81 FR 17766 - Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 61 (March 30, 2016)

Page Range		17766-17767
FR Document		2016-07139

Section 6019 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act; Pub. L. 114-94; December 4, 2015; codified at 49 U.S.C. 6503) requires that the Secretary develop a 5-year transportation research and development strategic plan to guide future Federal transportation research and development activities. The FAST Act states that the strategic plan shall ``describe how the plan furthers the primary purpose of the transportation research and development program.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17766-17767]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07139]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary


Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology 
(OST-R), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Request for Information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: Section 6019 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 
Act (FAST Act; Pub. L. 114-94; December 4, 2015; codified at 49 U.S.C. 
6503) requires that the Secretary develop a 5-year transportation 
research and development strategic plan to guide future Federal 
transportation research and development activities. The FAST Act states 
that the strategic plan shall ``describe how the plan furthers the 
primary purpose of the transportation research and development program.

DATES: Comments must be received by April 29, 2016.

ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, 
please submit them by only one of the following means:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Dockets 
Management Facility, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., between 9 a.m. 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. The telephone number is (202) 366-9329.
    All comments must include the docket number DOT-OST-2016-0044 at 
the beginning of the submission. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aaron Jette, Community Planner, U.S. 
DOT Volpe Center, Attn: Aaron Jette; Office 460; 55 Broadway, 
Cambridge, MA 02142. Telephone (617) 494-2335 or Email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAST Act states that the strategic plan 
shall ``describe how the plan furthers the primary purpose of the 
transportation research and development program, which shall include--
    (A) Improving mobility of people and goods;
    (B) Reducing congestion;

[[Page 17767]]

    (C) Promoting safety;
    (D) Improving the durability and extending the life of 
transportation infrastructure;
    (E) Preserving the environment;
    (F) Preserving the existing transportation system.''
    The FAST Act also requires that the strategic plan take into 
account research and development by other Federal, State, local, 
private sector and non-profit institutions.
    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology 
invites the public to provide comments to inform the development of the 
5-year strategic plan for transportation Research, Development and 
Technology (RD&T). Comments should regard appropriate RD&T activities 
to meet the purposes and considerations listed in the FAST Act and/or 
emerging RD&T challenges, opportunities, and priorities that U.S. DOT 
RD&T should address over the next five years. In particular, comments 
may respond to any or all of the following questions:
    1. What research strategies and priorities should the U.S. DOT 
adopt to achieve the primary purposes cited in the FAST Act?
    2. How can the issues raised in the U.S. DOT document ``Beyond 
Traffic 2045: Trends and Choices'' be strategically addressed by RD&T 
activities over the next five years?
    3. What emerging challenges or opportunities in transportation 
warrant additional Federal RD&T activities or investments?
    4. What current and planned RD&T activities sponsored by the 
federal government should be continued or revised in the future?
    5. What strategies could improve the cost-effectiveness of U.S. DOT 
research investments?
    6. How can U.S. DOT best coordinate its RD&T activities with 
Federal, State, local, private sector, non-profit institutions, and 
international partners?
    7. What knowledge gaps merit additional exploration by the USDOT?
    For information about current U.S. DOT RD&T activities please visit 
the Department's Web site at: https://www.transportation.gov/research-and-statistics.
    The U.S. DOT RD&T Strategic Plan will present the Department's 
strategy for responding to the trends and opportunities identified in 
Beyond Traffic 2045: Trends and Choices (www.transportation.gov/BeyondTraffic). Beyond Traffic examines the long-term and emerging 
trends affecting our Nation's transportation system and the 
implications of those trends. It describes how demographic and economic 
trends, as well as changes in technology, governance, and our climate 
are affecting how people and goods travel today, and how they could 
affect travel in the future. Beyond Traffic provides a framework for 
identifying U.S. DOT RD&T priorities that will advance technologies and 
inform decisions regarding how we move, how we move things, how we move 
better, how we adapt, and how we align decisions and dollars.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 23, 2016.
Gregory D. Winfree,
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2016-07139 Filed 3-29-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 61 / Wednesday, March 30, 2016 / Notices 17767

(C) Promoting safety; how demographic and economic trends, Transportation (the Department or DOT)
(D) Improving the durability and as well as changes in technology, invites proposals from communities
extending the life of transportation governance, and our climate are and/or consortia of communities
infrastructure; affecting how people and goods travel interested in obtaining a federal grant
(E) Preserving the environment; today, and how they could affect travel under the Small Community Air Service
(F) Preserving the existing in the future. Beyond Traffic provides a Development Program (‘‘Small
transportation system.’’ framework for identifying U.S. DOT Community Program’’ or ‘‘SCASDP’’) to
The FAST Act also requires that the RD&T priorities that will advance address air service and airfare issues in
strategic plan take into account research technologies and inform decisions their communities. Subject to the
and development by other Federal, regarding how we move, how we move availability of funding, the Department
State, local, private sector and non- things, how we move better, how we has up to $5 million available for FY
profit institutions. adapt, and how we align decisions and 2016 grant awards to carry out this
The Office of the Assistant Secretary dollars. program. There is no other limitation on
for Research and Technology invites the the amount of individual awards, and
public to provide comments to inform Issued in Washington, DC, on March 23,
2016. the amounts awarded will vary
the development of the 5-year strategic depending upon the features and merits
plan for transportation Research, Gregory D. Winfree,
Assistant Secretary for Research and
of the selected proposals. In past years,
Development and Technology (RD&T). the Department’s individual grant sizes
Comments should regard appropriate Technology.
[FR Doc. 2016–07139 Filed 3–29–16; 8:45 am]
have ranged from $20,000 to nearly $1.6
RD&T activities to meet the purposes million. Funding amounts made
and considerations listed in the FAST BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
available for reimbursement may be
Act and/or emerging RD&T challenges, impacted by future limitations placed
opportunities, and priorities that U.S. on the spending authority and
DOT RD&T should address over the next DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
appropriations enacted for the
five years. In particular, comments may Office of the Secretary of Department. OST cannot award grants
respond to any or all of the following Transportation until the enactment of authorizing
questions: legislation, an appropriations act,
1. What research strategies and [Docket No. DOT–OST–2016–0037]
budget authority, and apportionment
priorities should the U.S. DOT adopt to from the Office of Management and
achieve the primary purposes cited in Notice of order soliciting community
proposals Budget (OMB). OST may, at its
the FAST Act? discretion, issue partial funding awards
2. How can the issues raised in the AGENCY: Department of Transportation, up to the level authorized and provided
U.S. DOT document ‘‘Beyond Traffic Office of the Secretary. that the above conditions are met.
2045: Trends and Choices’’ be ACTION: Notice of order soliciting Additional information on the budget
strategically addressed by RD&T community proposals (Order 2016–3– process may be found in OMB A–11:
activities over the next five years? 32). http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/
3. What emerging challenges or
circulars_default/.
opportunities in transportation warrant SUMMARY: The Department of
additional Federal RD&T activities or Applications of no more than 20 one-
Transportation is soliciting proposals sided pages each (excluding the
investments? from communities or consortia of
4. What current and planned RD&T completed Application for Federal
communities interested in receiving Domestic Assistance (SF424), Summary
activities sponsored by the federal grants under the Small Community Air
government should be continued or Information schedule, and any letters
Service Development Program. The full from the community or an air carrier
revised in the future? text of the Department’s order,
5. What strategies could improve the showing support for the application),
including Appendices, is included in including all required information, must
cost-effectiveness of U.S. DOT research this Notice. As noted in the order, an
investments? be submitted to www.grants.gov no later
application for a grant under this than 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 2, 2016.
6. How can U.S. DOT best coordinate program must include a Grant Proposal
its RD&T activities with Federal, State, Applicants are strongly encouraged to
of no more than 20 pages (one-sided submit applications in advance of the
local, private sector, non-profit only), a completed Application for
institutions, and international partners? deadline. Please be aware that
Federal Domestic Assistance (SF424), a applicants must complete the grants.gov
7. What knowledge gaps merit Summary Information Schedule, and
additional exploration by the USDOT? registration process before submitting an
any letters from the applicant application, and that this process
For information about current U.S. community showing support.
DOT RD&T activities please visit the usually takes two to four weeks to
DATES: Applications must be submitted complete.1 The Department will not
Department’s Web site at: https://
www.transportation.gov/research-and- no later than May 2, 2016. accept late-filed applications except
statistics. ADDRESSES: Communities must submit under limited circumstances related to
The U.S. DOT RD&T Strategic Plan applications electronically through technical difficulties. Additional
will present the Department’s strategy http://www.grants.gov. information on applying through
for responding to the trends and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: grants.gov is in Appendix A, including
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

opportunities identified in Beyond Brooke Chapman, Associate Director, a notice regarding late-filed
Traffic 2045: Trends and Choices Small Community Air Service applications.
(www.transportation.gov/ Development Program, Office of
BeyondTraffic). Beyond Traffic Aviation Analysis, 1200 New Jersey 1 If an applicant experiences difficulties at any

examines the long-term and emerging Avenue SE., W86–307, Washington, DC point during the registration or application process,
20590, (202) 366 0577. it should contact the grants.gov support center by
trends affecting our Nation’s email (support@grants.gov) or by telephone (1–800–
transportation system and the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By this 518–4726, available 24/7 except Federal holidays).
implications of those trends. It describes order, the U.S. Department of See www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html.

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Document Created: 2016-03-30 09:28:39
Document Modified: 2016-03-30 09:28:39

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Request for Information (RFI).
Dates		Comments must be received by April 29, 2016.
Contact		Aaron Jette, Community Planner, U.S. DOT Volpe Center, Attn: Aaron Jette; Office 460; 55 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02142. Telephone (617) 494-2335 or Email [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 17766

81 FR 17766 - Transportation Research and Development Strategic Plan

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONOffice of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 61 (March 30, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary