Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 1986

Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 1986 - Title I: Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1986 - Authorizes appropriations out of the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund for FY 1987 through 1990 for: (1) the Federal-aid Interstate primary program; (2) the Interstate substitution program; (3) the bridge replacement and rehabilitation program; (4) the territorial highway program for the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; (5) the Federal Lands Highways Program; (6) highway safety programs; (7) highway safety research and development; (8) certain hazard elimination and highway-railroad grade crossing projects; (9) emergency relief projects; and (10) State highway departments.

Amends the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 to repeal the authorization limitations for FY 1987 and 1988 for the commercial motor vehicle safety block grant program. Authorizes FY 1987 through 1990 appropriations for the Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety.

Requires that the net income received by a State from right-of-way airspace shall be used by the State for eligible projects under the Federal-aid highway program.

Merges Interstate construction, Interstate rehabilitation, and primary programs into a single program (the Interstate/Primary program). Authorizes States to allocate funds for any projects currently permitted under these programs. Eliminates the Federal-aid secondary and urban systems.

Requires the repayment of Federal funds spent on construction items, materials, and rights-of-way on an Interstate or primary system if they are not applied to a transportation project within ten years.

Sets forth apportionment and allocation guidelines for the Federal-aid system.

Provides funding for both substitute highway and urban mass transit projects from the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund (thus eliminating the separate authorization for substitute transit projects).

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish Federal inspection procedures for construction performed by State highway departments upon the Federal-aid system. Repeals the proscription against the use of convict-produced materials in Federal-aid highway system construction projects.

Reduces a State's apportionment for the Federal-aid Interstate-primary program if: (1) the State fails to certify that a maintenance program is in effect for the Interstate System; or (2) the Secretary determines that a State is not adequately maintaining the Interstate System.

Declares certain State and local taxes ineligible for Federal reimbursement under the Federal-aid highway program if they are assessed on construction materials to be incorporated into a federally-assisted project. Prohibits the use of Federal-aid funds for any costs caused by a State provision requiring wage rates to be higher than rates under the Davis-Bacon Act.

Sets guidelines for the apportionment of sums and the Federal share payable for the Federal-aid highway program. Sets forth, with specified exceptions, a maximum 75 percent Federal share of construction costs for: (1) primary system highways other than Interstate highways; and (2) bridge replacement and rehabilitation (for which current law fixes an 80 percent share). Sets a 90 percent maximum Federal share for Interstate projects and an 85 percent maximum share of Interstate substitute projects. Limits the Federal share for emergency relief projects to the normal rate for a project on a system, except under certain circumstances when it may increase to 100 percent. Repeals the increased share of 100 percent for traffic control signalization substitution, pavement marking, and commuter carpooling and vanpooling projects.

Expands the types of programs for which Federal funds are authorized to reimburse State relocation costs incurred by the relocation of utility facilities.

Makes the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa eligible for Federal emergency relief funds for highway repair caused by certain catastrophic failures or natural disasters.

Delineates conditions under which the Secretary is authorized to permit Federal participation in new toll road and ferryboat construction.

Provides for funding of projects to eliminate hazards at railway-highway crossings.

Provides guidelines under which the States and Federal agencies are directed to control outdoor advertising and junkyards in rural areas adjacent to the Federal-aid primary and Interstate systems.

Makes certain apportioned funds available for implementation of the Strategic Highway Research Program. Requires the Secretary to develop criteria under which such funds shall be used to conduct research, development, and technology transfer determined to be strategically important to the national highway transportation system. Declares that no State matching share is required for such sums.

Directs the Secretary to implement a transportation needs planning process with State and local officials only for urbanized areas of 200,000 (currently 50,000) population or more.

Reduces from $10,000,000 to $2,500,000 the sums which the Secretary is authorized to deduct for the administration of highway construction skill improvement programs. Terminates such programs effective October 1, 1988.

Amends the Federal highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation program to require States to maintain a current inventory of all bridges subject to the National Bridge Inspection Standards.

Includes in the Federal bridge program only non-Interstate primary system bridges. Makes bridges on the Interstate system eligible for Federal funds under the Interstate/Primary program.

Declares that the Federal-aid Interstate-primary program shall consist of projects for the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of the primary and Interstate System, and requires the Secretary to give priority consideration to: (1) completion of essential gaps on the Interstate System; and (2) rehabilitation of existing highway facilities.

Directs the Secretary to allocate authorized appropriations for forest highways within the Forest Service regions and States according to the needs of various elements of the National Forest System.

Amends the Federal Lands Highways Program to declare that funds available for park roads and parkways and Indian reservation roads shall be used by the Secretary and the Secretary of the Interior to pay for certain planning and construction costs.

Amends the Territorial highway program to: (1) repeal the proscription against the imposition of tolls upon territorial highways eligible for Federal financial assistance; and (2) require the designation in each territory of a territorial Federal-aid highway system including all highways eligible for funding.

Amends the highway research and planning program to require that a minimum of one and one-half percent of sums apportioned each fiscal year to any State under the Federal-aid highways program shall be used for specified highway planning and research.

Decreases from one-half of one percent to one-quarter of one percent the National Highway Institute funds available for expenditure by a State highway department for the education and training of State and local highway department employees. Requires the Secretary (who currently is merely authorized) to provide education and training of highway employees at no cost to State and local governments for those subject areas which are a Federal program responsibility.

Outlines the conditions under which real property may be donated by a person to a State or Federal agency.

Prohibits the disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act or admission as evidence in certain actions for damages of State documents regarding safety enhancement of potential accident sites, road conditions, or rail-highway crossings.

Amends the General Bridge Act of 1906 to repeal Federal regulatory authority over bridge tolls.

Amends the Federal-aid Highway Act of 1978 to repeal the September 30, 1986, deadline for commencing construction on all Interstate segments and substitute projects.

Amends the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 to: (1) repeal the Buy American provisions applicable to the Department of Transportation; and (2) authorize the Secretary to allocate funds among the States for the Motor Carrier Safety Grants program and to make such grants for periods longer than one fiscal year.

Makes interim provisions for certain unobligated funds.

Amends the National Visitor Center Facilities Act of 1968 to authorize the Secretary to sell all Federal interest in the Union Station complex (in Washington, D.C.) to private parties.

Title II: Highway Safety Act of 1986 - Authorizes appropriations for highway safety programs for FY 1987 through 1990, including the State and Community Safety Grant Programs.

Rescinds the Secretary's authority to temporarily amend or waive highway safety standards for the purpose of evaluating different highway safety programs.

Repeals the requirement that a State highway safety program must provide for driver education in the school systems as a prerequisite for Federal approval of such a program.

Extends from September 1, 1981, to September 1, 1987, the deadline by which the Secretary is required to begin a rulemaking process to determine the most effective accident-reducing programs.

Alters the make-up of the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee in the Department of Transportation.

Amends Federal law regarding splash and spray suppression devices to require the Secretary to establish minimum standards for such devices upon finding that such devices: (1) will enhance visibility so as to reduce motor vehicle crashes; (2) are technologically and economically practicable; and (3) offer safety benefits which exceed installation costs.

Title III: Mass Transportation Capital Assistance and Reform Act of 1986 - Creates one basic mass transit assistance program through a block grant funded from the Highway and Mass Transit Accounts of the Highway Trust Fund. Permits block grant funds to be used for routine mass transit operating assistance in small urbanized and rural areas. Eliminates such Federal mass transit routine operating assistance in large urbanized areas.

Amends the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 to condition Federal financial assistance for: (1) public bus operations upon a State's written assurance that such public buses will not be used for charter bus operations using such Federal assistance; and (2) public mass transportation service upon a State's written assurance that such assistance will not be used in schoolbus operations in competition with privately-run schoolbuses.

Outlines long-range planning guidelines for urbanized areas of 200,000 or more in population. Requires that mass transportation plans and programs provide for maximum participation of private enterprise. Requires transit policy boards to include private operators.

Requires that in FY 1987 through 1990 competitively developed mass transportation service be made available in any urbanized or nonurbanized area receiving Federal mass transportation assistance. Conditions the apportionment of authorized amounts from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund upon the availability of specified funds for disbursement to the States in FY 1987 through 1990.

Title IV: Highway and Transit Block Grant Act of 1986 - Prescribes guidelines for: (1) the apportionment of authorized appropriations; (2) annual payments to the States; (3) allocations to urbanized areas of 200,000 population or more; and (4) certain eligible mass transportation capital projects.

Replaces the highway and transit funding mechanism currently administered under the Federal Highway Administration and the Urban Mass Transportation Act with a block grant program funding mechanism wherein all funding is derived from the fees paid into the Highway Trust Fund. Provides for a maximum Federal share of 75 percent for all highway and transit capital projects under such block grant. Places the maximum Federal share at 50 percent for transit operating assistance for rural and small urban areas.

Requires each State to provide annual written assurance regarding: (1) the distribution of the highway and block grants; and (2) the implementation of mass transit projects under the grant. Makes Federal nondiscrimination statutes applicable to Federally assisted programs under the highway and transit block grant. Authorizes the Secretary to withhold payments from a non-complying governmental unit.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1987 through 1990 to implement the highway and transit block grant program.

Title V: Surface Transportation Revenue Act of 1986 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend from 1988 to 1992 the Highway Trust Fund and specified excise taxes which are transferred into it.

Repeals: (1) the exemption from the motor fuel tax for gasohol, methanol, and ethanol; and (2) certain gasoline, diesel, and tire tax exemptions for public and private revenue bus operations.

Makes funds in the Highway Account and the Mass Transit Account available for the Highway and Transit Block Grant Program.