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Sources of funding

Getting financial support for safety projects is often difficult. So it's important to know where to look for potential sources of funding. This section will start with the "big picture" to show you the federal and state programs that may be used to finance roadway safety projects. Next, we'll look at how much of this money goes to each state and who generally controls the use of these funds. Finally, we'll describe your opportunities as a citizen to influence the priorities and funding decisions in your region by participating in the metropolitan planning process.

The big picture

Table 3-1 lists the major federal highway programs and their funding levels from 1998 through 2003, the life of the latest surface transportation bill, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Safety projects can receive funds transferred from major highway programs such as the National Highway System, Interstate Maintenance, Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement, Surface Transportation Program, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality. However, states or metropolitan planning organizations must request the transfer.

Safety set-aside

Funds are also specifically set aside to support roadway safety activities. Ten percent of the Surface Transportation Program—approximately $685 million per year—is earmarked for hazard elimination and highway railroad grade crossing safety. Hazard elimination funds are used to resolve safety problems at high-accident locations. Railroad highway grade crossing funds are used to reduce the number of fatalities, injuries, and crashes at public highway railroad grade crossings. The funds are divided between the programs and administered by state transportation departments. Table 3-2 indicates the level of funding set aside for these programs in each state. Remember that roadway safety can also be funded by the larger programs described in the previous paragraph and by other sources of funds which will be described below. The key is to convince states and metropolitan planning organizations that control these funds that roadway safety is a top priority and should be advanced.

Other sources of funds

Two transfer provisions in TEA-21 could be another source of funds. States without laws banning open containers of alcohol in vehicles by October 1, 2000, must transfer 1.5% percent of their highway construction funds to drunk driving countermeasure and enforcement programs or the Hazard Elimination program. By October 2002, the transfer is increased to 3% if they still have not passed "Open Container" laws.

Another transfer provision targets states that haven't enacted a Repeat Offender Intoxicated Driver law by October 1, 2000. States without these laws must transfer 1.5% of their highway construction funds to drunk driving countermeasure and enforcement programs or the Hazard Elimination program. The transfer increases to 3% by 2002. In addition, TEA-21 gives states the flexibility to use Occupant Protection Incentive grants for roadway safety and other highway programs.

The Governor's Highway Safety Representatives in each state will play an important role in the decision about whether transfer or Occupant Protection funds are made available for roadway safety. In some cases, decisions are made jointly by the governor's representative and the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

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