Active Transportation for Public Lands

Summary#

This bill adds a new subsection to section 201 of title 23, United States Code. It requires the Secretary of Transportation to set aside not less than 5 percent of the funds authorized for programs under sections 203 and 204 each fiscal year for “active transportation.”

The bill defines “active transportation” to include:

• Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nonmotorized transportation, including sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, traffic calming, lighting, and projects to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
• Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure projects and systems that provide safe routes for non-drivers (including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities) to access public accommodations and points of interest.
• Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, or other nonmotorized users.

What it means for you#

If you visit or live near public lands or areas served by the Federal Lands Transportation Program or the Federal Lands Access Program, this bill would require at least 5% of those program funds each year to be used for trails, sidewalks, bike infrastructure, and other nonmotorized access projects. The bill sets the types of projects that qualify but does not say which specific locations or communities will get funding or when projects will start.

Expenses#

The bill requires a set-aside of at least 5 percent of funds authorized under sections 203 and 204, but it does not specify dollar amounts, total program funding, or provide cost estimates. No publicly available information on the overall cost or budgetary offsets is included in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.