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

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.