In 1994, FHWA launched a major initiative to solicit ideas from the states on a range of new financial strategies designed to stretch limited transportation dollars and enhance the flexibility of Federal-aid highway funds. This experimental "Test and Evaluation" initiative known as TE-045 has generated substantial benefits in terms of building more projects with fewer federal dollars and accelerating project construction. Many of the innovations tested were subsequently approved for general use through administration action or legislative changes made under the National Highway System Designation Act (NHS) of 1995 and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Along with cash management tools such as tapered match, toll credits, and advance construction, resulting innovations include leveraging of FAHP grants in the capital markets (GARVEEs) discussed below.