article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge Preservation Act''. SEC. 2. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SECRETARY FOR THE WOODROW WILSON MEMORIAL BRIDGE. (a) Maintenance, Rehabilitation, and Expansion of Existing Bridge.--The Secretary of Transportation shall be solely responsible for the maintenance, rehabilitation, and expansion of the existing Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge over the Potomac River between the States of Virginia and Maryland until all conditions under section 5 are met. The Secretary shall consult with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia from time to time on the operating, maintenance, and rehabilitation needs of the bridge. (b) Coordination of Agreement.--Sections 2(A), 2(B), and 2(C) of the agreement of April 19, 1985, between the Secretary of Transportation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia, related to the assignment of responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the bridge shall remain in effect. SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND. (a) In General.--The contract authority, and associated obligational authority, provided by section 412 of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 (112 Stat. 159-160) and section 110 of title 23, United States Code, for the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge shall be designated as the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge Preservation Fund (in this section referred to as the ``Fund'') and shall be maintained as such within the Department of Transportation. (b) Uses of the Fund.--The Fund shall be available to the Secretary for the maintenance, rehabilitation, and expansion of the existing Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge for the purpose of keeping the bridge in a condition sufficient to facilitate interstate traffic in an efficient and safe manner. Amounts in the Fund shall only be available for those portions of the bridge that are owned by the Federal Government. (c) Replenishment of the Fund.--Before October 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall estimate the balance in the Fund for such fiscal year. If the balance is projected to be below $50,000,000, the Secretary shall deduct from apportionments made to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland under section 104 of title 23, United States Code, sufficient contract authority and obligation authority to restore the projected Fund balance to $50,000,000. The obligation authority deducted shall be available until expended. (d) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and transmit to Congress an annual report on the condition of the bridge. SEC. 4. TRANSPORTATION PLAN. (a) Development.--The Secretary of Transportation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia shall develop a transportation plan for the Capital Beltway corridor (Interstate Route 495) served by the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge project. The plan shall establish what level of high occupancy vehicle lanes and transit service should be provided in the corridor and how such service should be accommodated on a replacement bridge. (b) Consultation.--The plan shall be developed in consultation with appropriate local jurisdictions and metropolitan planning organizations. (c) Funding.--The cost of developing the plan may be paid from the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge Preservation Fund. SEC. 5. CONSTRUCTION OF REPLACEMENT BRIDGE. (a) In General.--Upon certification to Congress by the Secretary of Transportation that all of the following conditions have been met, the balance in the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge Preservation Fund shall be available for the construction of a replacement for the existing Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge: (1) The transportation plan required under section 4 has been completed and approved by the Secretary, the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, and the mayor of the District of Columbia. (2) Title to the existing bridge has been transferred from the Federal Government to the Commonwealth of Virginia or the State of Maryland, or both. (3) The Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland have developed a finance plan to pay for all costs of the replacement bridge project in excess of the current Federal payment provided by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and have signed an agreement with the Secretary to pay for all cost overruns to the finance plan. The plan shall give priority to the use of such Federal payment for the bridge component of the project. (b) Waiver Authority.--In developing a replacement bridge and its approaches under subsection (a), the Secretary upon petition by the States of Virginia and Maryland, may waive any requirement of title 23, United States Code, other than sections 113 and 138 of such title, that the States have determined to cause unreasonable increases in the cost of the project. SEC. 6. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS. It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) the $900,000,000 Federal payment in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to replace the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge is the final Federal contribution for that project; (2) any of the Federal payment remaining after completion of the replacement bridge shall be available to pay for costs associated with construction of approaches to the bridge; and (3) all project costs not associated with the bridge component are the responsibility of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland as was the case with the construction of the existing bridge. SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. Section 412 of the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 (112 Stat. 159-160) is amended-- (1) in subsection (a)(1) by striking ``of planning'' and all that follows through the period at the end of such subsection and inserting ``of maintenance and rehabilitation by the Secretary of the existing Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.''; and (2) by striking subsection (c). SEC. 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect September 30, 2000, and shall apply to fiscal years beginning after such date.
summary: Designates certain contract and associated obligational authorities for the bridge as the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge Preservation Fund which shall be maintained within the Department of Transportation. Requires that such Fund be available to the Secretary for the maintenance, rehabilitation, and expansion of the bridge for keeping it in a condition sufficient to facilitate interstate traffic in an efficient and safe manner. Provides for amounts in the Fund only to be available for those portions of the bridge that are owned by the Federal Government. Sets forth a rule for the replenishment of the Fund. Requires the Secretary to prepare and transmit to Congress an annual report on the bridge's condition. Directs the Secretary, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia to develop a transportation plan for the Capital Beltway corridor (Interstate Route 495) served by the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge project. Requires that the plan establish what level of high occupancy vehicle lanes and transit service should be provided in the corridor and how such service should be accommodated on a replacement bridge. Permits the cost of developing the plan to be paid from the Fund. Requires the balance in the Fund to be available for the construction of a replacement bridge upon certification to Congress by the Secretary that all of the following conditions have been met: (1) the transportation plan has been completed and approved by the Secretary, the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, and the mayor of the District of Columbia; (2) title to the existing bridge has been transferred from the Federal Government to Virginia, Maryland, or both; and (3) Virginia and Maryland have developed a finance plan to pay for all costs of the replacement bridge project in excess of the current Federal payment and have signed an agreement with the Secretary to pay for all cost overruns to the plan (requires the plan to give priority to the use of such Federal payment for the bridge component). Allows the Secretary, in developing a replacement bridge and its approaches, upon petition by the States of Virginia and Maryland, to waive any Federal highways requirement (with exceptions) that the States have determined to cause unreasonable increases in the cost of the project. Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the $900 million Federal payment to replace the bridge is the final Federal contribution for that project; (2) any of the Federal payment remaining after completion of the replacement bridge shall be available to pay for costs associated with construction of approaches to it; and (3) all project costs not associated with the bridge component are the responsibility of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Maryland.