Federal Highway Administration September 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the Prairie Parkway, for construction of an access-controlled, four-lane freeway on new right-of-way between 1-80 and 1-88 and the widening of IL-47 to four-lanes from 1-80 to Caton Farm Road in Grundy, Kendall and Kane Counties, Illinois. Those actions grant licenses, permits and approvals for the project.

Section 6005 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) established the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot Program, codified at 23 U.S.C. 327. To ensure compliance by each State participating in the Pilot Program, 23 U.S.C. 327(g) mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation. This final report presents the findings from the first FHWA audit of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) under the pilot program.

This notice announces actions taken by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) pursuant to its assigned responsibilities under 23 U.S.C. 327 that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). These actions relate to a proposed highway project, the State Route 84 (SR 84) Expressway Widening Project between approximately Jack London Boulevard and Ruby Hill Drive (Post Miles 22.5 to 27.3) in the County of Alameda, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

In order to more efficiently facilitate innovative financing transactions, the DOT intends to develop an expedited process for execution of TIFIA loans for certain eligible highway projects developed pursuant to concession agreements with senior bank and/or bond debt facilities. To the extent applicants choose to take advantage of the expedited process, utilizing standardized documents and terms, as well as meet standard closing conditions, the DOT will commit to execute a final loan agreement within 45 days of the applicant's agreement to all of the terms and conditions contained in a template term sheet and a template loan agreement, drafts of which are published for comment on the docket for this notice and at the TIFIA Web site listed below. In addition, the DOT seeks comment regarding which term sheet and loan terms would need to be amended to provide an expedited process and which terms need to be amended for eligible transit projects developed pursuant to concession agreements.

This notice invites State and local governments and other public authorities to apply to participate in the Value Pricing Pilot (VPP) program and presents guidelines for program applications. This notice supersedes three previous notices about the VPP program under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) published in the Federal Register on January 6, 2006 (71 FR 970), July 17, 2006 (71 FR 40578), and December 22, 2006 (71 FR 77084). A January 6, 2006, notice covering non-grant tolling programs, which was a companion to the original January 6, 2006, VPP program notice, remains in effect. That notice was entitled ``Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU); Opportunities for States and Other Qualifying Agencies to Gain Authority to Toll Facilities Constructed Using Federal Funds'' (71 FR 965). Today's new notice and the previous companion notice covering non-grant tolling programs are together intended to cover all of the opportunities for States and other qualifying transportation agencies to obtain approval to toll their respective facilities.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, Grand Parkway (State Highway 99) Segment E, from Interstate Highway 10 (I-10) to United States Highway 290 (U.S. 290) in Harris County, Texas. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, SH-75 Timmerman Junction to Ketchum, Project No. STP-F-2392(035), Key No. 3077, in Blaine County, in the State of Idaho. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.