Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Section 1301, Projects of National and Regional Significance

Grant Recipient Project Description Submission Guidance

Issued by: Federal Highway Administration
Date of Issuance: January 4, 2006

All grant recipients for projects designated under SAFETEA-LU Section 1301 - Projects of National and Regional Significance - should submit project descriptions to the Federal Highway Administration in order to expedite the release of designated funds. The project description should include the elements listed below and should be submitted to the FHWA Division Office through the State DOT where the project is located. For multi-state projects, the description should be submitted to the Division Office of the State designated as the lead State by the States identified in the Section 1301 designated project list. The FHWA Division Office will review and comment on the project description and forward the description to the FHWA Headquarters, to the attention of Mr. Ed Strocko, at the following address:

HOFM-1, E84-440
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

U.S. DOT staff from the relevant modal agencies, along with the Office of the Secretary, will review the proposal and provide comment through the FHWA Division Office to the applicant. Upon project review, funds will be released to the State for the identified work per the submitted project description.

Section 1301 Grant Recipient Project Description Recommended Accompanying Materials List

Recipients of funds under Section 1301 should provide the following information to the FHWA Division Office:

Statement of Purpose - A detailed project description, along with contact information for the project's primary point of contact.
1. Identification of the national and/or regional economic benefits expected from the project.
2. Identification of the projects ability to reduce congestion or otherwise enhance the national transportation system.
Eligibility - Assessment of the extent to which the project is eligible for Federal assistance under title 23, United States Code, including freight railroad projects and activities eligible under such title.
Project Map - Schematic depicting the project and connecting transportation infrastructure.
Scope of Work - Complete list of activities to be funded through the grant; including development phase activities (planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, preliminary engineering and design work, and other preconstruction activities), and construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation and acquisition of real property (including land related to the project and improvements to land), environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of equipment, and operational improvements.
Cost Estimate - Detailed quantification of eligible project costs by activity, including contingency amounts.
Stakeholder Identification - List of all public and private project partners, and the role each will play in the execution of the project.
Funding Disclosure - Identification of all funding sources that will supplement the grant and be necessary to fully fund the project, and the anticipated dates on which the additional funds are to be made available.
Timeline - Delineation of project timeline, including work to be completed and anticipated funding cycles.
Project History - Results of any preliminary engineering done to date.
Transportation Planning - State DOT validation that the project is or will be included on the appropriate planning document (TIP/STIP).
Coordinated Planning - For projects in air quality maintenance and non-attainment areas, demonstration that the TIP/STIP conforms to the State Implementation Plan.
Environmental Process - Status and timeline for the environmental process, including NEPA.

Designated Projects by State -- Projects of National and Regional Significance

Link to Projects of National and Regional Significance Home Page