Build America Act of 1991

Build America Act of 1991 - Title I: Completion of Interstate System and Interstate Substitute Highway Projects - Approves the estimate forwarded to the Congress by the Secretary of Transportation of the cost of completing the Interstate System (IS). Directs the Secretary to apportion for FY 1993 through 1998 the sums authorized to be appropriated for such years by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 for expenditure on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (NSIDH), using the apportionment factors contained in such approved estimate. Amends such Act to authorize appropriations for IS completion for FY 1994 through 1998.

Specifies that a State which has not completed construction of that portion of the NSIDH which lies within its border by the end of FY 1995 shall not be eligible, effective at the beginning of FY 1996, to receive or apply for funds under such Act until the Secretary agrees that the State has completed such construction, with an exception for States experiencing a natural disaster.

Requires that the sums to be apportioned for FY 1992 through 1995 under such Act for expenditure on substitute highway projects be apportioned using the apportionment factors contained in the report forwarded to the Congress by the Department of Transportation by letter dated September 25, 1990. Authorizes appropriations.

Title II: Obligation Authority - Sets forth Federal obligation limitations for Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs for FY 1992 through 1996, with exceptions.

Sets forth provisions with respect to: (1) the distribution of obligation authority; (2) State obligation limitations; and (3) the redistribution of unused obligation authority.

Title III: Authorization of Appropriations Out of the Highway Trust Fund - Authorizes appropriations for FY 1992 through 1996 out of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for: (1) the Interstate 4R program; (2) the Federal-Aid Primary System; (3) the Federal-Aid Secondary System; (4) the Federal-Aid Urban System; (5) bridge replacement and rehabilitation; (6) hazard elimination; and (7) railroad-highway crossings.

Authorizes appropriations for: (1) forest highways; (2) public lands highways; (3) parkways and park highways; (4) Indian reservation roads; (5) access highways to certain public recreation areas; (6) Federal Highway Administration safety and research programs; and (7) highway use tax evasion projects.

Authorizes appropriations out of the HTF for the Interstate 4R discretionary program and for the discretionary bridge program.

Directs the Secretary to calculate bonus apportionments for each State according to specified formulas based on: (1) the percentage by which such State exceeds the national average in per capita expenditures for highway purposes; (2) adverse weather; (3) the Federal lands adjustment; and (4) low population density. Limits adjustments to a State's total annual apportionment.

Title IV: Program Flexibility - Authorizes States to transfer up to 30 percent of specified highway apportionments (and, with approval of the Secretary, additional amounts) to mass transit and other transportation-related uses.

Title V: Additional Provisions - Amends the Highway Improvement Act of 1982 to continue the Federal-Aid Primary System formula through FY 1996.

Expands the toll pilot program to authorize Federal participation in toll facilities (current law limits Federal participation to nine toll facilities). Authorizes tolls on a facility to be continued indefinitely, without sanction imposed by the Secretary, if, after the recovery of cost, tolls received from the facility less the actual cost of operation and maintenance are used for purposes eligible under such Act.

Authorizes appropriations out of the HTF to the rights-of-way revolving fund.

Deletes specified restrictions with respect to additions to the IS. Specifies that additions to the IS may consist of either toll or free mileage.

Authorizes the Secretary, in any case where sufficient land exists within the publicly acquired rights-of-way of a Federal-aid highway to accommodate rail, including high speed ground transportation and magnetic levitation systems, or non-highway public mass transit facilities (where the accommodation can be accomplished without impairing automotive safety or future highway improvements), to allow a State to make lands and rights-of-way available without charge to a publicly or privately owned mass transit authority or company for such purposes wherever the public interest will be served.

Federal Rural Tourism and Recreational Development Act of 1991 - Declares that it shall be a national goal to provide improved and safe access to public lands to encourage the development of travel and tourism opportunities in support of rural area economic development.

Makes funds available for each class of Federal lands highways available for such purposes as transportation planning for tourism and recreational travel, interpretive signage, development of public road facilities for areas of historical, archeological, cultural, and scenic interests, and construction and reconstruction of roadside rest areas. Makes funds available for forest development roads and trails available for such purposes.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) transfer to the Secretary of the Interior from the appropriations for public lands highways amounts as may be needed to cover necessary administrative costs of the Bureau of Land Management in connection with public lands highways; and (2) authorize Federal-aid highway projects for pedestrian and bicycle facilities to encourage alternative modes of transportation for tourism and recreational purposes.

Authorizes motorized use of trails and walkways as determined by State and local regulations.

Directs the Secretary, on October 1 of each fiscal year, to allocate sums authorized to be appropriated for such fiscal year for access highways to public recreation areas on certain lakes according to the relative needs of such areas.

Authorizes the expenditure of sums authorized under the Transportation Improvement Act of 1991 for recreational travel and tourism projects on forest and public lands development roads and trails that are open to public travel.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish and carry out a tourism and recreational travel technical assistance program in nonurbanized areas; and (2) set aside in FY 1992 $5,000,000 from funds used to administer the Federal Highway Administration for such program.

Requires States using specified funds under the Transportation Improvement Act to have a multipurpose land use statewide driving and recreation travel plan to identify and find solutions to problems related to driving and tourism.

Authorizes the Secretary to permit Federal participation in the refurbishment and operation (currently, limited to construction) of ferry boats. Specifies that, in the case of ferries that serve routes on Federal-aid systems and other routes in an integrated system, such a ferry may operate throughout the entire service area of the ferry system.

Increases the Federal share payable on account of any project in a State by five percentage points, up to a maximum Federal share payable of 95 percent, if the State certifies to the Secretary that it has developed (either statewide or in significant portions of the State) comprehensive plans with mandatory land use and transportation elements.