Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose of achieving a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State-owned roads and roads on tribal land.

Railway Highway Crossing Program - The Railway-Highway Crossing Program (Section 130) is a program that provides funds set-aside from the HSIP for the elimination of hazards at public railway-highway crossings.

High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) are defined in 23 U.S.C. 148(a)(1) as "any roadway functionally classified as a rural major or minor collector or a rural local road with significant safety risks, as defined by a State in accordance with an updated State strategic highway safety plan.” The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) requires a State to obligate a certain amount of funds on HRRRs if the fatality rate on its rural roads increases over the most recent 2-year period for which data are available.

Local and Rural Road Safety Program

The Local and Rural Safety Program provides national leadership in identifying, developing, and delivering safety programs, technical assistance, training and products to agencies, elected officials, governments, and other stakeholders to improve safety on local, Tribal and rural roads.

Focus on Reducing Rural Roadway Departures (FoRRRwD)

The FoRRRwD, an initiative of the Everyday Counts 5 program (EDC), encourages agencies to address lane departures on all public roads through the development of safety plans, systemic analysis and application of proven roadway departure countermeasures.

National Center for Rural Road Safety

The National Center for Rural Road Safety is focused on enhancing safety on rural roadways by supporting local, state, and Tribal road owners and their stakeholders.

Federal Lands Access Program

The Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) improves transportation facilities that provide access to, are adjacent to, or are located within Federal lands. Eligible entities for funding include State DOTs, local governments, or Indian tribes who either own or maintain the transportation facility.

Federal Lands Transportation Program

The Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP) improves the transportation infrastructure owned and maintained by the following Federal Lands Management Agencies: National Park Service (NPS), US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), USDA Forest Service (Forest Service), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bureau of Reclamation and independent Federal agencies with land and natural resource management responsibilities.

Federal Lands Planning Program

The Federal Lands Transportation Planning Program (FLPP) implements transportation planning for Federal lands and Tribal transportation facilities that are consistent with the Statewide and Metropolitan transportation planning procedures.

Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) Program

The Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program (NSFLTP) of The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), provides funding for the construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of nationally significant projects within, adjacent to, or accessing Federal and Tribal lands. This Program provides an opportunity to address significant challenges across the nation for transportation facilities that serve Federal and Tribal lands.

Wildlife Crossings

Congress enacted the Wildlife Crossings Program to address the more than 1,000,000 annual wildlife vehicle collisions which present a danger to human safety and wildlife survival, cost over $8 million, and result in approximately tens of thousands of serious injuries and hundreds of fatalities on U.S. roadways.

Tribal Transportation Program

The Office of Tribal Transportation (OTT) administers the Tribal Transportation Program (TTP) and provides stewardship and oversight for direct funding agreements with 135 federally recognized Tribes.

Tribal Transportation Planning

With the utmost respect for Tribal sovereignty, the FHWA is committed to building more effective day-to-day working relationships among the Federal government, State Departments of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, local governments, and Indian Tribal Governments regarding tribal transportation planning.

Tribal Road Safety

TribalSafety.org is an online community working to reduce injuries and fatalities from transportation incidents in Tribal areas.

Tribal Technical Assistance Program

There are seven Tribal Technical Assistance Program (TTAP) Centers strategically located throughout the country to provide training and technical assistance to Tribal agencies. These Centers serve as a one-stop transportation resource providing access to subject matter experts, funds, and technologies that can assist with improving their transportation programs.

National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)

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.

Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG)

The Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) provides flexible funding that may be used by States and localities for projects to preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge, and tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects, including intercity bus terminals.

Puerto Rico Highway Program (PRHP)

The Puerto Rico Highway Program (PRHP) continues to assist the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in constructing and improving bridges, roads, and the necessary inter-island connectors.

Territorial Highway Program (THP)

The Territorial Highway Program (THP) continues to assist the governments of the U.S. territories (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) in constructing and improving bridges, roads, and the necessary inter-island connectors.

Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS)

The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) is a system of designated corridors and local access roads within the 13 States that make up the Appalachian Region. The ADHS Program is aimed at timely completion of the designated ADHS.

Construction of Ferry Boats and Ferry Terminal Facilities Formula Program (FBP)

Federal-aid highway funds are available, through the State transportation agencies, for designing and constructing ferry boats and for designing, acquiring right-of-way, constructing ferry terminal facilities, including ferry maintenance facilities, and other activities.

Emergency Relief (ER) Program

Helping communities hurt by natural disasters and catastrophic events is a priority along with providing Federal funding to repair damaged roads and bridges. This special program provides funding for the repair or reconstruction of Federal-aid highways and roads on Federal lands that have suffered serious damage as a result of (1) natural disasters or (2) catastrophic failures from an external cause.

Bridge Investment Program (BIP)

The Bridge Investment Program is a competitive, discretionary program that focuses on existing bridges to reduce the overall number of bridges in poor condition, or in fair condition at risk of falling into poor condition. It also expands applicant eligibilities to create opportunity for all levels of government to be direct recipients of program funds. Alongside states and federal lands management agencies, metropolitan planning organizations and local and tribal governments can also apply directly to FHWA, making it easier to advance projects at the local level that meet community needs.

Bridge Formula Program (BFP)

Federal-aid highway funds are available, through the State transportation agencies, for highway bridge replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, protection, or construction projects on public roads.  BFP funding may be used on any highway bridge that is listed in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) or any new highway bridge that upon the completion of construction would meet the established definition of a highway bridge and would be required to be reported to the NBI, irrespective of whether the bridge is an on-system or off-system bridge and what public agency owns the bridge.

Highway Infrastructure Program – Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation (BRR) Program

Federal-aid highway funds are available, through the State transportation agencies, for highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects on public roads.

Local Aid Support

Local Aid Support provides information, training, and technical assistance to local governments, tribes, and Federal land management agencies that will enhance roadway networks and create economic opportunity.

Local Technical Assistance Program

The Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) is a network of 51 local Centers across the US and in Puerto Rico that support local and rural road agencies across the US by providing training, technical assistance, and technology transfer services to help them manage and maintain their roadway systems.

Coordinated Technology Implementation Program

The Coordinated Technology Implementation Program (CTIP) is a joint technology development and sharing effort between Local Aid Support, the Office of Federal Lands Highway, and the agencies participating in the Federal Lands Transportation Program (FLTP).

FHWA Resource Center

The FHWA Resource Center operates as the primary source of technical assistance and technology deployment support to FHWA’s Federal, State, and local partners.

National Highway Institute

As the training and education arm of the FHWA, the National Highway Institute (NHI) has a long and rich history of innovation and expertise in delivering transportation training.

Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies

The Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies webpage offers a central online library of informational videos and resources, designed specifically for local public agencies.

Accelerating Innovation

The FHWA has championed innovations throughout its history – through supporting new and better ideas to get highways planned, designed, built, and maintained. In April 2012, the FHWA established Accelerating Innovation to serve as the focal point for internal and external coordination to identify and prioritize innovations.

National Highway Freight Network – Critical Rural Freight Corridors

Critical Rural Freight Corridors are public roads not in an urbanized area that provide access and connection to the PHFS and the Interstate with other important ports, public transportation facilities, or other intermodal freight facilities.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Benefits for Rural Communities

The USDOT provides several initiatives and resources to assist in the deployment of ITS technologies. The ITS JPO is responsible for conducting research on behalf of the Department and all major modes to advance transportation safety, mobility, and environmental sustainability through ITS.

Advanced Transportation Technologies and Innovation

The ATTAIN discretionary grant program provides competitive grants to deploy, install, and operate advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, intermodal connectivity, and infrastructure return on investment. Not less than 20% of the grant award amounts must be reserved for projects serving rural areas.

Rural & Small Community Planning

Institutional arrangements and transportation issues can be very different in rural areas than in metropolitan areas with populations of over 50,000. These Planning pages contain information, links, and publications on various issues and programs related to transportation planning for our rural communities.

Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program

The Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program helps entities resolve the increasingly complex issues faced when addressing transportation needs in their communities. This comprehensive program for training, technical assistance, and support targets State, local, regional, and Tribal governments, transit operators, and community leaders.

Complete Streets

FHWA is focused on supporting transportation agencies to plan, develop and operate equitable Complete Streets and networks that prioritize safety, comfort, and connectivity to destinations for all people who use the street network. Complete Streets is a key component of FHWA’s implementation of the Safe System Approach, which is the framework for the USDOT’s new comprehensive National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), and Complete Street Planning Activities are eligible for FHWA planning formula funds.

Recreational Trails Program

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds to the States to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses.

National Scenic Byways Program

The National Scenic Byways Program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Grants and technical assistance are made available to States or Tribes to implement eligible projects on designated highways and to plan, design, and develop a State or Tribal scenic byway program. 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504)

FHWA’s regulatory responsibilities under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) include oversight of State and local entities and recipients of Federal funds that are responsible for roadways and pedestrian facilities to ensure that they do not discriminate on the basis of disability in any highway transportation program, activity, service or benefit they provide to the public.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE)

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program is a legislatively mandated USDOT program that applies to Federal-aid highway dollars expended on federally-assisted contracts issued by USDOT recipients such as State Transportation Agencies (STAs). The U.S. Congress established the DBE program in 1982 to:

• Ensure nondiscrimination in the award and administration of DOT-assisted contracts.
• Help remove barriers to the participation of DBEs in DOT-assisted contracts, and
• Assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside of the DBE program.

Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Additional Nondiscrimination Requirements

FHWA Division Offices are responsible for ensuring that all Recipients (State Transportation Agencies) have an approved Title VI Plan and submit Annual Update Reports. Additionally, the Division Offices are responsible for ensuring that the State Transportation Agencies are implementing an effective Monitoring Program of their Subrecipients’ efforts to effectively implement Title VI. FHWA’s National Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program Manager is responsible for coordinating the effectiveness of FHWA’s monitoring activities and will partner with other Federal Program Offices and USDOT Modal Agencies (as appropriate) to address opportunities for improved implementation of the Title VI/Nondiscrimination Program.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Counseling Program

Employees and applicants for employment who allege employment discrimination must participate in the FHWA’s EEO Counseling Program before filing a formal complaint. The purpose of the FHWA’s EEO Counseling Program is to resolve allegations of workplace discrimination through traditional EEO counseling at the lowest level possible, unless Alternative Dispute Resolution is requested and offered, to avoid the filing of a formal EEO complaint.

Policy Resources

The Office of Policy and Governmental Affairs is responsible for a variety of critical and diverse topics ranging from managing congressional affairs; housing FHWA's traffic and transportation performance data; collaborating with the international community on transportation technology research and programs; conducting studies and analyses of national transportation policy; and developing quantitative tools to support rural communities in informed decision making. These web pages contain links to national data, policy tools and analysis, research publications, international programs, and information on legislation and policy development activities.

Research Resources

The FHWA's Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) is a federally owned and operated national research facility that publishes research results in a variety of formats. These web pages allow you to find research results based on the topic area and search all research publications.