(1) Description.— The National Highway System consists of the highway routes and connections to transportation facilities depicted on the map submitted by the Secretary to Congress with the report entitled Pulling Together: The National Highway System and its Connections to Major Intermodal Terminals and dated May 24, 1996. The system shall
(A) serve major population centers, international border crossings, ports, airports, public transportation facilities, and other intermodal transportation facilities and other major travel destinations;
(B) meet national defense requirements; and
(C) serve interstate and interregional travel.
(2) Components.— The National Highway System described in paragraph (1) consists of the following:
(A) The Interstate System described in subsection (c).
(B) Other urban and rural principal arterial routes.
(C) Other connector highways (including toll facilities) that provide motor vehicle access between arterial routes on the National Highway System and a major intermodal transportation facility.
(D) A strategic highway network consisting of a network of highways that are important to the United States strategic defense policy and that provide defense access, continuity, and emergency capabilities for the movement of personnel, materials, and equipment in both peacetime and wartime. The highways may be highways on or off the Interstate System and shall be designated by the Secretary in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and the States.
(E) Major strategic highway network connectors consisting of highways that provide motor vehicle access between major military installations and highways that are part of the strategic highway network. The highways shall be designated by the Secretary in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and the States.
(6) State eligible projects for nhs.— Subject to approval by the Secretary, funds apportioned to a State under section
104 (b)(1) for the National Highway System may be obligated for any of the following:
(A) Construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, and rehabilitation of segments of the National Highway System.
(B) Operational improvements for segments of the National Highway System.
(C) Construction of, and operational improvements for, a Federal-aid highway not on the National Highway System, and construction of a transit project eligible for assistance under chapter
53 of title
49, if
(i) the highway or transit project is in the same corridor as, and in proximity to, a fully access-controlled highway designated as a part of the National Highway System;
(ii) the construction or improvements will improve the level of service on the fully access-controlled highway described in clause (i) and improve regional traffic flow; and
(iii) the construction or improvements are more cost-effective than an improvement to the fully access-controlled highway described in clause (i).
(D) Highway safety improvements for segments of the National Highway System.
(E) Transportation planning in accordance with sections
134 and
135.
(F) Highway research and planning in accordance with chapter 5.
(G) Highway-related technology transfer activities.
(H) Capital and operating costs for traffic monitoring, management, and control facilities and programs.
(I) Fringe and corridor parking facilities.
(J) Carpool and vanpool projects.
(K) Bicycle transportation and pedestrian walkways in accordance with section
217.
(L) Development, establishment, and implementation of management systems under section
303.
(M) In accordance with all applicable Federal law (including regulations), participation in natural habitat and wetland mitigation efforts related to projects funded under this title, which may include participation in natural habitat and wetland mitigation banks, contributions to statewide and regional efforts to conserve, restore, enhance, and create natural habitats and wetland, and development of statewide and regional natural habitat and wetland conservation and mitigation plans, including any such banks, efforts, and plans authorized under the Water Resources Development Act of 1990 (Public Law 101640) (including crediting provisions). Contributions to the mitigation efforts described in the preceding sentence may take place concurrent with or in advance of project construction; except that contributions in advance of project construction may occur only if the efforts are consistent with all applicable requirements of Federal law (including regulations) and State transportation planning processes. With respect to participation in a natural habitat or wetland mitigation effort related to a project funded under this title that has an impact that occurs within the service area of a mitigation bank, preference shall be given, to the maximum extent practicable, to the use of the mitigation bank if the bank contains sufficient available credits to offset the impact and the bank is approved in accordance with the Federal Guidance for the Establishment, Use and Operation of Mitigation Banks (60 Fed. Reg. 58605 (November 28, 1995)) or other applicable Federal law (including regulations).
(N) Publicly-owned intracity or intercity bus terminals.
(O) Infrastructure-based intelligent transportation systems capital improvements.
[(P) Repealed. Pub. L. 109–59, title I, § 1118(b)(1)(B), Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1181.]
(Q) Environmental restoration and pollution abatement in accordance with section
328.
(R) Control of noxious weeds and aquatic noxious weeds and establishment of native species in accordance with section
329.