The Supporting Statement
Federal Lands Highway Program; Management Systems Pertaining to the National Park Service and the Park Roads and Parkways Program; Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Reservation Roads Program; Fish and Wildlife Service and the Refuge Roads Program; and Forest Service and the Forest Highway Program
This is a request for OMB clearance for a renewal of an information collection entitled "Federal Lands Highway Program; Management Systems Pertaining to the National Park Service and the Park Roads and Parkways Program; Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Reservation Roads Program; Fish and Wildlife Service and the Refuge Roads Program; and the Forest Service and Forest Highway Program."
1. Circumstances that make collection of information necessary:
Title 23 U.S.C. §204 requires the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of each appropriate Federal land management agency to develop, to the extent appropriate, safety, bridge, pavement, and congestion management systems for roads funded under the Federal Lands Highway Program (FLHP). A management system is a process for collecting, organizing, and analyzing data to provide a strategic approach to transportation planning, program development, and project selection. Its purposes are to improve transportation system performance and safety, and to develop alternative strategies for enhancing mobility of people and goods. This data collection clearance addresses the management systems for the National Park Service (NPS) and the Park Roads and Parkways (PRP) Program; Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) Program; Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Refuge Roads (RR) Program; and Forest Service (FS) and the Forest Highway (FH) Program. Outputs from the management systems are important tools for the development of transportation plans and transportation improvement programs, and in making project selection decisions under 23 U.S.C. §204. Further, management system outputs also provide important information to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for their stewardship and oversight roles for the PRP, IRR, RR, and FH Programs.
The data collection required to implement these management systems supports two Department of Transportation (DOT) strategic goals, namely Safety and Congestion Reduction, and the DOT’s Organizational Excellence Goal. The data collection also directly supports strategic goals in the FHWA’s Strategic Implementation Plan in the areas of Safety, Mobility and Productivity, and Organizational Excellence. Further, the data collection supports the FHWA Vital Few in the emphasis areas of Safety and Congestion Mitigation. These areas represent two of the three most important strategic planning and performance goals for the agency.
2. How, by whom, and for what purpose is the information used:
The information collected is used for four principal purposes. They are: (1) to help the NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS determine on an annual basis the degree to which transportation system performance and safety are improving or not; (2) to help the NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS determine appropriate strategies for improving the mobility of persons using the PRP, IRR, RR, and FH systems; (3) to help FHWA fulfill its stewardship role in determining the effectiveness of the use of PRP, IRR, RR, and FH program resources to improve system performance, safety and the mobility of people and goods; and (4) to help FHWA fulfill its oversight role in ensuring that the PRP, IRR, RR, and FH programs meet all applicable requirements of Title 23 and its implementing regulations.
Continuation of the data clearance is being sought by the FHWA on behalf of the NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS. The information is collected and used by the NPS, BIA (in consultation with the tribes), FWS, FS, and FHWA based on management system implementation plans developed by the NPS, BIA (in consultation with the tribes), FWS, and FS, working jointly with the FHWA. The information collection involves the gathering and use of information in the four management systems: Pavement, Bridge, Safety, and Congestion Management.
Information in all of the management systems is used in the development of PRP, IRR, RR, and FH transportation plans and transportation improvement programs, and in the selection of projects under 23 U.S.C.§204. The pavement management system information is used to evaluate pavement condition and performance, and to report the percentage of Park Roads and Parkways, Indian Reservation Roads, Refuge Roads, and Forest Highways in good, fair, or poor condition. In addition, the information is used to evaluate alternate strategies and costs to improve pavement conditions. This evaluation leads to the development of a prioritized list of candidate projects over a predetermined planning horizon.
Congestion management system information helps determine the viability of strategies for the reduction of private automobile travel and improving existing transportation system efficiency.
3. Extent of automated information collection:
The NPS, BIA, FWS, FS, and FHWA are working cooperatively, including with the tribes, to provide specific mechanisms that promote web-based or other automated or electronic means for collecting and transmitting the data. Currently, all of the bridge management system data that is collected directly by the NPS, BIA, FWS and FS is submitted electronically to the FHWA according to a standardized data format consistent with the NBIS under 23 CFR 650, Subpart C. This same electronic submission procedure would be used by state, local or tribal agencies that submit bridge management system information. Similarly, the other management systems are being developed with standardized data formats that are readily made available to states, counties or tribes for use in making electronic data submissions. The capabilities and resources among the tribes and of many rural, local entities vary widely with regard to electronic data submissions. Initially, if data are provided by states, counties or tribal governments, the FHWA anticipates that not more than 25 percent of data submissions will be by electronic means. The FHWA will continue to monitor submissions and provide assistance to improve the rate of electronic submissions,as systems are more fully implemented.
4. Efforts to identify duplication:
The information collected for the management systems does not duplicate any existing data. The rulemaking establishing the management systems provides that the NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS may use available data sources to meet the data collection requirements of the management systems. State, county or tribally-owned roads comprise significant portions of the Indian Reservation Roads and Forest Highway systems. Management system information is sometimes collected by states, counties, or tribes, and will be used whenever it is available to avoid a duplication of efforts.
5. Efforts to minimize the burden on small businesses:
In addition to the basic data collection done by each of the Federal land management agencies, the need for any additional collection of information is focused on state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), regional transportation planning agencies, county and local governments, and the tribes. Thus, there is no impact on small businesses.
6. Impact of less frequent collection of information:
The recurring, periodic collection of information is crucial to evaluating the system conditions on a long-term basis. Any less frequent collection of the information would not provide the FHWA, NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS the quality and quantity of data needed to adequately determine the effectiveness of the use of PRP, IRR, RR, and FH program resources and needs.
7. Special circumstances:
There are no special circumstances related to this information collection.
Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.8:
On February 13, 2007, (Vol.72, No. 29, page 6803) the FHWA published a Notice of Request for Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection that included a request for comments from the public concerning all aspects of the information collection renewal. No comments were received.
9. Payments or gifts to respondents:
There will be no payments or gifts to the respondents.
10. Assurance of confidentiality:
Information being collected is data related to pavement, bridges, safety, and congestion management. The majority of this information is not confidential. However, some information to be collected for the NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS safety management systems may be confidential crash data. Any such confidential data will be protected by the FHWA, NPS, BIA, FWS, and FS from improper dissemination, as appropriate.
11. Justification for collection of sensitive information:
The information to be collected will not be sensitive in nature.
12. Estimate of burden hours for information requested:
a) National Park Service management systems.
The burden estimate for the NPS management systems is 3,000 hours annually. A measurable level of effort may be required of non-Federal entities to provide management system information for the safety and congestion management systems. A similar level of effort is not anticipated for the pavement and bridge management systems, since the entire Park Roads and Parkways system is under the jurisdiction of the NPS. For the safety and congestion management systems, burden was determined by assigning 40 hours of burden to potential state or MPO, regional transportation planning agency, county, local or tribal government respondents. Hour estimates were based on the need to collect data on a portion of the system each year. For estimating purposes, the number of average annual respondents for the NPS management systems is 35 states and 40 MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments. Using this method, the burden for the states is 1,400 hours; and for the MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments is 1,600 hours. The estimated cost of the data collection is based on mean hourly wage rates published in June 2005 by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics in the “National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, 2005.” The most relevant category of occupations is civil engineers in state and local government. The mean hourly wage rate for civil engineers is $32.45 per hour. This yields a cost estimate for the burden hours of $97,350.
b) Bureau of Indian Affairs management systems.
The burden estimate for the BIA management systems is 5,100 hours annually. A measurable level of effort may be required by non-Federal entities to collect information for these management systems since large portions of the Indian Reservation Road system are owned by States, counties or tribal governments. Hour estimates were assigned based on the need to collect data on a portion of the system each year. Sixty hours of burden were assigned to potential respondents. For estimating purposes, the number of average annual respondents for the BIA management systems is 35 states and 50 MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments. Using this method, the burden for states is 2,100 hours; and for MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments is 3,000 hours. The estimated cost of the data collection is based on mean hourly wage rates published in June 2005 by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics in the “National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, 2005.” The most relevant category of occupations is civil engineers in State and local governments. The mean hourly wage rate for civil engineers is $32.45 per hour. This yields a cost estimate for the burden hours of $165,495.
c) Fish and Wildlife Service management systems.
The burden estimate for the FWS management systems is 1,500 hours annually. A measurable level of effort may be required of non-Federal entities to provide management system information for the safety and congestion management systems. A similar level of effort is not anticipated for the pavement and bridge management systems, since the Refuge Road system is under the jurisdiction of the FWS. For the safety and congestion management systems, burden was determined by assigning 20 hours of burden to potential state or MPO, regional transportation planning agency, county, local or tribal government respondents. Hour estimates were based on the need to collect data on a portion of the system each year. For estimating purposes, the number of average annual respondents for the FWS management systems is 35 States and 40 MPOs. Using this method, the burden for the States is 700 hours; and for the MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments is 800 hours. The estimated cost of the data collection is based on mean hourly wage rates published in June 2005 by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics in the “National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, 2005.” The most relevant category of occupations is civil engineers in State and local government. The mean hourly wage rate for civil engineers is $32.45 per hour. This yields a cost estimate for the burden hours of $48,675.
d) Forest Service management systems.
The burden estimate for the FS management systems is 5,100 hours annually. A measurable level of effort may be required by non-Federal entities to collect information for these management systems since large portions of the Forest Highway system are owned by States or counties. Hour estimates were assigned based on the need to collect data on a portion of the system each year. Sixty hours of burden were assigned to potential respondents. For estimating purposes, the number of average annual respondents for the FS management systems is 35 States and 50 MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments. Using this method, the burden for States is 2,100; hours and for MPOs, regional transportation planning agencies, counties, local or tribal governments is 3000 hours. The estimated cost of the data collection is based on mean hourly wage rates published in June 2005 by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics in the “National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, 2005.” The most relevant category of occupations is civil engineers in State and local government. The mean hourly wage rate for civil engineers is $32.45 per hour. This yields a cost estimate for the burden hours of $165,495.
e) Total burden estimate.
Based on the above information, the total burden estimate for the management systems for the four agencies is 14,700 hours annually. This yields a total estimated cost for the burden hours of $477,015.
13. Estimate of total annual costs to respondents:
There will be no costs to the respondents.
14. Estimate of cost to the Federal government:
Annual program management costs for the Federal government total $7,175. This cost is based on an annual average of 125 hours to administer the program at an average hourly cost of $57.40.
15. Explanation of program changes or adjustments:
This is a renewal of an existing information collection. There is not an overall program change, however, there is a downward adjustment of the burden estimate from the previous information collection approval based on the current status of the FLHP management systems. The original burden estimate was based on full implementation of all FLHP management systems within the time period of the initial information collection approval. In practice, the management systems are being phased in as implementation plans are completed, systems developed, and data collected and analyzed. During the time period covered by the proposed information collection renewal, implementation of the management systems will continue. While burden may increase as the additional systems come on line, the new burden estimates reflect an overall average lower burden over the time period of the renewal than had been previously estimated.
16. Publication of results of data collection:
Currently, the FHWA, NPS, BIA, FWS, FS do not anticipate publishing the collected data.
17. Approval for not displaying the expiration date of OMB approval:
Approval for not displaying the expiration date is not being requested.
18. Exceptions to certification statement:
No exceptions to the certification statement are being requested.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | (Supporting Statement Template for FHWA |
| Author | AKENNEDY |
| Last Modified By | FHWA |
| File Modified | 2007-04-19 |
| File Created | 2007-03-28 |