PUBLIC LAW 102-240—DEC. 18, 1991 105 STAT. 1991 (1) Development of new, economical highway timber bridge systems. (2) Development of engineering design criteria for structural wood products for use in highway bridges in order to improve methods for characterizing lumber design properties. (3) Preservative systems for use in highway timber bridges which demonstrate new alternatives and current treatment processes and procedures and which are environmentally sound with respect to application, use, and disposal of treated wood. (4) Alternative transportation system timber structures which demonstrate the development of applications for railing, sign, and lighting supports, sound barriers, culverts, and retaining walls in highway applications. (5) Rehabilitation measures which demonstrate effective, safe, and reliable methods for rehabilitating existing highway timber structures. (b) TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION TRANSFER.— The Secretary shall take such action as may be necessary to ensure that the information and technology resulting from research conducted under subsection (a) is made available to State and local transportation departments and other interested persons. (c) CONSTRUCTION GRANTS. — (1) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall make grants to States for construction of highway timber bridges on rural Federal-aid highways. (2) APPLICATIONS. — A State interested in receiving a grant under this subsection must submit an application therefor to the Secretary. Such application shall be in such form and contain such information as the Secretary may require by regulation. (3) APPROVAL CRITERIA. — The Secretary shall select and approve applications for grants under this subsection based on the following criteria: (A) Bridge designs which have both initial and long-term structural and environmental integrity. (B) Bridge designs which utilize timber species native to the State or region. (C) Innovative bridge designs which have the possibility of increasing knowledge, cost effectiveness, and future use of such designs. (D) Environmental practices for preservative treated timber, and construction techniques which comply with all environmental regulations, will be utilized. (d) FEDERAL SHARE.— The Federal share of the costs of research and construction projects carried out under this section shall be 80 percent. (e) FUNDING.— From the funds reserved from apportionment under section 144(g)(1) of title 23, United States Code, for each of fiscal years 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997— (1) $1,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary for carrying out subsections (a) and (b); and (2) $7,500,000 ($7,000,000 in the case of fiscal year 1992) shall be available to the Secretary for carrying out subsection (c). Such sums shall remain available until expended. (f) STATE DEFINED. —For purposes of this section, the term "State" has the meaning such term has under section 101 of title 23, United States Code.
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