AgdaPkt 2003-12-01 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

q 1- a4 The Transportation Equity Act for the 21s' Century, commonly referred to as TEA -21 (P.L. 105 -178/ P.L.105 -206), became law in 1998 and authorized federal spending to support a wide variety of public works programs related to highway construction, highway safety and transit. Both TEA -21 and its predecessor, The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 ( ISTEA) made innovative policy changes to federal transportation programs that provided state and local agencies with greater levels of flexibility than previous federal transportation initiatives along with critical and generous increases in funding. For instance, funding under TEA -21 ($217B) was 40% higher than that provided under ISTEA ($155B). In California, revenue distributed to the state over the past six years through TEA -21 . translated to approximately $3.2 billion annually for core transportation programs. In addition, thanks in large part to changes made through ISTEA and TEA - 21, Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) city and county government and the public at large play a more significant role in the transportation planning process in California. Key elements of TEA -21 include efforts to im- prove highway and transit safety, protect the environ- ment, promote accessibility in conjunction with trans- portation projects and reinforce and expand overall the nation's overall surface transportation network through investment in core federal transportation programs such as the National Highway System, Interstate Highway Maintenance, Surface Transporta- tion, Bridges, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement and Federal Lands Highways programs. In particular, the Act established the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and federal funding was also set aside through TEA -21 to promote seat belt and child safety seat use, to encourage states to adopt more stringent blood alcohol standards and to support road and railway grade crossing safety projects. To protect the environment, TEA -21 contin- ued to address congestion mitigation and air quality as a separate program within the Act and funding was made available for a variety of environmentally friendly purposes such as employer transit subsidy programs, efforts to encourage the use of alternate fuels or vehicles, and bike path /recreational trail improvement and expansion. A pilot program to was also included in the Act along with critical environ- mental streamlining provisions that improve the efficiency of project delivery without undermining important environmental goals. Other provisions of TEA -21 support research at University Transportation Centers and allow surface transportation program funds to be used to make sidewalks accessible for individuals with disabilities, additionally making projects that meet Americans with Disability Act requirements eligible for the 90% federal share. Finally, TEA -21 provided for greater flexibility at the state and local level with regards to planning and in some cases made it easier for states and localities to meet the matching requirements for federal grants. The transportation planning process was streamlined and modified to enhance the role of local officials and the public as well. ............... EXPERIENCE THE LEAGUE'S E- CAMPUS ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAM FREE LeaguE- Campus is offering the Preparing for Advocacy course free for a limited time. This overview of advocacy course contains good, solid information to help you become an effective advocate for your city. Preparing forAdvocacy is the first class in the Effective Advocacy Series and in- cludes three additional courses with more in -depth coverage of specific topics related to advocacy. To give you the experience of taking an online course, this sample course is free. View a demo of the course visit www.cacities.org The League Campus Online Learning Program is committed to providing quality educational programs, professional development and training for city officials and staff. The League Campus includes courses, tutorials, resources and general information, and enables League members to access quality programs and information anytime, anywhere. The E- campus is currently offering several program courses designed specifically for city offi- cials. Visit the E- Campus Website at www.cacities.oro/ ad and view the current class listing. Enrollment is open and a free demo for each class is available to preview. LeaguE- Campus enables you to access quality programs anytime, anywhere. Visit the League's Official Web Site -- www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS /PAGE 7 TEA - 21 from page 6a *ee$0 00000 ................... *fee *a......0 *060 BACKGROUND ON TEA -21 support the development of sustainable communities