Bill Would Spend Five Percent of All Federal Highway Grants on Complete Streets

New federal legislation would establish a national complete streets program.

1 minute read

July 12, 2019, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pedestrian Safety

Artem Avetisyan / Shutterstock

U.S. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has proposed legislation [pdf] that would divert 5 percent of all federal highway funds for building complete streets, reports Gersh Kuntzman. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.).

Markey released a statement in support of the bill and also tweeted about increasing pedestrian fatalities, which increased by 35 percent in the United States between 2008 and 2017.

"The Markey-Cohen bill would also require grant recipients to adopt and prioritize a 'Complete Streets' policy, " explains Kuntzman, "and it would require the federal government, the states and federal “metropolitan planning organizations” to adopt design standards for all highway projects that provide for the safe and adequate accommodation of all users of the surface transportation network, including motorized and non-motorized users, in all phases of project planning, development, and operation.'"

Kuntzman estimates the five percent for complete streets funding could generate about $25 million in funding every year. The article includes statements of support for the bill from the National Complete Streets Coalition and Lyft. Uber and Via also issued statements in support fo the bill, according to Kuntzman.

Thursday, July 11, 2019 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square