HIGHWAYSFORLIFE Sup Statement 2009[1]

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

Introduction:

Name of the information collection (IC): Highways for LIFE Incentive Funding for Federal-aid Projects Application

Part A. Justification.

1. Circumstances that make collection of information necessary:

Starting in 2006 the FHWA will solicit for Highways for LIFE Projects from State Departments of Transportation (DOT) candidate projects for incentive funding. The Highways for LIFE Pilot Program was enacted in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for User (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005. Section 1502 describes the pilot program. Specifically, the statute states:

(b) PROJECTS.—

(1) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to participate in the pilot program, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application that is in such form and contains such information as the Secretary requires. Each application shall contain a description of proposed projects to be carried by the State under the pilot program.

The Federal-aid highways projects built with Highways for LIFE incentive roads will incorporate technologies and innovations that result in improved safety, reduced construction congestion and improved quality. This new information collection supports the DOT Strategic Goals for Safety and Mobility

2. How, by whom, and for what purpose is the information used:

Project applications will be solicited annually beginning in 2006. The form will be completed by State DOT and submitted electronically to the FHWA Division Office, which will forward the form to the Office of Infrastructure, Highways for LIFE Program. The application will be evaluated using the Selection Criteria in SAFETEA-LU Section 1502 (b) (4).

3. Extent of automated information collection:

The project application form completion, submission, evaluation, selection and notification will be done completely electronically.

4. Efforts to identify duplication:

There is no duplication or existing source for the information to be collected.

5. Efforts to minimize the burden on small businesses:

The required information for Highways for LIFE project funding will be solicited from the State DOTs only. This collection of information will not impact any small businesses.

6. Impact of less frequent collection of information:

An annual solicitation is necessary to provide sufficient time and to give the maximum opportunity to all State DOTs to receive Highways for LIFE project incentive funding.

7. Special circumstances: There are no special circumstances related to this information collection.

8. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.8:

The FHWA published a Federal Register notice on September 29, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 189) Page 56627-56628. No comments were received from the public.

9. Payments or gifts to respondents:

Payments or gifts will not be provided to State DOTs for submitting their applications for Highways for LIFE project funding.

10. Assurance of confidentiality:

The information to be collected is not considered to be confidential.

11. Justification for collection of sensitive information: This information collection will not involve questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimate of burden hours for information requested:

Number of respondents: 52 State DOTs including Puerto Rico and DC

Frequency of responses: annually beginning in 2006

Estimated total number of responses: 30 each year

Estimated respondent burdens: 8 hours per application

Total estimated burden hours: 240 hours annually

13. Estimate of total annual costs to respondents:

Total capital/start-up costs: 0

Operation/maintenance: 0

14. Estimate of cost to the Federal government: The estimated cost to the Federal government is $25,000.00, which would cover the FHWA staff and contractor costs to develop the electronic form, collect the information and evaluate the candidate projects.

15. Explanation of program changes or adjustments:

There is no program change or adjustment.

16. Publication of results of data collection:

The information submitted to the FHWA on the applications will not be published.

17. Approval for not displaying the expiration date of OMB approval: There is no such request for this information collection.

18. Exceptions to certification statement: There are no exceptions to the certification statement for this collection.

Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods: Not Applicable