HR2011-119

What This Bill Does

The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act makes bicyclist, pedestrian, and vulnerable-road-user projects easier to fund under federal highway safety programs. It adds connecting two or more existing bicyclist or pedestrian infrastructure segments and reducing vulnerable-road-user safety risks through approved project strategies to the Highway Safety Improvement Program. It allows a federal share of up to 100 percent for those HSIP projects. It also adds flexible financing for Transportation Alternatives projects, lets HSIP funds count toward the non-federal share when projects include Federal Highway Administration proven safety countermeasures, are tied to a vulnerable-road-user emphasis area in a State strategic highway safety plan, or are identified through local, metropolitan, regional, Tribal, Complete Streets, Vision Zero, ADA transition, comprehensive safety action, or similar safety plans. The bill adds bicyclist and pedestrian proven safety countermeasures to the title 23 list of safety projects eligible for increased federal share treatment.

Who Benefits and How

Bicyclists benefit because missing links between existing bike infrastructure become eligible highway safety projects. Pedestrians benefit because vulnerable-road-user risk-reduction projects can receive up to 100 percent federal funding. Local governments benefit because safety plans such as Vision Zero, Complete Streets, and local roadway safety plans can support project eligibility. State transportation departments benefit from flexible federal-share and matching rules for active-transportation safety projects.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Federal Highway Administration must determine proven safety countermeasures and administer expanded eligibility. State DOT safety offices must update HSIP project selection and federal-share calculations. Metropolitan planning organizations must document safety-plan links when using the flexible match rules. Federal taxpayers fund a larger share of qualifying active-transportation safety projects.

Key Provisions

• Adds connected bicyclist and pedestrian infrastructure segments to Highway Safety Improvement Program eligibility.
• Adds vulnerable-road-user risk-reduction strategies to highway safety project eligibility.
• Authorizes up to 100 percent federal share for qualifying HSIP projects.
• Allows HSIP funds to count toward the non-federal share for qualifying active-transportation projects.
• Recognizes pedestrian, bicycle, Complete Streets, Vision Zero, ADA transition, Tribal, and comprehensive safety action plans.