Work Zone Safety Enhancement

Full Title:
Work Zone Safety Enhancement Act

Summary#

This bill adds a new subsection to 23 U.S.C. §402 to let States use a portion of their section 402 highway safety funds for work zone safety initiatives. It lists specific allowed activities: grants, overtime, equipment, and operational support for law enforcement to run high-visibility enforcement and safety patrols near work zones; developing work zone education and licensing modules for drivers; buying, testing, and maintaining alerting and intrusion-mitigation technologies (for example, portable message signs, radar speed trailers, queue detection, connected-vehicle alerts, and intrusion sensors), including pilot projects; training and certification for flaggers, inspectors, and construction personnel; and collecting work zone crash and near-miss data and funding evaluations and demonstrations. The bill requires States to prioritize assisting Tribal governments and rural areas when carrying out these activities. The bill also requires the Comptroller General to complete and send to Congress a study on the effectiveness of work zone safety programs, including the new §402(p), within 2 years after enactment.

What it means for you#

  • State transportation agencies may reallocate some existing section 402 highway safety funds to the work zone activities listed in the bill, but only as allowed by each State's triennial highway safety plan approved by the Secretary.
  • Law enforcement agencies, transportation departments, construction crews, commercial drivers, and the general public could be affected by expanded enforcement, training, technology pilots, and data collection in and near work zones.
  • Tribal governments and rural areas are named priorities for receiving assistance under these activities.

Expenses#

  • The bill allows States to use a portion of amounts they receive under 23 U.S.C. §402 for the listed work zone activities.
  • The bill text does not create a new federal appropriation or provide cost estimates. No publicly available information on overall federal or State cost estimates is included in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.