The new federal transportation bill, named the Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century (TEA 21), earmarks $25 million for the construction of the Mon/Fayette Expressway projects and classifies all Mon/Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects so that they are eligible for additional discretionary funding.

Specific authorizations provide $20 million for the Mon/Fayette Expressway between Uniontown and Brownsville and $5 million for the Pennsylvania section of the Mon/Fayette’s Mason Dixon Link from PA-43 in Georges Township, Fayette County south to the Pennsylvania/West Virginia state line.

TEA 21, which was signed into law June 9, 1998, also designates the Mon/Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway as "high priority corridors." That means they are eligible to compete for federal funds under the National Corridor Planning and Development Program and other funding that would become available for high priority corridors.

A total of $700 million is provided for the National Corridor Planning and Development Program - $140 million annually for each of the last five years of TEA 21. Under the terms of the program, the Mon/Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway Projects could receive funding if an application submitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and/or the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission is approved by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation is eligible to apply for funding from the pool because the "high priority corridor" designation includes 4.1 miles of the Mon/Fayette Expressway’s Mason Dixon Link in West Virginia.

Paul Wilkinson, director of planning and research for West Virginia’s DOT’s Division of Highways, said construction of the Mon/Fayette Expressway in West Virginia is tentatively scheduled to start in April 1999, if funding becomes available. Construction is expected to last two years.