View source for Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century

{{short description|Federal highway legislation}}
{{Infobox U.S. legislation
| enacted by = 105th
| effective date = 
| cite public law = {{USPL|105|178}}
| cite statutes at large = {{USStat|112|107}}
| public law url = 
| leghisturl = https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/2400
| introducedin = House
| introducedbill = {{USBill|105|HR|2400}}
| introducedby = [[Bud Shuster]] (R–[[Pennsylvania|PA]])
| introduceddate = September 4, 1997
| committees = 
| passedbody1 = House
| passeddate1 = April 1, 1998
| passedvote1 = [https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/199898 337-80]
| passedbody2 = Senate
| passeddate2 = April 2, 1998
| passedvote2 = [[unanimous consent]], in lieu of {{USBill|105|S|1173}}
| passedbody3 = House
| conferencedate = May 22, 1998
| passeddate3 = May 22, 1998
| passedvote3 = [https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/1998192 297-86]
| passedbody4 = Senate
| passeddate4 = May 22, 1998
| passedvote4 = [http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=2&vote=00147 88-5]
| signedpresident = [[Bill Clinton]]
| signeddate = June 9, 1998
| unsignedpresident = 
| vetoedpresident = 
| amendments = 
| SCOTUS cases = 
| name = Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
| fullname = An Act to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes.
| acronym = TEA-21
| nickname = BESTEA bill, TEA 21 bill, Transportation Reauthorization bill
| acts amended = 
| acts repealed = 
| title amended = 
| sections created = <!--{{USC}} can be used-->
| sections amended = 
}}
The United States federal '''Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century''' ('''TEA-21''') is a federal [[transportation bill]] enacted June 9, 1998, as {{USPL|105|178}} and {{USStat|112|107}}. TEA-21 authorized federal surface transportation programs for [[highways]], [[highway safety]], and [[Mass transit|transit]] for a 6-year period from 1998 to 2003. Because Congress could not agree on funding levels, the Act, which had continued past 2003 by means of temporary extensions, was allowed to lapse.

==History==
The bill was introduced in the House by [[Bud Shuster]] (R–[[Pennsylvania|PA]]) on September 4, 1997. 
The transportation equity act requires that seven planning factors be included in regional transportation plans. The plans must:
# support the economic vitality of the metropolitan planning area, especially by enabling global competitiveness, productivity and efficiency;
# increase the safety and security of the [[transportation system]] for motorized and non-motorized users ;
# increase the accessibility and mobility options available to people and for freight;
# protect and enhance the environment, especially by promoting [[energy conservation]] and improving [[quality of life]];
# enhance the integration and connectivity of the transportation system across and between [[Mode of transport|modes]], for people and freight; 
# promote efficient system management and operation; and
# emphasize the efficient preservation of existing transportation systems.

Factor 4 was amended by the [[Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users|Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act]] (SAFETEA-LU) in 2005 and reads: "protect and enhance the environment, promote energy conservation, improve the quality of life, and promote consistency between transportation improvements and State and local planned growth and economic development patterns".<ref>{{USC|23|135#d|pipe=23 U.S. Code § 135 - Statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation planning}}</ref>

Section 1211(d) prevents the [[United States Department of Transportation]] (USDOT) from requiring state departments of transportation to use the [[metric system]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/contracts/staopt.cfm |title=FHWA Memorandum to all State Chief Executive Officers Regarding Metrication Conversion at State Option |date=22 October 1998}}</ref> This has had the effect of delaying [[metrication in the United States]] with respect to road construction, though some states had already completely converted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wateronline.com/doc/are-we-going-metric-now-or-later-0003|title=Are we going metric now or later?}}</ref>

==Funding programs==
*JARC (Job Access Reverse Commute)

==See also==
*[[Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act]]
*[[Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act]] (ISTEA, 1991)
*[[Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act]] (MAP-21, 2012)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tea21/index.htm TEA-21 official web site]
* [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-1431/uslm/COMPS-1431.xml Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century] as amended ([https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-1431/pdf/COMPS-1431.pdf PDF]/[https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/COMPS-1431 details]) in the [[United States Government Publishing Office|GPO]] [https://www.govinfo.gov/help/comps Statute Compilations collection]
* [https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/105/public/178?link-type=pdf&.pdf Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century] as enacted ([https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/105/public/178?link-type=details details]) in the [[United States Statutes at Large|US Statutes at Large]]
* {{USBill|105|hr|2400}} on [[Congress.gov]]
* {{USBill|105|s|1173}} on Congress.gov

{{Presidency of Bill Clinton}}
{{US highway bills}}

[[Category:United States federal transportation legislation|Equity Act]]
[[Category:Acts of the 105th United States Congress]]
[[Category:1998 in American law]]

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