Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection

Michael Howell
Federal Highway Administration
31 August 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 169 (Wednesday, August 31, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 60114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20931]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

[Docket No. FHWA-2016-0022]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments 
for a New Information Collection

AGENCY: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new 
information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal 
Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by October 31, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
2016-0022 by any of the following methods:
    Web site: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Transportation, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Derek Constable, 202-366-4606, or Shay 
Burrows, 202-366-4675, Office of Bridges and Structures, Federal 
Highway Administration, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Information Collection for the FAST Act Section 1422 Study 
on Performance of Bridges.
    Background: Section 1422 of the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015 calls for the FHWA to commission the 
Transportation Research Board to conduct a study on the performance of 
bridges funded by the Innovative Bridge Research and Construction 
(IBRC) program as provided under section 503(b) of Title 23, United 
States Code, and in effect on the day before the date of enactment of 
the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) of 2005. The IBRC program was originated 
by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) of 1998 
with the purpose of demonstrating the application of innovative 
material technology in the construction of bridges and other 
structures. Seven program goals were identified in TEA-21. SAFTEA-LU 
continued the program, but amended the program name, purpose, and 
goals. The program was then discontinued with the passage of the Moving 
Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) of 2012. The FAST 
Act directs FHWA to commission the Transportation Research Board to 
conduct a study on the performance of bridges that received funding 
under the IBRC program. The IBRC program awarded funds from Federal 
fiscal year 1998 through 2005 allocations to help defray costs on 
approximately 445 projects.
    The study will include an analysis of the performance of bridges 
that received funding under the IBRC program in meeting the program 
goals. The study will include an analysis of the utility, compared to 
conventional materials and technologies, of each of the innovative 
materials and technologies used in projects for bridges under the 
program in meeting the present and future needs of the United States in 
2015 and in the future for a sustainable and low lifecycle cost 
transportation system. The study will make recommendations to Congress 
on how the installed and lifecycle costs of bridges could be reduced 
through the use of innovative materials and technologies, including, as 
appropriate, any changes in the design and construction of bridges 
needed to maximize the cost reductions. The study will include a 
summary of any additional research that may be needed to further 
evaluate innovative approaches to reducing the installed and lifecycle 
costs of highway bridges.
    By separate action the FHWA will be providing public notice of the 
study proposal with opportunity for comment.
    The conduct of this study will require that each State, that 
received funds under the IBRC program, provide to the Transportation 
Research Board any relevant information and data needed to carry out 
the study. Recipients of IBRC funding may be asked to provide 
information and data by interview, survey, and/or release of records. 
Interviews and surveys may be required to determine which projects to 
focus investigations and to gather relevant background, cost, and 
performance information. Records required may include data, documents, 
and reports associated with design, construction, in-service 
inspection, maintenance, evaluation, monitoring, and other relevant 
phases or activities. The study will make use of the IBRC project 
information previously supplied to the FHWA, but this information is 
generally insufficient to accomplish the study objectives.
    Respondents: Approximately the 50 States, District of Columbia, and 
Puerto Rico. The respondents may need to provide information and data 
for multiple projects if awarded IBRC program funding for multiple 
projects. There are an estimated 445 projects requiring different 
levels of information collection.
    Frequency: This is a one-time study.
    Estimated Average Burden per Project: On average approximately 5.25 
hours per project.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 2,336 hours.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the FHWA's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the FHWA to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic 
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.48.

 Michael Howell,
Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-20931 Filed 8-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-22-P