program for the elimination of roadside obstacles

program for the elimination of roadside obstacles Sec. 210. (a) Chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: “§ 153. Program for the elimination of roadside obstacles “(a) Each State shall conduct and systematically maintain an engineering survey of all highways to identify roadside obstacles which may constitute a hazard to vehicles and to pedestrians, assign priorities for the correction of such obstacles and establish and implement a schedule of projects for their elimination. Such a schedule shall provide for the replacement, to the extent necessary, of existing sign and light supports which are not designed to yield or break away upon impact Yielding or breakaway sign and light supports shall be used, where appropriate, on all new construction or reconstruction of highways. “(b) For projects to correct roadside hazards by the Federal Highway Administration, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of the Highway Trust Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1974, $25,000,000, and for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 1975, and June 30, 1976, the, sum of $75,000,000. Such sums shall be available for obligation in the same manner and to the same extent as if such funds were apportioned under this chapter. “(c) Funds authorized by this section shall be available solely for expenditure for projects on any Federal-aid system (other than the Interstate System) except in the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. 87 Stat. 288 “(d) Funds made available hi accordance with subsection (e) shall be apportioned to the States in the same manner as is provided in section 402(c) of this title, and the Federal share payable on account of any such project shall be 90 per centum of the cost thereof, “(e) Bach State shall report to the Secretary of Transportation not later than September 30, 1974, and not later than September 30 of each year thereafter, on the progress being made in implementing the program for the removal of roadside obstacles and the effectiveness of such improvements. Each report shall contain an assessment of the costs and safety benefits of the various means and methods used to mitigate or eliminate roadside obstacles. The Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report to the Congress not later than January 1, 1975, and not later than January 1 of each year thereafter, on the progress being made by the. States in eliminating roadside obstacles and the effectiveness of the improvements made under this program. The Secretary’s report shall include, but not he limited to, an analysis and evaluation of each State program, identification of any State found not to lie in compliance with the schedule of improvements required by subsection (a) and shall include recommendations for figure implementation of the roadside obstacle removal program. In addition, to assess the safety benefits of varying roadside obstacle treatments, the report shall contain an assessment of the costs and safety benefits of the various means and methods used to mitigate or eliminate roadside obstacles.” (b) The analysis of chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: “153. Program for the elimination of roadside obstacles.”.