Sponsors (8)
The bill trades faster, more uniform emergency repairs for greater planning flexibility: it gives states more time and FHWA clearer guidance, but that extra time and discretion can delay repairs, raise costs, and lead to uneven treatment across states.
State DOTs, governors, and local governments get up to six fiscal years (plus possible extensions) to delay advancing emergency-relief highway projects to construction, giving them more time to plan and prioritize repairs and avoid rushed, costly decisions.
FHWA must update and share the Emergency Relief Manual at least every two years, improving guidance transparency and consistency for states and the public.
Drivers, transportation workers, and local communities could face longer periods with damaged roads and bridges because delaying construction obligations can slow on-the-ground repairs.
Longer project timelines may raise total costs due to inflation, changing material prices, and extended temporary fixes, increasing burdens on taxpayers and local governments.
Giving the Secretary discretion to approve additional extensions risks inconsistent application across states, producing unequal outcomes depending on how justification standards are interpreted.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Extends the deadline for advancing federal highway emergency-relief projects to construction, permits governor-requested extensions, and requires biennial FHWA Emergency Relief Manual updates.
Stops the Federal Highway Administrator from forcing a state to move an emergency-relief highway project into construction sooner than the end of the sixth fiscal year after a governor’s or the President’s disaster declaration, and lets governors request one-year extensions (and additional extensions with justification). Requires the Federal Highway Administration to update its Emergency Relief Manual within two years and then every two years, give the updated manual to state transportation departments, and post it online.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by John Garamendi · Last progress August 1, 2025