This is an advance notice that FHWA is planning a solicitation for the Highways for Life Program to begin on November 1, 2011. Applications must be received by District 3 Local Assistance no later than COB Friday, December 9, 2011. LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
The application is attached here:  Project Application – revised 3-9-11 updated exp date

Please note that this program can provide the 20% non-federal match for a federally funded project.

A summary of the program is provided below and additional information can be found at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/discretionary/hfl2011selc.htm

Description
The incentive grants for the Demonstration Construction Project element under the HfL Pilot Program is 20 percent of the total cost of the construction project with a maximum incentive of approximately $2,000,000, or waive the matching requirement to allow 100-percent Federal-aid funding for projects. The purpose of these incentives is to encourage the States to build projects that use proven innovations that are infrequently used to accelerate the deployment and implementation process of innovation and shall not be used as a supplemental funding source.
This solicitation for FY 2012 is a great opportunity to encourage your State to use the appropriate innovations promoted in the Every Day Counts Accelerating Innovation and Technology Deployment and Shortening Project Delivery initiatives.

Eligible Government Entity / SAFETEA-LU and/or Title 23 Citation(s)
For Demonstration Construction Projects, grants are only made to the States. (SAFETEA- LU §§1502(b)).

Proposed projects must:

  • Achieve the HfL performance goals for safety, construction congestion, quality, and user satisfaction.
  • Deliver and deploy never or rarely used for the State “proven” innovative technologies, manufacturing processes, financing, contracting practices, and performance measures that will demonstrate substantial improvements in safety, quality, speed of construction, congestion and cost effectiveness.
  • Include innovation that is intended to change the administration of the DOT’s transportation program to move quickly construct long-lasting, high-quality, cost effective projects that improve safety and reduce congestion on a recurring basis.
  • Be ready for construction within 1 year of approval of the project proposal. For the purposes of the HfL program, the FHWA considers a project to be “ready for construction” when the FHWA Division Office authorizes the construction project.
  • Demonstrate a willingness by the DOT to participate in subsequent technology transfer and information dissemination activities associated with the project(s).
  • Demonstrate a willingness by the DOT to accept FHWA Division Office oversight if the project is approved by HfL.

Selection Criteria
The selection panel will be ranking the candidate projects using the following criteria:

  • Serve as shining examples of what is possible with respect to improving safety and user satisfaction, minimizing construction-related congestion, and achieving high-quality, long-lasting highway infrastructure;
  • Demonstrate a broad array of technologies, techniques, and approaches to achieving safe, high quality, and long-lasting infrastructure, while minimizing construction-related congestion and achieving a higher user satisfaction rating;
  • Be geographically dispersed (ideally with at least one project in each State);
  • Serve as a platform for promoting innovation and new technology (i.e., showcases, workshops, training, peer-to-peer exchange); and
  • Demonstrate that the innovations will be put into standard practice by the State.