Highway Claims Resolution Act of 2005

The Highway Claims Resolution Act of 2005 (H.R. 3447) sought to establish a formal process and a strict timeline for resolving long-standing disputes over historic rights-of-way on federal lands. The bill would have required state and local governments to file claims for these routes within four years and provide supporting evidence within six years, or else lose the right to claim them.

For everyday citizens, this legislation aimed to provide clarity on which historic trails and dirt roads across public lands are legally open for public travel and which are not. By creating a centralized registry of these claims, the bill intended to reduce legal uncertainty for outdoor enthusiasts and local communities while allowing the federal government to maintain control over sensitive conservation or defense lands by paying compensation to valid claimants.