Federal Highway Administration – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 17, 2023, FHWA published a request for comments on its existing general applicability waiver for manufactured products under its Buy America waiver authorities. Following the review and consideration of comments, FHWA is proposing to discontinue the waiver. The FHWA is also proposing standards for applying Buy America requirements to manufactured products should the waiver be discontinued. To ensure the continued effective implementation of FHWA programs that would be subject to new requirements for manufactured products, FHWA is seeking additional information on the domestic availability of specific manufactured products commonly used in FHWA- funded projects. To ensure the Agency has the most comprehensive and current information available on the domestic market for manufactured products used in FHWA infrastructure projects, FHWA is especially interested in comments detailing domestic materials sourcing, market readiness, timeliness of product supply, and other considerations.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the Interstate-5 (I-5) Rose Quarter Improvement Project in the Rose Quarter District of downtown Portland, Oregon. Those actions grant approvals for the project.

The FHWA issued regulations establishing minimum standards and requirements for certain electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Subsequent to the publication of this final rule, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) published a Technical Information Report for a new connector standard, known as J3400, which multiple automakers have announced an intention to adopt in the coming years. To ensure the effective implementation of programs that are subject to the minimum standards and requirements and to inform a potential update to the minimum standards, FHWA, in coordination with the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, is seeking additional information in five areas: on the expectations surrounding market availability for J3400 within EVs and EV chargers; on the technical compatibility of J3400 with existing regulations and safety considerations; on considerations regarding challenges and benefits of the implementation of J3400 at charging stations; on market demands for the continued availability of Combined Charging System (CCS) and J1772 connectors; and potential options for performance-based standards that can reduce the need for future regulatory updates or changes as technology evolves.

The FHWA in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Division (MassDOT) is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit comments and advise the public, agencies, and stakeholders that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to study the potential environmental and related social and economic effects of proposed transportation improvements through the Cape Cod Bridges Program in the town of Bourne, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The Cape Cod Bridges Program proposes critical transportation infrastructure improvements including replacement of the Bourne and Sagamore highway bridges spanning Cape Cod Canal; reconfiguration of the highway approach networks north and south of Cape Cod Canal to align with the replacement highway bridges; and provision of separated pedestrian and bicycle accommodations along the replacement bridges with connections to the local roadway network. This NOI contains a summary of the information required in the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations. This NOI should be reviewed together with the Supplementary NOI Document, which includes important details about the Cape Cod Bridges Program and complements the information in this NOI. Persons and agencies who may be interested in or affected by the Cape Cod Bridges Program are encouraged to comment on the information in this NOI and the Supplementary NOI Document. All comments received in response to this NOI will be considered and any information presented herein may be revised in consideration of the comments.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, State Route 49 and State Route 4, from post miles: 4-8.4-9.1, R20.8-21.4 within the City of Angels Camp in the County Calaveras County, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This notice announces action taken by FHWA and other Federal Agencies that are final. The actions relate to the NYS Route 33 Kensington Expressway Project located in the city of Buffalo, Erie County, New York.

This notice announces actions taken by FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final. This final agency action relates to a proposed interchange reconstruction and widening project, the I-285 at I-20 Interchange Reconstruction Project. Along I-20, the proposed project begins at the Thornton Road interchange eastbound I-20 on-ramp and ends at the Hamilton E. Holmes interchange for a total length of approximately 6.5-miles. Along I-285, the proposed project begins just south of the Martin Luther King (MLK) Jr. Drive interchange and extends north to the Donald Lee (DL) Hollowell Parkway interchange for a total length of approximately 2.4-miles. The FHWA's Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) provides details on the Selected Alternative for the proposed interchange and will be used by Federal Agencies in subsequent proceedings, including decisions whether to grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the highway project.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinstate an information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on November 9, 2023. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a reinstatement of an 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.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of a renewal of information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on October 31, 2023. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA, in coordination with the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) is issuing this Notice of Intent (NOI) to solicit comments and advise the public, agencies, and stakeholders that they intend to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) (FHWA-WV-EIS-92-01-SD) for the 9-mile Appalachian Highway Corridor H Parsons to Davis Project in Tucker County, West Virginia. Persons and agencies who may be interested in or affected by the proposed project are encouraged to comment on the information in this NOI and the NOI Supplementary Information Document. All comments received in response to this NOI will be considered and any information presented herein may be revised in consideration of the comments.

This proposed rule would update the regulations governing the procurement, management, and administration of engineering and design related services directly related to a highway construction project that is funded through a discretionary grant administered by FHWA. The intent of the proposed rule is to clarify how the regulations apply to recipients other than State transportation agencies (STA). This proposed rulemaking would also make technical changes and corrections to improve the administration of these regulations.

This rulemaking proposes updates to the National Performance Management Measures regulations to consider impacts of national emergencies on performance achievement, address compliance determinations and penalty assessment for the pavement condition measures, clarify data collection standards and requirements, adjust freight reporting to align with the 4-year update cycle for State Freight Plans in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), and provide select clarifying technical corrections. The rulemaking would also incorporate by reference the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) Field Manual, which includes updated fields related to the collection of Transportation Performance Management (TPM) data. This rulemaking also would provide for greater opportunities for meaningful safety performance targets and outcomes, consider approaches to alternative safety performance measures, and align performance targets for the three common measures that must be identical with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans, that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, on State Route 99 from post miles 25.2 to post mile 30.6 in Tulare County, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for renewal of an existing information collection that is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA announces a request for nominations to the Working Group on Covered Resources (Working Group). The Working Group members will be appointed for a term of 2 years. The Working Group will conduct a study on access to covered resources for infrastructure projects. In carrying out the study, the Working Group shall analyze the use of covered resources in transportation projects funded with Federal dollars; how the proximity of covered resources to such projects affects the cost and environmental impact of those projects; whether and how State, Tribal, and local transportation and planning agencies consider covered resources when developing transportation projects; and any challenges for transportation project sponsors regarding access and proximity to covered resources. The Working Group shall submit to the Secretary of Transportation the findings of its study and any recommendations to preserve access to and reduce the costs and environmental impacts of covered resources in infrastructure projects.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for renewal of an existing information collection that is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA, on behalf of the FDOT, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by FDOT and other Federal Agencies that are final agency actions. These actions relate to the proposed project that involves the extension of the Poinciana Parkway [State Road (SR) 538] from its planned terminus at County Road (CR) 532 to the Western Beltway (SR 429)/Sinclair Road interchange. The total project length is 4.97 miles and features a six-lane limited access toll facility with modifications to interchanges at CR 532, SR 429/I-4 Beyond the Ultimate, and Sinclair Road. These actions grant licenses, permits, or approvals for the project.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) (also referred to as ``the Manual'') is incorporated by reference within our regulations, approved by FHWA, and recognized as the national standard for traffic control devices used on all public roads, bikeways, or private roads open to public travel. The purpose of this final rule is to revise Standard, Guidance, Option provisions, and supporting information, relating to the traffic control devices in all parts of the MUTCD to improve safety for all road users by promoting uniformity, and to incorporate new provisions that reflect technological advances in traffic control device application. The MUTCD, with these changes incorporated, is being designated as the 11th Edition of the MUTCD.

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

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of a new (periodic) information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on September 20, 2023. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to renew an information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on September 26, 2023. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans that are final. The actions relate to a proposed project, to connect State Route (SR) 99 to Interstate 5 (I-5) in an east-west alignment, in unincorporated Sacramento County and a portion of the City of Elk Grove. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of a new (periodic) information collection. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on May 26, 2023. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This final notice announces the availability of a revised Stewardship and Oversight (S&O) Agreement template. The S&O Agreement defines the roles and responsibilities of FHWA and each State department of transportation (State DOT) with respect to project approvals and related responsibilities under title 23, United States Code (U.S.C.), and title 23, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and documents methods that will be used for Federal-aid Highway Program (FAHP) oversight activities. This template will be used by each of the 52 FHWA Division Offices and their respective State DOTs to develop and execute a new S&O Agreement within 1 year of the date this notice is published in the Federal Register.