(a) State and local highway agencies are expected to assume the same responsibility for developing and maintaining adequate highways to permanent defense installations as they do for highways serving private industrial establishments or any other permanent traffic generators. The Federal Government expects that highway improvements in the vicinity of defense installations will receive due priority consideration and treatment as State and local agencies develop their programs of improvement. The FHWA will provide assistance, as requested by MTMC, to ascertain State program plans for improvements to roads serving as access to defense installations. Roads which serve permanent defense installations and which qualify under established criteria as Federal-aid routes should be included in the appropriate Federal-aid system.

(b) It is recognized that problems may arise in connection with the establishment, expansion, or operation of defense installations which create an unanticipated impact upon the long-range requirements for the development of highways in the vicinity. These problems can be resolved equitably only by Federal assistance from other than normal Federal-aid highway programs for part or all of the cost of highway improvements necessary for the functioning of the installation.