining such signs, including the time required for erecting such signs; and #####

(D)whether States contract out the erection and maintenance of such signs. ####

(2)Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study, including any recommendations and, if appropriate, modifications to the Manual. ###

(h)Vehicle Weight Enforcement ####

(1)Study The Secretary shall conduct a study of State laws (including regulations) relating to penalties for violation of State commercial motor vehicle weight laws. ####

(2)Purpose The purpose of the study shall be to determine the effectiveness of State penalties as a deterrent to illegally overweight trucking operations. The study shall evaluate fine structures, innovative roadside enforcement techniques, and a State's ability to penalize shippers and carriers as well as drivers and shall examine the effectiveness of administrative and judicial procedures utilized to enforce vehicle weight laws. ####

(3)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the study with any legislative recommendations of the Secretary. ###

(i)Commercial Motor Vehicle Study ####

(1)In general The Secretary shall request the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study regarding the regulation of weights, lengths, and widths of commercial motor vehicles operating on Federal-aid highways to which Federal regulations apply on the date of enactment of this Act. In conducting the study, the Board shall review law, regulations, studies (including Transportation Research Board Special Report 225), and practices and develop recommendations regarding any revisions to law and regulations that the Board determines appropriate. ####

(2)Factors to consider and evaluate In developing recommendations under paragraph (1), the Board shall consider and evaluate the impact of the recommendations described in paragraph

(1)on the economy, the environment, safety, and service to communities. ####

(3)Consultation In carrying out the study, the Board shall consult with the Department of Transportation, States, the motor carrier industry, freight shippers, highway safety groups, air quality and natural resource management groups, commercial motor vehicle driver representatives, and other appropriate entities. ####

(4)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Board shall transmit to Congress and the Secretary a report on the results of the study conducted under this subsection. ####

(5)Recommendations Not later than 180 days after the date of receipt of the report under paragraph (4), the Secretary may transmit to Congress a report containing comments or recommendations of the Secretary regarding the Board's report. ####

(6)Funding There is authorized to be appropriated out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) $250,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 and 2000 to carry out this subsection. ####

(7)Applicability of title 23 Funds made available to carry out this subsection shall be available for obligation in the same manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code; except that the Federal share of the cost of the study under this subsection shall be 100 percent and such funds shall remain available until expended. ###

(j)Traffic Analysis ####

(1)In general The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the State of Oklahoma to carry out a traffic analysis to determine the feasibility of a trade processing center in McClain County, Oklahoma. ####

(2)Authorization There is authorized to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) to carry out this subsection $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1999. ####

(3)Applicability of title 23 Funds made available to carry out this subsection shall be available for obligation in the same manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code. ###

(k)Study of Interstate High Speed Ground Transportation ####

(1)Study The Secretary shall conduct a study to assess the feasibility of providing high speed rail passenger service from Atlanta, Georgia, to Charleston, South Carolina. The study shall also assess the potential impact of rail service on the tourism industry. ####

(2)Report Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the results of the study, together with any recommendations the Secretary determines appropriate as a result of the study.