This MAP-21 fact sheet has been superseded by a FAST Act fact sheet.

Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP)

Program purpose

The FLTP funds projects that improve access within the Federal estate (national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges, national recreation areas, and other Federal public lands) on transportation facilities in the national Federal Lands transportation inventory and owned and maintained by the Federal government.

Statutory citation(s): MAP-21 §1119; 23 USC 201, 203

Funding features

Funded by contract authority from the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund. Funds are subject to the overall Federal-aid obligation limitation.

On October 1 of each fiscal year, funds will be allocated among Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA) partners as follows:

• $240 million to the National Park Service.
• $30 million to the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service.
• The remaining $30 million will be allocated competitively to the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, using a performance management model.

[§1101(a)(3)(B)]

Not more than $10 million per year may be used for eligible environmental mitigation activities.

[§1119; 23 USC 203(a)(1)(D)]

Prior to distribution of FLTP and Federal Lands Access Program (Access Program) funds, the Secretary may set aside up to 5% of funds each fiscal year under both programs to conduct transportation planning, asset management, road and bridge inventory, and condition data collection. [§1119; 23 USC 201(c)(7)]

FLTP and Tribal Transportation Program funds may be used to pay the non-Federal share for any project funded under 23 USC or chapter 53 of 49 USC that provides access to or within Federal or tribal land. [§1508; 23 USC 120(k)]

Federal share: 100%. [§1119; 23 USC 201(b)(7)]

Eligible activities

• Program administration, transportation planning, research, preventive maintenance, engineering, rehabilitation, restoration, construction, and reconstruction of Federal lands transportation facilities, and—
  • adjacent vehicular parking areas;
  • acquisition of necessary scenic easements and scenic or historic sites;
  • provision for pedestrians and bicycles;
  • environmental mitigation in or adjacent to Federal land open to the public to (1) improve public safety and reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality while maintaining habitat connectivity; and (2) to mitigate the damage to wildlife, aquatic organism passage, habitat, and ecosystem connectivity, including the costs of constructing, maintaining, replacing, or removing culverts and bridges, as appropriate;
  • construction and reconstruction of roadside rest areas;
  • congestion mitigation; and
  • other appropriate public road facilities as determined by the Secretary.
• Operations and maintenance of transit facilities.
• Any transportation project eligible under title 23 of the United States Code that is within or adjacent to, or that provides access to Federal lands open to the public.

[§1119; 23 USC 203(a)(1)]

Program features

Applications

All five FLMAs are required to submit an application, including proposed programs at various potential funding levels as defined by the Secretary in collaboration with other applicable FLMAs. Applications should demonstrate the extent to which the proposed programs support the following:

• The transportation goals of state of good repair of transportation facilities, reduction of bridge deficiencies, and improvement of safety.
• High-use Federal recreation sites or Federal economic generators.
• Resource and asset management goals of the respective agencies.

To support long-term transportation planning and resource management initiatives, proposed programs may include proposals for multi-year programs.

[§1119; 23 USC 203(b)]

National Federal Lands Transportation Facility Inventory

In order to identify the Federal lands transportation system, assess its condition, and determine transportation needs, the FLMAs, in cooperation with the Secretary, are required to maintain a comprehensive national inventory of public Federal lands transportation facilities.

• A Federal lands transportation facility (FLTF) is defined as a public highway, road, bridge, trail or transit system that is located on, is adjacent to, or provides access to Federal lands for which title and maintenance responsibility is vested in the Federal Government, and that appears on the national FLTF inventory. [§1103; 23 USC 101(a)(8)]
• The inventory is to include, at a minimum, transportation facilities owned by the FLMAs that provide access to high-use Federal recreation sites or Federal economic generators.
• Requirements for updates to the inventories will be determined by the Secretary, in collaboration with the FLMAs.

[§1119; 23 USC 203(c)]

Bicycle safety

FLMAs are required to prohibit bicycles on Federally owned roads with a speed limit of 30 MPH or greater that have an adjacent paved path for use by bicycles within 100 yards of such roads, unless the Secretary determines that the bicycle level of service on that roadway is rated B or higher.

[§1119; 23 USC 203(d)]

Program administration

• Point of obligation is the authorization by the Secretary, or the Secretary of the appropriate FLMA if the agency is the contracting office, of engineering and related work for the development, design, and acquisition associated with a construction project, whether performed by contract or agreement authorized by law, or the approval of plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E) (except for Federal salaries and expenses) for all project work performed by USDOT or FLMAs, regardless of funding source.
• Planning
  • Transportation planning procedures for the FLTP must be consistent with Statewide and Metropolitan planning processes.
  • Regionally significant FLTP projects must be developed in cooperation with State and metropolitan planning organizations and included in appropriate Federal lands transportation plans, Federal lands access program plans, tribal transportation program plans, State and metropolitan plans, and transportation improvement programs.
• Asset management -- The Secretary and each FLMA shall, to the extent appropriate, implement safety, bridge, pavement, and congestion management systems to support effective asset management.
• Data collection --FLMAs are required to collect data necessary to support the FLTP, Access Program, and Tribal Transportation Program, including inventory and condition of Federal lands and tribal transportation facilities and bridge inspection and inventory information on tribal bridges and any Federal bridge open to the public.
• Reimbursable agreements may be used with State, local and/or tribal governments, in addition to agreements between Federal agencies.
• Transfers --Funds made available for the FLTP and the Access Program may be voluntarily transferred by the Secretary of Transportation within and between those programs with the concurrence, as appropriate, of the affected FLMAs, State DOTs, and local government agencies. Transferred funds must be credited back at a later date.

[§1119; 23 USC 201]