The FAST Act established several new programs to fund freight transportation projects, including the National Highway Freight Program, FASTLANE grants, and designation of Critical Urban and Rural Freight Corridors. The National Highway Freight Program provides $1.2 billion annually for freight infrastructure and allows up to 10% to be used for rail, port, or intermodal projects. FASTLANE grants provide $900 million annually on a competitive basis for nationally significant freight and highway projects over $100 million. The act also requires states to develop freight plans and designate Critical Urban and Rural Freight Corridors to be included in a National Multimodal Freight Network.
3. National Highway Freight Program | NEW
• $1.2 B / year (average), apportioned to States by formula
• Eligible activities include construction, operational
improvements, freight planning and performance measures
• Highway focus, but 10% for rail/port/intermodal projects
• States required to have freight plans to obligate NHFP funds
(beginning December 4, 2017)
• Federal share is determined under 23 USC 120
• Repeals special Federal share for freight projects
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4. FASTLANE Grants | NEW
(Nationally Significant Freight & Hwy. Projects)
• $900 M/year (average) for competitive grants or TIFIA loans for
projects $100 M (reduced for States w/ small programs)
• Eligible activities:
• Highway freight projects on National Highway Freight Network
• NHS highway/bridge projects, projects in National Scenic Areas
• Freight rail/intermodal/port projects ($500 M over 5-year period)
• Rail-highway grade crossing or grade separation projects
• States, large MPOs, Tribes, localities, and FLMAs may apply
• OST selects projects; Congress has 60 days to disapprove
• Set-asides for rural areas and projects below cost threshold
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5. Other Freight Provisions
• Freight policy goals and multi-modal national freight strategic plan
• State freight plans (required) & advisory committees (encouraged)
• National multimodal freight network
• National Highway Freight Network, to include:
• Primary Highway Freight System (PHFS); initially 41K miles
• Critical rural freight corridors identified by States
• Critical urban freight corridors with State-MPO consultation
• Portions of Interstate System not included in the PHFS
• Primary Highway Freight System re-designated every 5 years
(with up to 3% growth)
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6. Primary Highway Freight System
• Is network of highways identified as the most critical
highway portions of the U.S. freight transportation
system
• The initial network consists of 41,518 centerline miles of
highways
• Network will be redesignated every five years
• Each redesignation is limited to a 3% increase in
mileage
7. Critical Urban Freight Corridors
• Will be located in U.S. Census Bureau-designated
urbanized areas (population greater than 50,000 people)
• Designated by either the state DOT or MPO
• Urbanized areas > 500,000 population – designated
by the MPO in consultation with the state DOT
• Urbanized areas < 500,000 population – designated
by the state DOT in consultation with the MPO
8. Critical Urban Freight Corridors
• Must be publicly-owned roadways
• Must meet one or more of the following elements:
• Connects an intermodal facility to the PHFS, an Interstate
Highway, or an intermodal freight facility
• Functions as an alternative freight route to a parallel PHFS
corridor
• Serves a major freight generator, logistics center, or industrial
manufacturing or warehouse development
• Is important to freight movements within its region, as
determined by the State or MPO
9. Critical Rural Freight Corridors
• Will be located outside of U.S. Census Bureau-
designated urbanized areas (population less than
50,000 people)
• Designated by the state
10. Critical Rural Freight Corridors
• Must be publicly-owned roadways
• Must meet one or more of the following elements:
• Is a rural principal arterial and has a minimum of 25% truck
annual average daily traffic (AADT)
• Provides access to energy exploration, development,
installation, or production areas
• Connects the PHFS or Interstate System to facilities that handle
more than 50,000 20-foot equivalent units per year or 500,000
tons per year of bulk commodities
• Provides access to a grain elevator, agricultural facility, mining
facility, forestry facility, or intermodal facility
11. Critical Rural Freight Corridors
• Must meet one or more of the following elements
(continued):
• Connects to an international port of entry
• Provides access to significant air, rail, water, or other freight
facilities in the State
• Is determined by the State to be vital to improving the efficient
movement of freight that is of high importance to the State’s
economy
• FHWA encourages states to consider first or last mile
connector routes from high-volume freight corridors to
key rural freight facilities (military, farming,
manufacturing, agricultural, intermodal)
12. Critical Urban and Critical Rural Freight
Corridors – Mileage
• CUFC: States may designate a maximum of 75 miles or
10% of the PHFS mileage in the State, whichever is
greater
• CRFC: States may designate a maximum of 150 miles
or 20% of the PHFS mileage in the State, whichever is
greater
• States exceeding the mileage limit include AL, AK, AZ,
CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, MO, MT, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK,
OR, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA, and WA.
