US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

23 U.S.C. § 116

Maintenance

(a)

Definitions .—

In this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)

Preventive maintenance .—

The term “preventive maintenance” includes pavement preservation programs and activities.
(2)

Pavement preservation programs and activities .—

The term “pavement preservation programs and activities” means programs and activities employing a network level, long-term strategy that enhances pavement performance by using an integrated, cost-effective set of practices that extend pavement life, improve safety, and meet road user expectations.
(b)
It shall be the duty of the State transportation department or other direct recipient to maintain, or cause to be maintained, any project constructed under the provisions of this chapter or constructed under the provisions of prior Acts.
(c)

Agreement .—

In any State in which the State transportation department or other direct recipient is without legal authority to maintain a project described in subsection (b), the transportation department or direct recipient shall enter into a formal agreement with the appropriate officials of the county or municipality in which the project is located to provide for the maintenance of the project.
(d)
If at any time the Secretary shall find that any project constructed under the provisions of this chapter, or constructed under the provisions of prior Acts, is not being properly maintained, he shall call such fact to the attention of the State transportation department or other direct recipient. If, within ninety days after receipt of such notice, such project has not been put in proper condition of maintenance, the Secretary shall withhold approval of further projects of all types in the State highway district, municipality, county, other political or administrative subdivision of the State, or the entire State in which such project is located, whichever the Secretary deems most appropriate, until such project shall have been put in proper condition of maintenance.
(e)

Preventive Maintenance .—

A preventive maintenance activity shall be eligible for Federal assistance under this title if the State demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary that the activity is a cost-effective means of extending the useful life of a Federal-aid highway.

Pub. L. 85–76772 Stat. 896Pub. L. 86–70, § 21(d)(2)73 Stat. 145Pub. L. 90–495, § 2682 Stat. 829Pub. L. 95–599, title I, § 124(d)92 Stat. 2705Pub. L. 97–424, title I, § 11496 Stat. 2107Pub. L. 100–17, title I, § 125(b)(2)101 Stat. 167Pub. L. 104–59, title III, § 309109 Stat. 582Pub. L. 105–178, title I, § 1212(a)(2)(A)(i)112 Stat. 193Pub. L. 109–59, title I, § 1111(b)(1)119 Stat. 1171Pub. L. 112–141, div. A, title I, § 1507126 Stat. 565(, , ; , (e)(3), , , 146; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 112–141, § 1507(2)2012—Subsec. (a). , added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a) redesignated (b).

Pub. L. 112–141, § 1507(1)Subsec. (b). , (3), redesignated subsec. (a) as (b), inserted “or other direct recipient” before “to maintain”, and struck out at end “The State’s obligation to the United States to maintain any such project shall cease when it no longer constitutes a part of a Federal-aid system.” Former subsec. (b) redesignated (c).

Pub. L. 112–141, § 1507(4)Subsec. (c). , added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “In any State wherein the State transportation department is without legal authority to maintain a project constructed on the Federal-aid secondary system, or within a municipality, such transportation department shall enter into a formal agreement for its maintenance with the appropriate officials of the county or municipality in which such project is located.”

Pub. L. 112–141, § 1507(1), redesignated subsec. (b) as (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (d).

Pub. L. 112–141, § 1507(1)Subsec. (d). , (5), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d) and inserted “or other direct recipient” after “State transportation department”. Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).

Pub. L. 112–141, § 1507(1)Subsec. (e). , redesignated subsec. (d) as (e).

Pub. L. 109–592005—Subsec. (b). substituted “such transportation department” for “such highway department”.

Pub. L. 105–1781998—Subsecs. (a) to (c). substituted “State transportation department” for “State highway department”.

Pub. L. 104–591995—Subsec. (d). added subsec. (d).

Pub. L. 100–171987—Subsecs. (d), (e). struck out subsecs. (d) and (e) which read as follows:

“(d) The Secretary in consultation with the State highway departments and interested and knowledgeable private organizations and individuals shall as soon as possible establish national bridge inspection standards in order to provide for the proper safety inspection of bridges. Such standards shall specify in detail the method by which inspections shall be conducted by the State highway departments, the maximum time lapse between inspections and the qualifications for those charged with the responsibility for carrying out such inspections. Each State shall be required to maintain written reports to be available to the Secretary pursuant to such inspections together with a notation of the action taken pursuant to the findings of such inspections. Each State shall be required to maintain a current inventory of all bridges.

section 307(a) of this title“(e) The Secretary shall establish in cooperation with the State highway departments a program designed to train appropriate employees of the Federal Government and the State governments to carry out bridge inspections. Such a program shall be revised from time to time in light of new or improved techniques. For the purposes of this section the Secretary may use funds made available pursuant to the provisions of section 104(a) and .”

Pub. L. 97–4241983—Subsec. (c). substituted “State highway district, municipality, county, other political or administrative subdivision of the State, or the entire State in which such project is located, whichever the Secretary deems most appropriate,” for “entire State” after “all types in the”, and struck out exception for a situation where such project was subject to an agreement pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, in which case approval was to have been withheld only for secondary or urban projects in the county or municipality where such project is located.

Pub. L. 95–5991978—Subsec. (d). struck out provisions limiting provisions of the subsection to the Federal-aid system.

Pub. L. 90–4951968—Subsecs. (d), (e). added subsecs. (d) and (e).

Pub. L. 86–70, § 21(e)(3)1959—Subsec. (a). , substituted “It” for “Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, it”.

Pub. L. 86–70, § 21(d)(2)Subsec. (d). , repealed subsec. (d) which related to expenditure of funds apportioned to the Territory of Alaska and contributed by the Territory for the maintenance of roads.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2012 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–141section 3(a) of Pub. L. 112–141section 101 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as an Effective and Termination Dates of 2012 Amendment note under .

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–495section 37 of Pub. L. 90–495section 101 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1959 Amendment

section 21(d)(2) of Pub. L. 86–70section 21(d) of Pub. L. 86–70section 103 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

section 21(e)(3) of Pub. L. 86–70section 21(e) of Pub. L. 86–70section 101 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Pilot Program

Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title I, § 1424129 Stat. 1425

“(a)

In General .—

The Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (referred to in this section as the ‘Administrator’) may establish a pilot program that allows a State to utilize innovative approaches to maintain the right-of-way of Federal-aid highways within the State.
“(b)

Limitation .—

A pilot program established under subsection (a) shall—
“(1)
terminate after not more than 4 years;
“(2)
include not more than 5 States; and
“(3)
be subject to guidelines published by the Administrator.
“(c)

Report .—

If the Administrator establishes a pilot program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall, not more than 1 year after the completion of the pilot program, submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate a report on the results of the pilot program.
“(d)

Savings Provision .—

section 111 of title 23Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the requirements of , United States Code.”
, , , provided that:

Establishment of Minimum Federal Guidelines for Maintenance; Study by National Academy of Sciences and Report

Pub. L. 100–17, title I, § 163101 Stat. 213, , , directed Secretary to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a complete investigation of the appropriateness of establishing minimum Federal guidelines for maintenance of the Federal-aid primary, secondary, and urban systems and, not later than 18 months after entering into appropriate arrangements, the National Academy of Sciences was to submit to Secretary and Congress a report on the results of the investigation and study together with recommendations (including legislative and administrative recommendations) concerning establishment of minimum Federal guidelines for maintenance of the Federal-aid primary, secondary, and urban systems.