SWUTC Research Project Description

Title of Project:  TEA21 and ISTEA: Examination of CMAQ and STP Spending

Project Number:  167653

Principal Investigator:
Carol A. Lewis
(713) 313-7924
P.I. Affiliation:  Texas Southern University

Project Monitor:
Alan Clark
Transportation Manager
Houston Galveston Area Council
(713) 993-4585

Project Status:  Active

Date Started:  9/1/04

Estimation Completion Date:  8/31/05

Estimated Cost - Current Fiscal:  $60,000

Estimated Cost - Total Planned:  $60,000

Project Summary:
Project Abstract:
In 1991, the ISTEA legislation provided two components of financing, CMAQ and STP, that allowed states to spend transportation dollars on highway or transit according to each individual state's discretion.  The subsequent legislation, TEA 21, retained this opportunity and TEA 21 reauthorization promises to preserve that aspect of transportation funding.  This research explores state spending decisions and allocations across the almost 15 years of the discretionary CMAQ and STP portions of the legislation with an eye to assessing the impact of having STP and CMAQ.

Project Objectives:
The objective of this study is to create a greater understanding of the impacts of transportation policy decisions.  And to provide elected officials, bureaucrats, MPOs and state DOTs an improved understanding of how other states allocate dollars and the implications for other state spending.

Task Descriptions:
Task 1: 
Conduct a review of literature regarding the rationale and policy objectives of ISTEA and TEA21.  Specific focus will be on documentation that targets state spending and decision-making relative to the ISTEA and TEA21 allocations. 

Task 2: 
Collect state level spending data for CMAQ and STP for years 1991 to the most recent data available.  Also, information regarding state spending of its "in-state" dollars will be assembled as an additional point of comparison. 
 
Task 3: 
Identify other relevant information that would serve as control data such as population,  miles of roadway, income, etc. 

Task 4: 
Synthesize and analyze data to gain perspective on the spending that patterns that have occurred.  Conduct statistical assessments as part of the comparisons, where relevant. 

Task 5: 
Draft findings and prepare the final report. 

Index Terms:
Financing; Federal Aid; Government Funding; Legislation; Expenditures