Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) was a major federal law enacted in 2012 that authorized funding and established policy for the nation's surface transportation programs. It provided over $105 billion in funding for federal-aid highways and transit programs through fiscal year 2014. The legislation aimed to reform and consolidate programs, accelerate project delivery, and strengthen the national transportation network.

Background and legislative history

The law was developed during a period of significant political division in the 112th United States Congress, following multiple short-term extensions of the previous authorization, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Key legislative architects included John L. Mica, then-chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Barbara Boxer, chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The bill's passage was heavily influenced by advocacy from groups like the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and it was signed into law by President Barack Obama at a ceremony in the White House.

Major provisions

MAP-21 consolidated numerous discretionary programs into a more streamlined structure focused on national goals like infrastructure condition, congestion reduction, and freight movement. It created the new National Highway Performance Program to support the Interstate Highway System and other major roads. The act established a Federal Highway Administration pilot program for innovative financing known as the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) expansion. It also mandated performance-based planning for states and metropolitan planning organizations, requiring targets for safety on highways like the NHTSA-monitored network. Significant policy changes were made to the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program for projects like the Second Avenue Subway.

Funding and budgetary impact

The act authorized approximately $105 billion over 27 months, drawing primarily from the Highway Trust Fund, which is funded by federal gasoline and diesel taxes. It maintained funding levels from previous years but did not address the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund, a concern highlighted by the Congressional Budget Office. Provisions included the continuation of the Equal Employment Opportunity program and adjustments to funding for territories like Puerto Rico. The legislation also altered the distribution formulas for programs benefiting states such as California and Texas.

Implementation and reception

Implementation was overseen by the United States Department of Transportation under Secretary Ray LaHood and later Anthony Foxx. The act was generally praised by entities like the American Road & Transportation Builders Association for providing funding certainty and by the American Public Transportation Association for supporting transit. However, some critics, including the EPA and groups like the Sierra Club, argued that environmental review streamlining under provisions like Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act went too far. The performance measurement mandates prompted significant action from state departments of transportation, including those in New York and the Florida Department of Transportation.

See also

* Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 * Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act * Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act * Transportation in the United States * Infrastructure policy of the Barack Obama administration

Category:United States federal transportation legislation Category:112th United States Congress Category:2012 in American law