Highway Safety Improvement Program

Pursuant to Section 148(b) of Title 23, U.S.C., the purpose of the program is to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on public roads. Section 148(c) requires each State to have in effect a Highway Safety Improvement Program as set forth therein, including the development of State strategic highway safety plan. In accordance with the transition provision in Section 1401(e) of SAFETEA-LU, during an interim period, before fiscal year 2007 and until the State develops a SHSP, the Secretary of Transportation shall apportion Highway Safety Improvement Program funds to the States for obligation for the Highway Safety Improvement Program under Section 148 for projects that were eligible for funding under Sections 130 and 152 of Title 23, U.S.C., as in effect on August 9, 2005. The Secretary of Transportation shall approve obligations of funds apportioned under Section 104(b)(5) to carry out projects under Section 148, only if a State has developed and implemented a SHSP as required by Section 148(c). If a State has not developed a SHSP by October 1, 2007, the State shall receive for the Highway Safety Improvement Program for each subsequent fiscal year until the date of development of such plan an amount that equals the amount apportioned to the State for that program for fiscal year 2007.

Section 148(f) of Title 23, U.S.C., as amended by Section 1401 of the SAFETEA-LU, requires that after making an apportionment to the States, the Secretary shall ensure, from amounts made available to carry out Section 148(f) for such fiscal year, that a total of $90,000,000 of such apportionment is set aside by the States, proportionally according to the share of each State of the total amount so apportioned, for use only for construction and operational improvements on high risk rural roads.