The combined road plan (crp) established as a demonstration by the 1987 surface transportation and uniform relocation assistance actis intended to simulate a block grant for certain highway funds. The minnesota crp was designed to reduce federal approvals to a minimum and decrease the exchange of paper between state and federal offices. Minnesota chose to use only federal funds that could be pooled and administered in the manner of a block grant. The key action in getting started was the transfer of 180 existing projects to the demonstration program so that most of the procedures could be implemented immediately. The most significant changes in project procedures were concurrent program approval and authorization and the eliminationof fhwa involvement in the final inspection process. Most of the changes in approval authority took place in the state organization to handle the newly delegated approvals. Federal procedures had to be changed to accommodate the new state approvals. The administration of the crp has proven to be surprisingly easy. Existing procedures are used with less federal involvement. Paper flow has been reduced significantly, particularly in connection with project authorizations.Experience to date indicates that the crp reduces paperwork and gets contracts under way more quickly at the state level. It also allows federal engineers to focus their efforts on higher-priority projects. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1262, Planning, management and economic analysis 1990.
Abstract