PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

State transportation departments that send Federal‑aid highway plans that go through or bypass any city, town, or village must tell the Secretary they held public hearings or gave people a chance to comment. They must show they thought about the economic, social, and environmental effects and whether the route fits local planning. For Interstate projects, hearings must be at a convenient place or let nearby rural residents object. The certification must include a report on impacts and on any alternatives considered. If hearings were held, a transcript must be sent to the Secretary with the certification and report.

Title 23, §128

Highways, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any State transportation department which submits plans for a Federal-aid highway project involving the by passing of or, going through any city, town, or village, either incorporated or unincorporated, shall certify to the Secretary that it has had public hearings, or has afforded the opportunity for such hearings, and has considered the economic and social effects of such a location, its impact on the environment, and its consistency with the goals and objectives of such urban planning as has been promulgated by the community. Any State transportation department which submits plans for an Interstate System project shall certify to the Secretary that it has had public hearings at a convenient location, or has afforded the opportunity for such hearings for the purpose of enabling persons in rural areas through or contiguous to whose property the highway will pass to express any objections they may have to the proposed locations of such highway. Such certification shall be accompanied by a report which indicates the consideration given to the economic, social, environmental and other effects of the plan or highway location or design and various alternatives which were raised during the hearing or which were otherwise considered.

(b)When hearings have been held under subsection (a), the State transportation department shall submit a copy of the transcript of said hearings to the Secretary, together with the certification and report.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–178 substituted “State transportation department” for “State highway department” wherever appearing. 1970—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–605, § 135(a), provided for submission of a report by the State highway department involved indicating consideration given to economic, social, environmental, and other effects of the plan or highway location or design plus the various alternatives which were considered. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–605, § 135(b), inserted reference to report to be submitted by the State highway department together with the certification of public hearings. 1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–495 inserted social effect of projects, the impact on environment, and their consistency with the goals and objectives of such urban planning as has been promulgated by the community to the list of factors to be considered by State highway departments in looking over projects involving the bypassing or passing through of municipalities.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1968 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–495 effective Aug. 23, 1968, see section 37 of Pub. L. 90–495, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.

§128 Public Hearings