US House Passes Long-Term Highway Bill. The bill—the first long-term highway bill passed by the US House in decades—is matched by a similar bill passed earlier this year by the Senate. First, the bill ends the federal funding of motorcycle-only checkpoints, a top priority of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. The bill also re-convenes the National Motorcycle Advisory Council (NMAC), an advisory council that advises the Secretary of Transportation on how infrastructure issues affect motorcyclists in ways that are vastly different than for four-wheeled vehicles. Lastly, the bill commissions a study to determine the best ways to prevent motorcycle crashes. Because it focuses only on prevention rather than on helmet use, this study would be the first of its kind.
Graves-led bill authorizes federal highway programs for 6 years
WASHINGTON, D.C. –
U.S. Representative Sam Graves, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on
Highways and Transit, issued the following statement after the House
today passed the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act. The bipartisan, six-year Highway Bill cleared the House by a vote of 371-54.
“Properly investing in and modernizing this country’s transportation infrastructure should be a top priority of the federal government,” Rep. Graves said. “But for the past decade, states have been forced to operate off of one short-term Highway extension after another, making their job nearly impossible.”
“A long-term Highway Bill is essential to all of those responsible for maintaining America’s roads and bridges,” Rep. Graves continued. “In Missouri, we have over 35,000 highway miles and 10,000 roadway bridges that need to be repaired, rebuilt or altogether replaced. Each state deserves the certainty to plan these projects with confidence, and this bipartisan bill will give them just that.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 will reauthorize federal highway programs for six years. Specifically, the bill targets duplicative regulatory processes, streamlines environmental reviews for highway projects, and maintains that 15% of a state’s federal highway funding must be used on the maintenance and restoration of rural bridges.
The long-term Highway Bill also gives states the flexibility to focus on the safety needs unique to each community, allowing them to take advantage of new technologies that will reduce accidents and roadway fatalities. And by requiring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to review regulations every five years to ensure they are current, consistent, and relevant, we can preserve policies that save lives and abandon those that do not.
“Properly investing in and modernizing this country’s transportation infrastructure should be a top priority of the federal government,” Rep. Graves said. “But for the past decade, states have been forced to operate off of one short-term Highway extension after another, making their job nearly impossible.”
“A long-term Highway Bill is essential to all of those responsible for maintaining America’s roads and bridges,” Rep. Graves continued. “In Missouri, we have over 35,000 highway miles and 10,000 roadway bridges that need to be repaired, rebuilt or altogether replaced. Each state deserves the certainty to plan these projects with confidence, and this bipartisan bill will give them just that.”
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015 will reauthorize federal highway programs for six years. Specifically, the bill targets duplicative regulatory processes, streamlines environmental reviews for highway projects, and maintains that 15% of a state’s federal highway funding must be used on the maintenance and restoration of rural bridges.
The long-term Highway Bill also gives states the flexibility to focus on the safety needs unique to each community, allowing them to take advantage of new technologies that will reduce accidents and roadway fatalities. And by requiring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to review regulations every five years to ensure they are current, consistent, and relevant, we can preserve policies that save lives and abandon those that do not.
COMMENT
MC only check points…Kudos to the MRF and the NMAC. Also, the AMA have been fighting to get rid of this discriminatory practice. The AMA effectively represents our interests at the State and Federal level. Thanks to all!
MC
only check points…Kudos to the MRF and the NMAC. Also, the AMA have
been fighting to get rid of this discriminatory practice. The AMA
effectively represents our interests at the State and Federal level.
Thanks to all! - See more at:
http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2015/11/12/fast-motorcycle-industry-news-204/#more-153497
US
House Passes Long-Term Highway Bill. The bill—the first long-term
highway bill passed by the US House in decades—is matched by a similar
bill passed earlier this year by the Senate. First, the bill ends the
federal funding of motorcycle-only checkpoints, a top priority of the
Motorcycle Riders Foundation. The bill also re-convenes the National
Motorcycle Advisory Council (NMAC), an advisory council that advises the
Secretary of Transportation on how infrastructure issues affect
motorcyclists in ways that are vastly different than for four-wheeled
vehicles. Lastly, the bill commissions a study to determine the best
ways to prevent motorcycle crashes. Because it focuses only on
prevention rather than on helmet use, this study would be the first of
its kind. - See more at:
http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2015/11/12/fast-motorcycle-industry-news-204/#more-153497
The
bill—the first long-term highway bill passed by the US House in
decades—is matched by a similar bill passed earlier this year by the
Senate. First, the bill ends the federal funding of motorcycle-only
checkpoints, a top priority of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation. The
bill also re-convenes the National Motorcycle Advisory Council (NMAC),
an advisory council that advises the Secretary of Transportation on how
infrastructure issues affect motorcyclists in ways that are vastly
different than for four-wheeled vehicles. Lastly, the bill commissions a
study to determine the best ways to prevent motorcycle crashes. Because
it focuses only on prevention rather than on helmet use, this study
would be the first of its kind. - See more at:
http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2015/11/12/fast-motorcycle-industry-news-204/#more-153497