SAFETEA-LU: What did Grassroots Groups Win?

The list below highlights various provisions of reform in the Safe Accountable Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005 - A Legacy for Users (or SAFETEA-LU) that was supported by the transportation reform community.

Local Hiring

Section 1920 of SAFETEA-LU codifies a Sense of the Congress that encourages local hiring and workforce development to direct jobs toward low-income and minority residents on federally-aided highway projects. Current interpretation of federal law prohibits local hiring on highway projects that receive federal funds. This provision opens the door to setting aside jobs and training opportunities to local low-income residents on more than $200 billion in highway projects across the United States.

Public Participation

The Metropolitan and State Planning sections of SAFETEA-LU now requires that Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) and States develop a Participation Plan to guide how it engages with the public and key stakeholders, including users of public transportation. Under the Participation Plan requirement, the MPO and State must develop the Plan with key stakeholders. The Plan is a public document that the MPO and State can be held publicly accountable. The law also now requires that public meetings be held in locations and at times accessible to the public.

Funding Accountability

The Metropolitan Planning section of SAFETEA-LU now requires the federal government to issue regulations in less than 180 days from the date of enactment (February 2006) to provide clarity for standardizing the "annual list of projects" requirement. This can be an opportunity to raise the bar on the kinds of data that MPOs make available to the public, including the use of geo-coded maps so that local organizations can track patterns of investment over time.

Job Access

Congress reauthorized the Job Access and Reverse Commute program, which is designed to support local efforts to help low-wage workers access jobs that they otherwise cannot reach. SAFETEA-LU guarantees more than $700 million between FY 2005 and 2009 through a formula grant program to the states and reduced the local match requirement to 20 percent. This will make it easier to raise local resources to pay for Job Access projects.

Equity Research

SAFETEA-LU sets aside $1 million annually to pay for research and demonstration projects that can increase knowledge about the impact of transportation projects in transit-dependent populations and about the potential job opportunities for low-income residents on highway projects.

The original contents of this list were contributed by the Transportation Equity Network.

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