public transportation

public transportation Sec. 121. (a) Section 142 of title 23, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “§ 142. Public Transportation “(a) (1) To encourage the development, improvement, and use of public mass transportation systems operating motor vehicles (other than on rail) on Federal-aid highways for the transportation of passengers (hereafter in this section referred to as ‘buses’), so as to increase the traffic capacity of the Federal-aid systems for the movement of persons, the Secretary may approve as a project on any Federal-aid system the construction of exclusive or preferential bus lanes, highway traffic control devices, bus passenger loading areas and facilities (including shelters), and fringe and transportation corridor parking facilities to serve bus and other public mass transportation passengers, and sums apportioned under section 104(b) of this title shall be available to finance the cost of projects under this paragraph. “(2) In addition to the projects under paragraph (1),the Secretary may, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, approve as a project on the Federal-aid urban system, for payment from sums 87 Stat. 260apportioned under section 104(b) (6) of this title, the purchase of buses, and, beginning with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1976, approve as a project on the Federal-aid urban system, for payment from sums apportioned under section 104(b) (6) of this title, the construction, reconstruction, and improvement of fixed rail facilities, including the purchase of rolling stock for fixed rail, except that not more than $200,000,000 of all sums apportioned for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, under section 104(b)(6) shall be available for the payment of the Federal share of projects for the purchase of buses. “(b) Sums apportioned in accordance with paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of section 104 of this title shall be available, to finance the Federal share of projects for exclusive, or preferential bus, track, and emergency vehicle routes or lanes. Routes constructed under this subsection shall not be subject to the third sentence of section 109(b) of this title. “(c) Whenever responsible local officials of an urbanized area notify the State highway department that, in lieu of a highway project the Federal share of which is to be paid from funds apportioned under section 104(b)(6) of this title for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1974, and June 30, 1975, their needs require a nonhighway public mass transit project involving the construction of fixed rail facilities, or the purchase of passenger equipment, including rolling stock for any mode of mass transit, or both, and the State highway department determines that such public mass transit project is in accordance with the planning process under section 134 of this title and is entitled to priority under such planning process, such public mass transit, project shall be submitted for approval to the Secretary. Approval of the plans, specifications, and estimates for such project by the Secretary shall be deemed a contractual obligation of the United States for payment out of the general funds of its proportional share of the cost of such project in an amount equal to the Federal share which would have been paid if such project were a highway project under section 120(a) of this title. Funds previously apportioned to such State under section 104(b) (6) of this title shall be reduced by an amount equal to such Federal share. “(d) The establishment of routes and schedules of such public mass transportation systems in urbanized areas shall be based upon a continuing comprehensive transportation planning process carried on in accordance with section 134 of this title. “(e) (1) For all purposes of this title, a project authorized by subsection (a)(1) of this section shall be deemed to be a highway project. “(2) Notwithstanding section 209(f) (1) of the Highway Revenue Act of 1956, the Highway Trust Fund shall be available for making expenditures to meet obligations resulting from projects authorized by subsection (a) (2) of this section and such projects shall be subject to, and governed in accordance with, all provisions of this title applicable to projects on the Federal-aid urban system, except to the extent determined inconsistent by the Secretary. “(3) The Federal share payable on account of projects authorized by subsection (a) of this section shall be that provided in section 120 of this section. “(f) No project authorized by this section shall be approved unless the Secretary of Transportation has received assurances satisfactory to him from the State that public mass transportation systems will fully utilize the proposed project. “(g) In any case where sufficient land exists within the publicly acquired rights-of-way of any Federal-aid highway to accommodate needed rail or nonhighway public mass transit facilities and where this can be accomplished without impairing automotive safety or 87 Stat. 261future highway improvements, the Administrator may authorize a State to make such lands and rights-of-way available without charge to a publicly owned mass transit authority for such purposes wherever he may deem that the public interest will be served thereby. “(h) The provision of assistance under subsection (a) (2) or subsection (c) of this section shall not be construed as bringing within the application of chapter 15 of title 5, United States Code, any non-supervisory employee of an urban mass transportation system (or of any other agency or entity performing related functions) to whom such chapter is otherwise inapplicable. “(i) Funds available for expenditure to carry out the purposes of subsection (a)(2) and subsection (c) of this section shall he supplementary to and not in substitution for funds authorized and available for obligation pursuant to the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended. “(j) The provisions of section 3(e) (4) of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964, as amended, shall apply in carrying out subsection (a)(2) and subsection (c) of this section. “(k) The Secretary shall not approve any project under subsection (a) (2) of this section in any fiscal year when there has been enacted an Urban Transportation Trust Fund or similar assured funding for both highway and public transportation.” (b) The analysis of chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking out “142. Urban highway public transportation.” and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “142. Public transportation.”.