ISTEA
Updated: September 3, 2024The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 is a United States federal law that posed a major change to transportation planning and policy. It presented an overall intermodal approach to highway and transit funding with collaborative planning requirements, giving significant additional powers to the metropolitan planning organizations (MPO). It also provided funds for the conversion of dormant railroad corridors into rail trails. The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) was a part of ISTEA and provides federal funding for projects that contribute to meeting NAAQS.