Federal Register, Volume 63 Issue 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59621-59623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29484]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century; Implementation
Information for Innovative Bridge Research and Construction Program
Funds

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This document publishes implementation information on the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) enacted on June
9, 1998, for eligible candidate projects in Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999
concerned with the innovative bridge research and construction program.
The FHWA is issuing this notice to specifically address the
construction of bridges using innovative materials. Implementation
information materials on this topic were issued to FHWA region and
division offices on July 29, 1998. This material describes activities
eligible for funding for the program, the application process, and
criteria used to evaluate candidate projects. This notice further
identifies all statutory and regulatory criteria applicable to the
program.

[[Page 59622]]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For bridge program: Mr. George P.
Romack, HNG-33, Office of Engineering, (202) 366-4606, or Mr. John
Hooks, Office of Technology Applications, HTA-22, (202) 366-6712; for
legal issues: Mr. Wilbert Baccus, HCC-32, Office of the Chief Counsel,
(202) 366-1396, Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW.,
Washington, D.C. 20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.,
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded using a modem
and suitable communications software from the Government Printing
Office Electronic Bulletin Board Service at (202) 512-1661. Internet
users may reach the Federal Register's home page at: http://
www.nara.gpo.fedreg and the Government Printing Office's database at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Background

The TEA-21 (Pub. L. 105-178, 112 Stat.107) implementation material
published in this notice is provided for informational purposes.
Specific questions on any of the material published in this notice
should be directed to the contact person named in the caption FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT for this program.
Publication of this implementation information for the innovative
bridge research and construction program satisfies the requirement of
section 9004(a) of the TEA-21 Restoration Act, Pub. L. 105-206, 112
Stat. 685 (1998).

(Authority: 23 U.S.C. 315 and 503; 49 CFR 1.48)

Issued on: October 28, 1998.
Kenneth R. Wykle,
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration.

The text of the FHWA implementation guidelines memorandum follows:

July 29, 1998.
(HNG-33)
Action: Request for Candidates Innovative Bridge Research and
Construction Program (Reply Due: September 1, 1998)
Director, Office of Engineering
Regional Administrators
Division Administrators

The purpose of this memorandum is to solicit candidate projects
from the States for using innovative materials in the repair,
rehabilitation, replacement and new construction of bridges. The TEA-21
establishes Title V--Transportation Research and sets up substantial
annual funding to demonstrate the application of innovative material
technology for bridge construction. The new Section 503(b) provides for
an Innovative Bridge Research and Construction program. Research,
development and technology transfer portion of the program is funded at
$1 million per year, and the construction portion at a level of $10
million in FY 1998 to a high of $20 million in FY 2003. These figures
will be adjusted to reflect any obligation limitations.
The seven goals of the program are specified in 503(b)(2), and
emphasize new materials and construction techniques to reduce
maintenance and life-cycle costs. The construction provision specifies
funding to the States to pay the Federal share of the cost of repair,
rehabilitation, replacement, and new construction of bridges using
innovative materials. The TEA-21 allows the Federal share to vary and
instructs the Secretary of Transportation to determine the Federal
share (percentage) of the cost of a project under this section. Actual
percentages will depend on the number of projects, the types of
innovative technologies, and the cost of the candidate projects.
We are requesting your assistance to identify candidate bridge
projects to allocate FY 1998 and FY 1999 funds to demonstrate
innovative bridge materials. For the remaining years of the program,
annual solicitations will be made sufficiently in advance to allow
allocation by the beginning of the fiscal year. Please discuss the
program with your State transportation departments to determine their
interest in the program and solicit their candidate projects. Examples
of innovative materials include high performance concrete, high
performance steel, aluminum and fiber reinforced polymer composites. It
is likely there are other innovative materials that your State has
considered or would like to consider.
Preliminary engineering and construction are eligible work,
although construction projects will be given priority consideration.
Also, the program would support projects to develop design standards,
specifications, and material applications that would lead to continuing
use of innovative materials. Bridges on all public roads, including
State and locally funded projects, are eligible. These funds may be
used for the Federal share of the cost of the construction of the
``innovative materials'' portion of the project. A consideration in the
selection will also be a State's willingness to provide performance
data for a reasonable period of time during and after construction.
Examples of documentation during construction include photographs and
written accounts of the methods and techniques used to incorporate the
innovative material into the project.
Attached is an application form which is to be used for candidate
projects. The State's application should describe the innovative
material(s), how it is being used in the project, and how the project
meets one or more of the program goals. The application should be
completed and submitted along with supporting documents that provide a
further description of the project including the scope of work. Please
furnish your response by September 1, 1998.
In this initial call for candidate projects for the program, all
project applications will be evaluated by the FHWA on a case-by-case
basis and being [sic] guided by the goals set out in TEA-21.
Thereafter, the FHWA will be working with States and industry partners
to develop more definitive project selection methods and criteria for
determining the appropriate Federal share of the project costs.
Any questions concerning this program should be addressed to George
Romack of the Bridge Division at (202) 366-4606 or John Hooks of the
Office of Technology Applications at (202) 366-6712.
Henry H. Rentz

APPLICATION

TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT

INNOVATIVE BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM

State------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Type (New construction, replacement, rehabilitation, or
repair)
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NBI Structure No.------------------------------------------------------

Location (e.g., county, city, route)-----------------------------------
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Structure Description (e.g., spans, length, width, design, material)

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Innovative Material (Describe the material, how it is used and how
the project meets one or more of the program goals)

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Schedule for start of work (Month/year)--------------------------------

Cost Estimates

Total project cost-----------------------------------------------------
Cost of ``innovative material'' portion of construction project

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[[Page 59623]]

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Preliminary engineering cost, if requested-----------------------------

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Cost of innovative material performance evaluation (e.g., a 2-year
post-construction period)

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Total funds requested--------------------------------------------------

Technology Deployment Innovative Bridge Construction Program Funding
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Year 1998(TEA21) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
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Authorization.................................................... $10M $15M $17M $20M $20M $20M
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Section 5001 of the Transportation Efficiency Act for the
21st Century (TEA-21) authorized the sums shown to be available to the
States for projects to demonstrate innovative materials relating to
repair, rehabilitation, and construction of bridges.
The Federal share of project costs may vary and is to be
determined by the Secretary.

Eligibility

Funds are available for bridge projects that meet one or
more of the seven program goals listed in Section 503(b)(2) of TEA-21.
The project may be on any public roadway, including State
and locally funded projects.
Funds are available for preliminary engineering,
construction and project performance evaluations costs.

Selection Criteria

For FY 1998 and 1999 allocations, the FHWA will select
candidate projects using the following criteria:

(1) Projects which will meet one or more of the goals of the program
(2) Projects which will incorporate materials and/or products that are
available
(3) Projects ready for or near the construction phase will be given
priority consideration
(4) Projects that leverage Federal funds with other significant public
or private resources will given preference
(5) Projects with designs that are repeatable or have wide spread
application

For subsequent years, the FHWA will select candidate
projects utilizing input from a panel of experts from the States and
industry using the criteria above.

Schedule

The following is the schedule for the program:

8/98 Call for FY 1998-99 projects
12/98 Selection of FY 1998-99 project

The following schedule will be used for subsequent years
for the program:

4/99--02 Call for projects
10/99--02 Selection of projects

[FR Doc. 98-29484 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]
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