Congress expands federal funding for safe bike and pedestrian paths
H.R. 2011 — Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act · Filed by Jamie Raskin (D-MD) · 17 cosponsors · Introduced Mar 10, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends federal highway safety law to expand funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects. It allows states to receive up to 100% federal funding (instead of the usual 80% match requirement) for projects that connect existing bike/pedestrian paths, reduce risks to vulnerable road users, or implement proven safety measures like protected bike lanes. It also lets states count certain bike/pedestrian safety spending toward their required local match on other transportation projects.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is straightforward: it increases federal cost-share percentages and creates flexible financing pathways for bicycle and pedestrian safety projects. This is a direct public-safety appropriations and eligibility measure, not a tax provision, deregulation, or private carve-out.
What the text implies
- The 100% federal share for certain projects may incentivize states to prioritize bike/pedestrian work over other highway safety improvements, potentially shifting modal investment patterns.
- Allowing bike/pedestrian spending to count toward non-federal match requirements on other projects may enable creative accounting that reduces actual local skin-in-the-game for transportation planning.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill removes financial barriers to bicycle and pedestrian safety infrastructure by increasing federal funding availability and flexibility. Ordinary citizens—especially those who walk or bike, live in lower-income areas with fewer local matching funds, and vulnerable road users—gain improved safety infrastructure and reduced traffic fatalities without requiring local governments to shoulder the full cost burden.