This FAST Act Fact Sheet has been superseded by a BIL NHPP Fact Sheet.
National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)
| Fiscal year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated funding* |
$22.332 B | $22.828 B | $23.262 B | $23.741 B | $24.236 B |
*Calculated (sum of estimated individual State NHPP apportionments)
Program purpose
The FAST Act continues the National Highway Performance Program, which was established under MAP-21. The NHPP provides support for the condition and performance of the National Highway System (NHS), for the construction of new facilities on the NHS, and to ensure that investments of Federal-aid funds in highway construction are directed to support progress toward the achievement of performance targets established in a State's asset management plan for the NHS.
Statutory citation
FAST Act § 1106; 23 U.S.C. 119
Funding features
Type of budget authority
Contract authority from the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund. Except for $639 million per fiscal year, NHPP funds are subject to the overall Federal-aid obligation limitation.
Apportionment of funds
As under MAP-21, the FAST Act directs FHWA to apportion funding as a lump sum for each State then divide that total among apportioned programs. Within this process, a State’s NHPP apportionment is calculated based on a percentage specified in law. (See "Apportionment" fact sheet for a description of this calculation)
Set-asides
2% of a State’s NHPP funding is to be set aside for State Planning & Research (SPR). [23 U.S.C. 505]
Transferability to other Federal-aid apportioned programs
A State may transfer to the National Highway Freight Program, Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, Transportation Alternatives, Highway Safety Improvement Program, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program up to 50% of NHPP funds made available each fiscal year. [23 U.S.C. 126]
Federal share
As a general rule, in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 120. (See the "Federal Share" fact sheet for more detail).
Eligible activities
The FAST Act continues all prior NHPP eligibilities, and adds four new eligible categories:
Installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication equipment [23 U.S.C. 119(d)(2)(L)];
Reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation, or preservation of a bridge on a non-NHS Federal-aid highway (if Interstate System and NHS Bridge Condition provision requirements are satisfied) [23 U.S.C. 119(i)];
A project to reduce the risk of failure of critical NHS infrastructure (defined to mean a facility, the incapacity or failure of which would have a debilitating impact in certain specified areas) [23 U.S.C. 119(j)(3)]; and
At a State's request, the U.S. DOT may use the State's STBG funding to pay the subsidy and administrative costs for TIFIA credit assistance for an eligible NHPP project or group of projects. [23 U.S.C. 119(h)]
Program features
Except as specified above or below, the FAST Act continues (without change) all NHPP provisions that were in effect under MAP-21, including minimum pavement and bridge standards and bridge and tunnel inspection standards.
Asset management plan
The FAST Act added critical infrastructure to the considerations a State may include in its asset management plan [23 U.S.C. 119(j)(2)].
Performance measures
The FAST Act revises performance measures reporting provisions [23 U.S.C. 119(e)(7) & (f)(1)(A)].
Bundling of Bridge Projects
The FAST Act encourages States to save costs and time by bundling multiple bridge projects using NHPP funds as one project under one project agreement and it places requirements on how that bundling is to be conducted. [23 U.S.C 144(j)]
February 2016