Surface Transportation Act of 1982

Surface Transportation Act of 1982 - Title I: Highway Revenue Act of 1982 - Amends the Highway Revenue Act of 1956 to extend the period for which taxes may go into the Highway Trust Fund until April 1, 1990. Makes expenditures available from such Fund until October 1, 1991, to meet obligations of the Federal-aid highway program. Makes conforming amendments to the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965.

Establishes a Transit Account within the Highway Trust Fund to consist of amounts attributable after March 31, 1983, to one cent per gallon user fees on diesel fuel, special motor fuels, and gasoline under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Requires such amounts to be spent according to provisions of the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964.

Extends the authority for the user fees transferred into the Fund from October 1, 1984, until April 1, 1990.

Increases the rate of tax on gasoline, diesel and special motor fuels from four cents per gallon to nine cents per gallon. Repeals the tax on diesel and special motor fuel which is used in off-highway vehicles.

Increases the manufacturers' excise tax on trucks and trailers from ten percent to 12 percent. Increases the taxable threshold weight from 10,000 pounds to 33,000 pounds. Increases the manufacturers' excise tax on truck parts and accessories from eight percent to 12 percent.

Repeals the excise tax on highway tires weighing less than 100 pounds and on inner tubes. Changes the manufacturers' excise tax on tires from 9.75 cents a pound for all tires to 25 cents a pound for tires weighing more than 100 pounds. Increases the manufacturers' excise tax on tread rubber from five cents a pound to 25 cents a pound.

Repeals the manufacturers' excise tax on lubricating oil.

Revises the heavy vehicle use tax to provide a graduated rate of tax for vehicles weighing 55,000 pounds and up. Exempts vehicles which travel less than 2,500 miles on Federal-aid highways.

Provides a tax credit for gasoline used for nonhighway uses.

Imposes a floor stocks tax on specified products held by dealers for sale.

Provides that certain exemptions from user fees expire on April 1, 1990.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to study alternatives to the heavy vehicle user fees and report to Congress within two years of enactment of this title. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to permit States to assist in the collection or enforcement of such tax.

Title II: Federal- Aid Highway Reauthorization Act of 1982 - Amends the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 to revise the authorization of appropriations for the Interstate Highway System for FY 1984 through 1991.

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to apportion for FY 1985 and 1986 the sums authorized to be appropriated for expenditures on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways according to specified factors.

Authorizes appropriations from the Highway Trust Fund for FY 1983 through 1988 for: (1) the Federal-aid primary system in rural areas; (2) the Federal-aid urban system; (3) forest highways; (4) public lands highways; (5) parkways and park highways; (6) Indian reservation highways; (7) bridge replacement and rehabilitation; (8) the highway safety improvement program; and (9) substitute highway projects.

Amends the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1978 to authorize appropriations for the interstate system resurfacing for FY 1984 through 1989. Sets aside funding for the rehabilitation of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Virginia.

Revises the definition of the term construction to include costs incurred by States in performing Federal-aid project related audits which directly benefit the Federal-aid highway program.

Allows Federal participation in the relocation of utilities for the purpose of eliminating hazards on the Federal-aid system.

Revises the interstate withdrawal and substitution process for the Federal-aid system. Makes any route or segment added to the Interstate System after March 7, 1978, ineligible for withdrawal or substitution.

Eliminates the priority primary program and the connector primary demonstration program.

Sets forth provisions to assure a State's FY 1984 and 1985 apportionments for resurfacing and construction notwithstanding enactment of this Act.

Repeals requirements for specified reports under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1978. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress in January 1983, and biennially thereafter, on estimates of the future highway needs of the Nation.

Eliminates the requirement for the Secretary to establish guidelines for the Federal-aid system to conform to provisions of the Clean Air Act.

Permits vending machines on the interstate system without cost to the Federal Government.

Directs the Secretary to establish procedures for the inspection and approval of construction on Federal-aid projects. Eliminates requirements for a final inspection of such projects.

Permits construction by States of highway substitute and bridge projects in advance of such apportioned funds.

Repeals provisions requiring payments to States for bond retirement.

Permits the Secretary to withhold project approval for projects in specific areas within a State, or for the entire State, where the Secretary finds that a project is not being properly maintained. (Present law requires the Secretary to withhold funds for the entire State).

Revises the certification acceptance program to eliminate the requirement for the Secretary to make final inspections. Authorizes the Secretary to delegate to State highway departments any of his responsibilities under any Federal law, except those involving civil rights and authority over bridges over navigable waters.

Revises the Interstate Discretionary Fund to authorize the Secretary to give priority to interstate projects of unusually high cost in relation to a State's apportionment, and to projects which contribute to the completion of an Interstate segment.

Sets forth provisions for program consolidation.

Revises provisions for emergency relief due to natural disasters or catastrophic failures to limit the amounts payable for emergency relief.

Requires each State to establish commercial motor vehicle weights in accordance with weights specified in Federal law.

Allows toll financing of new highway construction projects. Eliminates the toll road provisions under the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1978.

Amends the Department of Transportation Act of 1966 to change references to historic sites to references to National Historic Landmarks.

Requires equal employment opportunities for highway projects without regard to sex. Authorizes the Secretary to conduct and finance training and assistance programs for socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Makes funds available for such purposes.

Authorizes the withholding of apportioned funds from any State which does not enforce the heavy vehicle use tax.

Sets forth apportionment formulas for the highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation program.

Allows States to transfer funds allocated to one urbanized area to another such area within the State.

Revises the highway safety improvement program by combining existing safety categories.

Requires the Secretary to conduct an interagency environmental process review.

Establishes a Federal Lands Highways Program for oversight of forest highways, park roads, parkways, Indian reservation roads, and public lands highways.

Revises apportionments for research and planning projects and sets forth the Federal share payable for such projects.

Authorizes the Secretary to cooperate with State highway and transportation departments and certain organizations without regard to provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Establishes the obligation limitation for FY 1983 Federal-aid highways and highway safety construction programs. Exempts from such limitation emergency relief projects, certain bridge demonstration projects, and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and Union Station projects.

Allows light truck traffic and limited commercial truck traffic on the Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia.

Transfers the functions, powers, and duties of the Appalachian Regional Commission that relate to the Appalachian Development Highway System to the Secretary of Transportation.

Eliminates the authority of the Federal Highway Administrator to regulate the rate of tolls on bridges.

Authorizes the Secretary to approve projects for the reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge by Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Prohibits the Secretary from approving any such project until the three jurisdictions accept title to their portions of the bridge without monetary consideration.

Title III: Amendments to the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 - Transit Assistance Authorization Act of 1982 - Amends the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to prohibit a discretionary capital grant or loan from being made by the Secretary of Transportation unless the applicant has sufficient capability to maintain the facilities and equipment purchased with such grant or loan. Decreases the Federal share of such grants and loans.

Authorizes appropriations, beginning in FY 1983, for administrative costs necessary to carry out the functions of such Act.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1984 through 1988 for the: (1) discretionary capital grant program; (2) innovative methods and techniques program; (3) planning program; (4) urbanized area capital formula program; (5) program to meet special needs of the elderly and handicapped; (6) formula grant program for other than urbanized areas; and (7) capital formula program for areas other than urbanized areas.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983 through 1988 for: (1) research, development, and demonstration projects; (2) grants for managerial, technical and professional training programs; (3) grants for research and training in urban transportation problems; and (4) grants for the establishment and operation of transportation centers at nonprofit institutions of higher learning.

Authorizes appropriations for formula grants for FY 1982 through 1984 for: (1) urban mass transit; (2) construction or operating assistance; and (3) commuter rail and fixed guideway systems. Provides that any such unobligated or deobligated funds shall be added to amounts available for certain other capital grant programs.

Declares that apportionments for FY 1975 shall lapse on September 30, 1977, and apportionments for FY 1976 shall lapse on September 30, 1978.

Prohibits the Secretary from approving a project for the payment of operating expenses of urban mass transit services after September 30, 1984.

Repeals provisions that require that rates charged elderly and handicapped persons for transportation during non-peak hours be no more than one-half of peak hour full fares.

Establishes a capital formula program for urbanized areas to finance the planning, acquisition, construction, and improvement of facilities, equipment, and spare parts for transit vehicles in mass transportation service. Prohibits the use of such grants for the construction or extension of fixed-guideway systems other than exclusive facilities for buses. Exempts from such prohibition projects already agreed upon for the District of Columbia metropolitan area. Provides a procedure for receiving and distributing assistance under such program.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to establish a benchmark price representing the maximum Federal participation for the acquisition of buses.

Transfers the enforcement of labor standards for construction projects funded by the Department of Transportation from the Secretary of Labor to the Secretary of Transportation.

Includes the capital formula programs for urbanized areas and for non-urbanized areas within the reporting system and uniform system of accounts.

Makes technical amendments to formula grants for nonurbanized areas to parallel the operation of formula grants for urbanized areas.

Establishes a capital formula program for areas other than urbanized areas consistent with provisions of formula grant programs for nonurbanized areas. Authorizes Governors to transfer funds between the two programs under certain circumstances.

Authorizes appropriations out of the Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund for FY 1983 through 1988 to finance grants for urban transit capital infrastructure development projects.

Amends the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1978 to prohibit the authorization of appropriations for a specified waterborne transportation demonstration project after September 30, 1983.

Amends the National Mass Transportation Assistance Act of 1974 to repeal provisions dealing with the investigation of safety hazards in urban mass transportation systems.

Title IV: Highway Safety - Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund for FY 1985 through 1988 for specified highway safety programs.

Eliminates exceptions for apportionments for the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

Revises the vehicle weight and width limitations for the Interstate System to make the maximum width of a commercial motor vehicle 102 inches. Sets forth provisions to ensure that certain trucks are allowed to operate on the Interstate System in every State.

Establishes a working group in the Department of Transportation to develop uniform State procedural standards for vehicle registration, fuel tax, and third structural tax requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to initiate rulemaking to implement acceptable recommended standards.

Sets forth minimum financial responsibilities for motor carriers transporting hazardous wastes in interstate, foreign, and intrastate commerce.

Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to States to assist in implementing programs for the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards. Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Trust Fund for FY 1984 through 1988 for such purpose.

Sets forth civil penalties and injunctive relief for the enforcement of violations of motor carrier safety regulations.