Transit Agencies

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Survey on Projects of National and Regional Significance (PNRS)
Introduction
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) BURDEN STATEMENT
This collection of information is voluntary and will be used in combination with other
research in a Report to Congress. Public reporting burden is estimated to average 80
hours per State department of transportation response, 40 hours per transit agency
response, 10 hours per tribal government response and 20 hours per multi-state or multijurisdictional group response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information. Please note that an agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it
displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is xxxx.
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of
information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Michael Howell, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Federal Highway Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue,
SE, Washington, DC 20590.
BACKGROUND
Section 1301 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 109-59; 119 Stat. 1144) established a program
to provide grants to States for Projects of National and Regional Significance (PNRS) to
improve the safe, secure, and efficient movement of people and goods throughout the
United States and to improve the health and welfare of the national economy.
The PNRS program was amended under MAP-21, Section 1120 as follows:
 Expands eligible applicants to include a tribal government or consortium of tribal
governments, a transit agency; or a multi-State or multi-jurisdictional group in
addition to State DOTs.
 Reduces the floor on total project costs to $500m or 50 percent of the state’s
apportionment (previously 75 percent).
 Adds evaluation criteria to consider if a project improves roadways vital to national
energy security and removes criteria related to technology.
 Requires USDOT to develop a Report to Congress regarding PNRS. The purpose
of the report is to identify projects of national and regional significance that:
 Will significantly improve the performance of the Federal-aid highway system,
nationally or regionally;
 Generate national economic benefits that reasonably exceed the costs of the
projects, including increased access to jobs, labor, and other critical economic
inputs;
 Reduce long-term congestion, including impacts in the State, region, and the
United States, and increase speed, reliability, and accessibility of the
movement of people or freight; and
 Improve transportation safety, including reducing transportation accidents, and

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serious injuries and fatalities; and can be supported by an acceptable degree
of non-Federal financial commitments.
Under the provisions of MAP-21, $500,000,000 was authorized to be appropriated to
carry out PNRS in fiscal year 2013. While no funds were appropriated in FY13, Section
1120 of MAP-21 requires the Secretary to submit a report to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Environment and Public Works of the Senate regarding PNRS, not later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of the MAP-21. The report will contain a comprehensive list of
each project of national and regional significance that has been compiled through this
survey of State departments of transportation; transit agencies, tribal governments, and
multi-state or multi-jurisdictional groups. The comprehensive list will enable the Secretary
to classify projects of regional or national significance and to develop recommendations
on financing for eligible project costs.
HOW WILL THE SURVEY RESULTS BE USED
This survey is not a solicitation for a grant application. Response to the survey is
voluntary and responding or not responding will not help, harm or directly influence the
Secretary’s evaluation for any future funding or solicitation for specific projects.
The information collected will be used by the Secretary in submitting the required report
to Congress regarding PNRS, in accordance with MAP-21 Section 1120. The analysis to
support the recommendations will include a review of project eligibility and the supporting
information submitted by the respondent. As a minimum, all respondents should provide
qualitative and quantitative information that demonstrates how the project of national or
regional significance meets the requirements outlined in the law.
The government will use the information to categorize the projects in three tiers:
 TIER 1 – Projects in this tier meet the basic eligibility for PNRS. For purposes of this
survey, basic eligibility refers to SAFETEA-LU Section 1301 (c) and (d). In addition,
projects in this tier will also be supported with quantitative data that includes, but is
not be limited to: benefit and cost data; information from preliminary studies and
design documents that supports how the project will reduce congestion and improve
safety and demonstration of non-federal financial commitments.
 TIER 2 - Projects in this tier meet basic eligibility and may be classified as PNRS
subject to additional documentation.
 TIER 3 – Projects in this tier do not meet basic eligibility.
DEFINITIONS
 Eligible Project - Any surface transportation project or set of integrated surface
transportation projects closely related in the function they perform, eligible for
Federal assistance under title 23, United States Code. Projects may include: public
or private rail facilities providing benefits to highway users; surface transportation
infrastructure modifications to facilitate intermodal interchange, transfer, and access
into and out of ports; and other activities eligible under such title.
 Eligible Applicants – Eligible applicants include a State department of
transportation or a group of State departments of transportation; a tribal government
or consortium of tribal governments; a transit agency; or a multi-State or multijurisdictional group of the previously mentioned agency types.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND REFERENCE MATERIALS

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



PNRS Program Information - This page includes links to the PNRS legislation, a list
of projects designated in prior legislation, and links to PNRS Reports to Congress.
MAP-21 Legislation

INSTRUCTIONS
Please answer the survey questions to the best of your abilities and complete the survey
by February 14, 2014.
 Survey Length - There are approximately 20 items in this survey. Your progression
through the survey will be tracked by a bar at the bottom of the screen indicating
percent complete.
 Required Responses - All questions require a response, with the exception of the
last question regarding the uploading of supporting documents. If you are unsure of
a response to a particular question, please indicate that in your response.
 Moving Within the Survey - Where it is allowable, you will be able to move back
and forth within the survey. Please use the "back" and "next" buttons within the
survey itself. Do not use the browser "back" and "forward" buttons as you may lose
your responses.
 Completing the Survey – You cannot exit and return to the survey. Once you exit
the survey, either by closing your browser or clicking the completion button at the
end, you will not be able to return and edit your responses. Please do not close
your browser while completing the survey or your responses will be lost.
 Providing Information for More Than One Project – You will need to complete a
separate survey for each unrelated project. If you would like to submit information
for more than one project, after entering the information for the first project, you will
need to return to the beginning of the survey by re-entering the survey URL into
your browser. This will allow you to complete the survey for another project.
 Forwarding the Survey - If you determine that another person within your agency
has the responsibility for completing the survey on behalf of your agency, please
forward that individual a link to the survey.
QUESTIONS
For questions about this survey contact FHWA’s Office of Freight Management and
Operations at 202-366-2976 or send an email to [email protected]. This survey
is being administered by an independent contractor. For technical assistance in
completing the survey, you may contact their representative via email at [Insert Email
Address] or by phone at [Insert Telephone Number].

1. In order to respond to this survey, you must have the authority to respond on behalf of
your agency. Please check with the appropriate agency personnel to determine if you
may respond to this survey.

Do you have the authority to respond on behalf of your agency?
Yes
No

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2. What type of agency do you represent?
Respondent types are based on eligible applicants as defined in SAFETEA-LU Section
1301 as amended by MAP-21 Section 1120.
(A) State department of transportation or a group of State departments of
transportation
(B) Tribal government or consortium of tribal governments
(C) Transit agency
(D) Multi-State or multi-jurisdictional group of the agencies described in subparagraphs (A) through (C)
3. Please list the name, city, and state of the agency you represent.
Agency Name
Agency Location
4. In what state(s) or U.S. territory is the project located? (Select all that apply in
the case of multistate or multijurisdictional projects.)
Alabama

Illinois

Montana

Puerto Rico

Alaska

Indiana

Nebraska

Rhode Island

Arizona

Iowa

Nevada

South Carolina

Arkansas

Kansas

New Hampshire

South Dakota

California

Kentucky

New Jersey

Tennessee

Colorado

Louisiana

New Mexico

Texas

Connecticut

Maine

New York

Utah

Delaware

Maryland

North Carolina

Vermont

District of
Columbia

Massachusetts

North Dakota

Virginia

Florida

Michigan

Ohio

Washington

Georgia

Minnesota

Oklahoma

West Virginia

Hawaii

Mississippi

Oregon

Wisconsin

Idaho

Missouri

Pennsylvania

Wyoming

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5. Based on your knowledge of the project and the following definition, is the
project being submitted an eligible project?
Eligible project means any surface transportation project or set of integrated surface
transportation projects closely related in the function they perform, eligible for Federal
assistance under title 23, United States Code. Projects may include: public or private rail
facilities providing benefits to highway users; surface transportation infrastructure
modifications to facilitate intermodal interchange, transfer, and access into and out of
ports; and other activities eligible under such title.
Yes
No
6. Project Title

7. Project Description (limited to 1500 characters)

For the following questions, you must describe the project's national or regional
significance. (limited to 1500 characters)
Please provide information in all relevant areas and if available, provide quantifiable
information such as that obtained through preliminary engineering, benefit and cost
analysis, etc. To be classified as a TIER 1 PNRS, information must be provided for
Questions 8-14. Respondents will be given the opportunity to upload supporting
documentation at the end the survey.
8. Briefly describe how the project will significantly improve performance of the Federalaid highway system nationally, or regionally. (limited to 1500 characters)

9. Briefly describe how the project will generate national economic benefits that
reasonably exceed the costs of the project, including increased access to jobs, labor, and
other critical economic inputs. (limited to 1500 characters)

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10. Briefly describe how the project will reduce long-term congestion, including impacts in
the State, region, and the United States, and increase speed, reliability, and accessibility
of the movement of people or freight. (limited to 1500 characters)

11. Briefly describe how the project will improve transportation safety, including reducing
transportation accidents, and serious injuries and fatalities. (limited to 1500 characters)

12. What percentage of this project will be funded by non-Federal funds?

13. Please describe the level of non-Federal funding sources to construct,
maintain, and operate the infrastructure facility. Include a description of key
stakeholders you anticipate providing financial support for this project. (limited to
1500 characters)

14. What is the estimated total project cost?
To be considered a PNRS-eligible project, the total project cost must be the lower of
$500M or 50 percent of the amount of Federal highway assistance funds apportioned to

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the State in which the project is located. See PNRS Table for a listing of the amount of
Federal highway assistance funds per state.

15. Please provide your contact information.
Name
Agency
Phone
Email
16. Please upload any information that would help to support your survey
response. If you have multiple files please combine them into one zip file. The
maximum file size that can be uploaded is 16MB.

Thank you for completing this survey on Projects of National and Regional Significance.
Clicking the "Next" button on this screen will complete the questionnaire. You will not be
able to return. If there is anything you wish to add or change, please use the back button
now to return to the questionnaire.
Once you click the "Next" button, you will receive a summary of your responses that you
can print for your records.
To submit information for another project, please complete a new survey using the
following link:

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