Federal law now requires streets designed for all users, not just cars.

What it does

This bill requires federal highway agencies to consider all road users—pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and motorists—when designing streets and allocating transportation funds. It mandates that the Federal Highway Administration publish explanations for design prohibitions, update regulations to clarify how 'all modes' must be evaluated, create categorical exceptions for multimodal projects, and establish guidelines for bus stops and connected networks. States must update their design manuals to reflect lower-speed, multimodal guidance or lose federal highway funding. The bill also requires a study on fatal crashes and sets a requirement that vulnerable road user fatalities not increase.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a regulatory and funding shift that requires federal and state transportation agencies to prioritize pedestrian, cyclist, and transit safety alongside motorized traffic. It is fundamentally a public-safety and accountability measure, not a subsidy or carve-out.

What the text implies

• States that do not update design manuals within 2 years may face loss of federal highway funding, creating a de facto mandate with significant fiscal leverage over state transportation policy.
• The requirement that vulnerable road user fatalities 'not exceed' prior-period totals creates a strict performance floor; states missing this target could face funding penalties or federal intervention.

The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.

Who stands to gain

engineering and planning consultants (increased demand for multimodal design expertise); transit agencies (prioritized in funding and design guidance); construction firms specializing in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure