Federal Highway Administration July 11, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FHWA proposes to revise its regulations relating to project authorization and agreements and the effect on obligations of Federal-aid highway funds under these requirements. The proposed changes would: (1) Require the deobligation of Federal funds that remain committed to inactive projects as well as the deobligation of unneeded or excess project funding; (2) reduce the occurrences where Federal funds are committed to inactive projects or where an obligation is in excess of the amount needed to complete the project; (3) establish a project completion date that would be annotated in all new project agreements and modifications to existing project agreements; and (4) require States to assure that third party contracts and agreements are processed and billed promptly when the work is completed. These proposed changes would also assist the States and the FHWA in monitoring Federal-aid highway projects and provide better assurance that the Federal funds obligated reflect the current estimated costs of the project. Federal funds deobligated may then be obligated for new or other active projects needing additional funding to the extent permitted by law. The proposed changes would have no effect on obligated funds that are needed for projects that are congressionally mandated.