[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 122 (Monday, June 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36384-36386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5663]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Highway Administration
[Docket No. FHWA-2006-25066]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments
for New Information Collection
AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION. We are required to public this notice in the Federal
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Please submit comments by August 25, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT DMS Docket Number
FHWA-2006-25066 by any of the following methods:
Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room 401
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning the Truck
Parking Initiatives Grant Program, please contact William F. Mahorney,
Office of Freight Management and Operation, HOFM-1, at (202) 366-6817,
Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC
20590. Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Truck Parking Initiative.
Background
The shortage of long-term truck parking on the National Highway
System (NHS) is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is nationally
recognized that truck drivers frequently cannot find adequate, safe
parking in order to obtain rest needed to comply with the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Regulations and ensure safety. Further, parking areas
are often designed or maintained for short-term parking only, and as a
result, allow parking for limited time periods. Section 1305 of the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, and Transportation Equity Act:
A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) directed the Secretary of
Transportation to establish a Pilot program to address the long-term
parking shortages along the NHS. eligible projects under section 1305
include:
1. Promoting the real-time dissemination of publicly or privately
provided commercial motor vehicle parking availability on the NHS using
ITS and other means;
2. Opening non-traditional facilities to commercial motor vehicle
parking, including inspection and weigh stations, and park and ride
facilities;
3. Making capital improvements to public commercial motor vehicle
parking facilities currently closed on a seasonal basis to allow the
facilities to remain open year round;
4. Constructing turnouts along the NHS to facilitate commercial
motor vehicle access to parking facilities, and/or improving the
geometric design of interchanges to improve access to commercial motor
vehicle parking facilities;
5. Constructing commercial motor vehicle parking facilities
adjacent to commercial truck stops and travel plazas;
6. Constructing safety rest areas that include parking for
commercial motor Vehicles.
It is the belief of FHWA that given the limited resources
available, the broad dissemination of the availability of public or
private long-term parking spaces provides the greatest opportunity to
maximize the effectiveness of this pilot program.
[[Page 36385]]
Guidelines and Administration
To administer this program for fiscal years 2006 through 2009, the
GHWA will collection information necessary to evaluate and rank
projects. The information collection is intended to only address the
project funding allotted through the program.
1. The Administrator has determined that $5.385 million is
available for grants in FY 2006 under section 1305, after obligation
limitations.
2. Projects funded under this section shall be treated as projects
on a Federal-Aid System under Chapter 1 of Title 23, United States
Code.
3. Grants may be funded at an 80 to 100 percent funding level based
on the criteria specified in section 120 of Title 23, U.S. Code.
As soon as practicable, a Federal Register Notice will be published
with information and guidance relating to the application process.
Also, a solicitation letter will be sent to all FHWA Division Offices
containing the same information. This information will also be posted
on the FHWA Web site, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/. All applications must
be submitted thru a State Department of Transportation to FHWA's Office
of Freight Management and Operations, via the FHWA Division Office in
the State in which the application was submitted. Awarded projects will
be administered by the applicable State Department of Transportation as
a Federal aid grant.
Information Proposed for Collection
Information recommended under SAFETEA-LU and proposed for the
current program includes the following:
1. Project Description. The proposal should include a detailed
project description, which would include the extent of the long-term
truck parking shortage in the corridor/area to be addressed, along with
contact information for the project's primary point of contact, and
whether funds are being requested under 120 U.S.C. (b) or (c) or Title
23. Data helping to define the shortage may include truck volume
(Average Daily Truck Traffic--ADTT) in the corridor to be addressed,
current number of long-term commerical motor vehicle parking spaces,
utilization of current long-term parking spaces, driver surveys,
observational field studies, proximity to freight loading/unloading
facilities, proximity to the NHS, etc.
2. Project Rationale. The proposal should set forth the rationale
for the project and should include an analysis and demonstration of how
the proposed project will positively affect truck parking, safety,
traffic, congestion, or air quality in the identified corridor.
Examples may include: Advance information on availability of parking
that may help to reduce the number of trucks parked on roadsides and
increase the utilization of available truck parking spaces, etc.
3. Scope of work. The scope of work should include a complete
listing of activities to be funded through the grant; including
technology development, information processing, information integration
activities, developmental phase activities (planning, feasibility
analysis, environmental review, engineering or design work, and other
activities), construction, reconstruction, acquisition of real property
(including land related to the project and improvements to land),
environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of
equipment, and operational improvements. Also to be included should be
a 3-year performance measurement plan that continues beyond the
demonstration period of the project.
4. Stakeholder identification. Stakeholder identification should
include evidence of prior consultation and/or partnership with affected
MPOs, local governments, community groups, private providers of
commercial motor vehicle parking, and motorist and trucking
organizations. It should include a listing of all public and private
partners, and the role each will play in the execution of the project.
Consultation examples may include: Memorandums of Agreement,
Memorandums of Understanding, contracts, meeting minutes, letters of
support/commitment, documentation in a State's TIPS/STIPS plans, etc.
5. Cost estimate: Applicants should provide a detailed
quantification of eligible project costs by activity, and
identification of all funding sources that will supplement the grant
and be necessary to fully fund the project, and the anticipated dates
on which the additional funds are to be made available. Public and
private sources of funds (non-Federal commitment) will be considered by
FHWA as an in-kind match contributing to the project. State matching
funds will be required for projects eligible under 120 U.S.C. (b).
6. Timeline. Applicants should also submit a timeline that includes
work to be completed and anticipated funding cycles. Gantt charts are
preferred.
7. Environmental process. Applicants should show the timeline for
complying with the national Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if
applicable.
8. Project map. Applicants should include a project map consisting
of schematic illustrations depicting the project and connecting
transportation infrastructure.
9. Proposals should not exceed 20 pages in length.
Burden Hours for Information Collection
Frequency: Annual.
Respondents: The 50 State DOTs and Puerto Rico and the District of
Columbia.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: Burden hours estimates and
discussions are provided for each item presented and required within
the application submittal process.
Project Description: 16 hours.
The project description will be submitted through the
submitting State agency, in conjunction with local governments, MPO's
and other potential partners.
Project Rationale: 8 hours.
[cir] Project rationale should include an analysis and
demonstration of how the proposed project will positively effect truck
parking, safety, traffic congestion, or air quality in the identified
corridor.
Scope of Work: 16 hours.
[cir] A complete listing of activities to be funded through the
grant; including technology development, information processing,
information integration activities, developmental phase activities
(planning, feasibility analysis, environmental review, engineering or
design work, and other activities), construction, reconstruction,
acquisition of real property (including land related to the project and
improvements to land), environmental mitigation, construction
contingencies, acquisition of equipment, operational improvements, and
a 3-year performance measurement plan that continues beyond the
demonstration period of the project.
Stakeholder Identification: 1 hour.
[cir] Evidence of prior consultation and/or partnership with
affected MPOs, local governments, community groups, private providers
of commercial motor vehicle parking, and motorist and trucking
organizations. A listing of all public and private partners, and the
role each will play in the execution of the project should also be
included.
Cost estimate: 4 hours.
[cir] A detailed quantification of eligible project costs by
activity, and an identification of all funding sources that will
supplement the grant and be necessary to fully fund the project, and
the anticipated dates on which the additional funds are to be made
available. Public and private sources of funds (non-federal commitment)
will be considered. State matching funds will
[[Page 36386]]
be required for projects eligible under 120 U.S.C. (b).
Project Timeline: 1 hour 30 minutes.
[cir] That includes work to be completed and anticipated funding
cycles. Gantt charts preferred.
Environmental process: 2 hours.
[cir] Applicant should show the timeline for complying with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if applicable.
Project Map: 1 hour.
[cir] Consisting of schematic illustrations depicting the project
and connecting transportation infrastructure.
Contact information of the State DOT, Local Agency or MPO
(if applicable), FHWA Division Office. 5 minutes.
[cir] This requires providing a list of contracts and involves a
nominal amount of time.
The total amount of time estimated to complete the application is
49 hours and 35 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1487 total burden hours. It is
estimated 30 applications will be processed annually.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information.
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.
James R. Kabel,
Chief, Management Programs and Analysis Division.
[FR Doc. 06-5663 Filed 6-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-22-M