Federal funding surge for safer streets for cyclists, pedestrians

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%) for projects that connect existing bike/pedestrian paths, reduce risks to cyclists and pedestrians, or implement proven safety measures like protected bike lanes. It also lets states count certain bike/pedestrian safety spending toward their required local cost-share on other transportation projects.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward expansion of federal highway safety funding eligibility to include bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects, with increased federal cost-share and flexible financing options. It is a targeted public-safety appropriations measure, not a deregulation or carve-out.

What the text implies

• By allowing 100% federal funding for certain bike/pedestrian projects, the bill may shift local transportation priorities away from other infrastructure needs if communities lack matching funds for non-eligible projects.
• The bill's reliance on FHWA determination of 'Proven Safety Countermeasures' creates a regulatory gatekeeping function; projects not pre-approved by FHWA may face funding barriers despite local safety evidence.
• Flexible financing provisions allowing multi-project cost-share calculations may enable states to aggregate unrelated projects to meet federal thresholds, potentially diluting project-level accountability.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill expands federal support for safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians—groups with higher injury and fatality rates in traffic. By increasing federal funding and reducing local cost barriers, it makes it easier for communities to build protective infrastructure. The bill does not restrict citizen rights or create new liabilities; it removes financial obstacles to public safety improvements.

Who stands to gain

• construction and engineering firms specializing in bike/pedestrian infrastructure
• local and regional transportation planning organizations
• state departments of transportation

Named in the bill

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Transportation, State transportation departments, Metropolitan planning organizations, Local governments, Title 23 USC (federal highway law), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

Where it stands

11 cosponsors: 9 Democrats, 2 Republicans.

• Mar 11, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Mar 11, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

7 lobbying clients named this bill on 11 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $2,662,158 in lobbying spend. A filing names 8 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 86% of bills with at least one filing.

Chris Van Hollen, the sponsor, reported $81,250 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies — $1,005,758 on 2 filings
• Case New Holland Industrial Inc — $680,000 on 2 filings
• Deere & Company — $509,000 on 1 filing
• American Heart Association — $400,000 on 1 filing
• Peopleforbikes Coalition — $60,000 on 2 filings

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 23, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.