The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015, Pub.
L.
No.
114-94, § 6020, authorized the Secretary of Transportation to establish the Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives (STSFA) Program.
The purpose of the STSFA Program is to provide
grants to States to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms that utilize a user-fee structure to maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.
The FAST Act authorized $15 million in FY 2016, and $20 million annually from FY 2017 through 2020 from the Highway Research and Development Program for grants for the STSFA demonstration projects.
The grants are only available to States; however, groups of States can form partnerships for regional or national proposals.[3] Section 6020 of the FAST Act authorizes DOT to enter into agreements with State authorities to demonstrate user-based alternative revenue mechanisms.