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Policy and Governmental Affairs
Legislative Affairs and Policy Communications

FHWA Home / Policy & Governmental Affairs / Legislative Affairs and Policy Communications / Legislative Affairs and Policy Communications

Surface Transportation Reauthorization

Funding Federal-Aid Highways
Because of a continuing demand for information concerning the funding of Federal-aid highways, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) prepared a report, “Financing Federal-Aid Highways,” in January 1974 to describe how Federal-aid highways are funded. The FHWA modified and updated this report in July 1976, May 1979, October 1983, November 1987, May 1992, August 1999, March 2007, and January 2017.  The FHWA prepared these updates following enactment of new highway or surface transportation acts to reflect changes made by those acts.

Current Surface Transportation Authorization Act

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Public Law 117-58, also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law”) into law. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the largest long-term investment in our infrastructure and economy in our Nation’s history. It provides $550 billion over fiscal years 2022 through 2026 in new Federal investment in infrastructure, including in roads, bridges, and mass transit, water infrastructure, resilience, and broadband.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Website

Historical FHWA Surface Transportation Reauthorization Websites

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act was enacted on December 4, 2015, as Public Law 114-94. The FAST Act authorized the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2016-2020.

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century
MAP 21, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (P.L. 112-141), was enacted on July 6, 2012. Funding surface transportation programs at over $105 billion for fiscal years (FY) 2013 and 2014 MAP -21 is the first multi-year highway authorization enacted since 2005.

The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was enacted August 10, 2005, as Public Law 109-59. SAFETEA-LU authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2005-2009.

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century  (TEA-21)
Overview:  The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century was enacted June 9, 1998 as Public Law 105-178. TEA-21 authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 6-year period 1998-2003. The TEA 21 Restoration Act, enacted July 22, 1998, provided technical corrections to the original law. The material presented on this web site reflects the combined effect of these two laws and refers to this combination as TEA-21.

Reauthorization Process for Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA - 21)
Overview: This site was designed to be a source of information during the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which expired on September 30, 2003. TEA-21 was enacted on June 9, 1998, P.L. 105-178, and authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 6-year period from 1998-2003.

Page last modified on October 30, 2023
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000