Agricultural and Rural Road Improvement Program Act

This bill, titled the Agricultural and Rural Road Improvement Program Act, would create a new federal program under Title 23 of the U.S. Code to invest in rural and agricultural road infrastructure. The main aim is to improve first- and last-mile access to farms and agricultural facilities, reduce the number of weight-limited bridges and capacity-constrained local roads in rural areas, and enhance the safety, resiliency, and efficiency of local roads and rural minor collectors that support the agricultural economy and rural communities. Key features include: (1) eligibility limited to projects on local roads or rural minor collectors, (2) four project types such as replacing/rehabilitating bridges to remove weight limits and improving access to agricultural facilities, (3) a federal cost share cap of up to 90%, and (4) an accompanying funding and apportionment mechanism within existing highway program funding. The bill also makes conforming amendments to add the new program to the apportionment framework and to modify the Carbon Reduction Program provisions.