Legal Definitions - Federal Highway Administration

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its main job is to help states with building and improving highways. It also helps with highway safety programs and makes sure that commercial motor carriers follow the same rules in all states. The FHWA trains employees of state and local agencies who work on highways that get federal aid.

• The FHWA gives money to states to build new highways or fix old ones.
• The FHWA provides matching grants to states for programs that make highways safer, like putting up signs or improving intersections.
• The FHWA makes sure that all states have the same rules for registering and taxing commercial motor carriers, like trucks and buses.
• The FHWA regulates the safety of motor carriers that operate in more than one state.
• The FHWA trains employees of state and local agencies who work on highways that get federal aid, so they know how to do their jobs safely and efficiently.

These examples show how the FHWA helps states with building and improving highways, making them safer, and regulating commercial motor carriers. The FHWA also trains employees to make sure they know how to do their jobs well.