[hedgetrimmer]

I found more by looking at the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Analysis here

          The 1998 federal transportation act - Transportation Equity Act  
          for the 21st Century (TEA-21) - established the Coordinated  
          Border Infrastructure (CBI) Discretionary Program to fund border  
          infrastructure projects.  Agencies with eligible projects  
          applied directly to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)  
          for funding.  

          Under the current federal transportation act - Safe,  
          Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act:  A  
          Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) - the CBI has been revised and is  
          now a formula-driven funding program that provides funding to  
          the states bordering Canada and Mexico for projects that  
          "improve the safe movement of motor vehicles at or across the  
          land border."  Federal funding generally covers 80% of projects  
          costs, subject to a sliding scale adjustment.  The state is  
          required to provide a match from non-federal sources to fund the  
          remaining costs of the project.  Eligible projects must be  
          located within 100 miles of the border.  Four counties in  
          California are located within these boundaries:  Imperial,  
          Orange, Riverside, and San Diego. 

30 posted on 09/26/2006 8:49:02 AM PDT by calcowgirl

[calcowgirl]

I found more by looking at the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Analysis here

          The 1998 federal transportation act - Transportation Equity Act  
          for the 21st Century (TEA-21) - established the Coordinated  
          Border Infrastructure (CBI) Discretionary Program to fund border  
          infrastructure projects.  Agencies with eligible projects  
          applied directly to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)  
          for funding.  

          Under the current federal transportation act - Safe,  
          Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act:  A  
          Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) - the CBI has been revised and is  
          now a formula-driven funding program that provides funding to  
          the states bordering Canada and Mexico for projects that  
          "improve the safe movement of motor vehicles at or across the  
          land border."  Federal funding generally covers 80% of projects  
          costs, subject to a sliding scale adjustment.  The state is  
          required to provide a match from non-federal sources to fund the  
          remaining costs of the project.  Eligible projects must be  
          located within 100 miles of the border.  Four counties in  
          California are located within these boundaries:  Imperial,  
          Orange, Riverside, and San Diego. 

[K-oneTexas]

So beginnings prior to current Administration, possibly 1998. Another benefit from the Clinton Administration. Maybe we should look further back to see when the "skids" actually began being greased. This isn't a new idea.