Complete Streets Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 1953
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Transportation and Public Works
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-27T18:43:21Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Complete Streets Act of 2025 aims to promote safer, more accessible public roads by requiring states to establish programs that support "complete streets." A complete street is defined as a public road designed to safely accommodate multiple ways of travel—such as walking, biking, public transit, using mobility devices, driving cars, and freight transport—for people of all ages, abilities, and disabilities. The legislation seeks to integrate these principles into transportation planning, design, and construction to improve safety, equity, and connectivity, particularly in underserved areas.
Key Provisions
- State Complete Streets Programs: Each state must create a competitive program by October 1 of the second full fiscal year after enactment, offering technical assistance and grants to eligible entities (e.g., local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, transit agencies, Tribal governments, nonprofits) for designing and building complete streets projects. Grants must begin by the third full fiscal year.
- Program goals include encouraging adoption of complete streets policies, addressing infrastructure gaps for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, and ensuring equitable benefits for low-income communities, communities of color, rural areas, Tribal lands, and U.S. territories.
- States must dedicate 5% of their federal highway funds (apportioned under 23 U.S.C. § 104(b) or § 165) to these programs annually.
- Benchmarks and Guidance: Within one year of enactment, the Secretary of Transportation must develop and publicly review benchmarks and guidance for states and eligible entities. These focus on user needs assessment, facility design, safety benefits, overcoming barriers, cost identification, and adapting existing roads, drawing from prior federal assessments.
- Complete Streets Policies: Eligible entities seeking funding must adopt a policy approved by their state or a metropolitan planning organization (MPO). Policies must describe implementation steps, apply to all project phases (planning, design, construction, maintenance), prioritize accessibility (including for disabilities), encourage integrated networks, and allow limited exemptions (e.g., for disproportionate costs, low population areas, or parallel routes nearby).
- The Secretary provides guidance for policy review and establishes minimum standards for certification.
- Prioritization Plans: To qualify for grants, eligible entities must develop state-approved plans listing specific projects, cost estimates, timelines, and priorities like safety, mobility for non-motorized users, air quality, and access to jobs/services for vulnerable groups. Plans can incorporate existing safety or infrastructure plans (e.g., Vision Zero or ADA transition plans).
- States may offer up to $100,000 per year in technical assistance for plan development.
- Grants and Priorities: Grants cover design and construction, capped at the lesser of $20 million or 20% of a state's program funds per entity. Priority goes to high-risk intersections and corridors for non-motorized users.
- Accessibility Updates: The Departments of Transportation and Justice must update regulations to incorporate 2023 public right-of-way accessibility guidelines, adding provisions for vision, hearing, cognitive, and language access.
- Certification and Reporting: The Secretary establishes methods to certify state compliance and entity policies. States and MPOs report on implementation; a congressional report is due four years after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Amendments to FAST Act (Section 3): Replaces subsection (a) of Section 1442 (23 U.S.C. § 109 note) to mandate that states and MPOs adopt and implement design standards ensuring safe accommodation for all users (motorized and non-motorized) across all project phases, expanding beyond prior voluntary guidance.
- Amendments to 23 U.S.C. § 109 (Section 4): Adds a new subsection (t) requiring the Secretary to establish complete streets design standards within 180 days of enactment, including protected bike lanes, sidewalks/crosswalks per accessibility guidelines, and safety-focused lighting/signals.
- Timelines for Compliance: Starting two years after enactment, certain new federal-aid highway projects in metropolitan areas with transit (construction/reconstruction or over $10 million) must comply. This expands to all qualifying projects within five years or upon the next statewide transportation plan.
- Exemptions: Applies to limited-access highways, industrial-zoned areas without transit, low-need facilities, ongoing compliant projects, or emergency repairs (with temporary accommodations where feasible).
- Appeals and Reporting: Allows MPOs to appeal state denials to the Federal Highway Administration; states must biennially report compliant projects and inventories.
- These changes build on but strengthen existing federal transportation laws by making complete streets elements mandatory for funded projects, rather than optional.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: States, MPOs, and local entities face new administrative requirements for programs, policies, plans, and reporting, potentially increasing workload but offset by dedicated federal funding (5% of apportionments). The Department of Transportation gains responsibilities for guidance, certification, and standard-setting, which could streamline national consistency in project approvals.
- On Citizens: Enhances road safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, people with disabilities, children, seniors, and low-income or minority communities by filling infrastructure gaps and prioritizing vulnerable areas. May reduce traffic injuries/fatalities and improve air quality/mobility, though initial costs could temporarily affect local budgets.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. transportation infrastructure.
Main Stakeholders
- Government Entities: States (including departments of transportation), local governments, MPOs, regional planning organizations, transit agencies, Tribal governments, and territorial governments (e.g., Puerto Rico, Guam).
- Non-Governmental: Nonprofits involved in transportation or safety; communities in underserved, rural, or Tribal areas.
- Citizens and Users: Pedestrians, cyclists, public transit riders, drivers, freight operators, people with disabilities, low-income individuals, communities of color, children, and seniors who benefit from safer, more inclusive streets.
- Federal Oversight: Secretary of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and Department of Justice for enforcement and updates.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by mandating accessibility in public rights-of-way and providing exemption procedures to balance costs/needs. Introduces appeal mechanisms for MPO disputes, potentially reducing litigation over project approvals. Certification processes ensure accountability but allow uncertified entities to use policies locally.
- Constitutional: Aligns with equal protection principles by emphasizing equity for underserved groups, avoiding discrimination in infrastructure access. No apparent conflicts with federalism, as states retain implementation flexibility while receiving federal funds.
- Political: Promotes bipartisan goals of safety and equity but may spark debates over funding reallocation (5% of highway funds) and mandates on local planning. Encourages community input (e.g., via public review and feedback in policies), fostering inclusive decision-making; the focus on evidence-based priorities (e.g., crash data) supports data-driven policy without overt partisanship.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA], Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM], Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 2025-06-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Complete Streets Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-04 — PDF (28 pages)