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### §217. Bicycle transportation and pedestrian walkways

(a) Use of STP and Congestion Mitigation Program Funds.—Subject to project approval by the Secretary, a State may obligate funds apportioned to it under sections 104(b)(2) and 104(b)(3) of this title for construction of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities and for carrying out nonconstruction projects related to safe bicycle use.

(b) Use of National Highway System Funds.—Subject to project approval by the Secretary, a State may obligate funds apportioned to it under section 104(b)(1) of this title for construction of bicycle transportation facilities on land adjacent to any highway on the National Highway System (other than the Interstate System).

(c) Use of Federal Lands Highway Funds.—Funds authorized for forest highways, forest development roads and trails, public lands development roads and trails, park roads, parkways, Indian reservation roads, and public lands highways shall be available, at the discretion of the department charged with the administration of such funds, for the construction of pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities in conjunction with such trails, roads, highways, and parkways.

(d) State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinators.—Each State receiving an apportionment under sections 104(b)(2) and 104(b)(3) of this title shall use such amount of the apportionment as may be necessary to fund in the State department of transportation a position of bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for promoting and facilitating the increased use of nonmotorized modes of transportation, including developing facilities for the use of pedestrians and bicyclists and public education, promotional, and safety programs for using such facilities.

(e) Bridges.—In any case where a highway bridge deck being replaced or rehabilitated with Federal financial participation is located on a highway, other than a highway access to which is fully controlled, on which bicycles are permitted to operate at each end of such bridge, and the Secretary determines that the safe accommodation of bicycles can be provided at reasonable cost as part of such replacement or rehabilitation, then such bridge shall be so replaced or rehabilitated as to provide such safe accommodations.

(f) Federal Share.—For all purposes of this title, construction of a pedestrian walkway and a bicycle transportation facility shall be deemed to be a highway project and the Federal share payable on account of such construction shall be determined in accordance with section 120(b).

(g) Planning.—Pedestrian walkways and bicycle transportation facilities to be constructed under this section shall be located and designed pursuant to an overall plan to be developed by each metropolitan planning organization and State and incorporated into their comprehensive annual long-range plans in accordance with sections 134 and 135 of this title, respectively. Such plans shall provide due consideration for safety and contiguous routes.

(h) Use of Motorized Vehicles.—No motorized vehicles shall be permitted on trails and pedestrian walkways under this section, except for—

(1) maintenance purposes;

(2) when snow conditions and State or local regulations permit, snowmobiles;

(3) when State and local regulations permit, motorized wheelchairs; and

(4) such other circumstances as the Secretary deems appropriate.

(i) Transportation Purpose.—No bicycle project may be carried out under this section unless the Secretary has determined that such bicycle project will be principally for transportation, rather than recreation, purposes.

(j) Bicycle Transportation Facility Defined.—For purposes of this section, a “bicycle transportation facility” means new or improved lanes, paths, or shoulders for use by bicyclists, traffic control devices, shelters, and parking facilities for bicycles.

(Added Pub. L. 93–87, title I, §124(a), Aug. 13, 1973, 87 Stat. 262; amended Pub. L. 94–280, title I, §134, May 5, 1976, 90 Stat. 441; Pub. L. 95–599, title I, §141(h), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2712; Pub. L. 97–424, title I, §126A, formerly §126, Jan. 6, 1983, 96 Stat. 2116, renumbered §126A, Pub. L. 100–17, title I, §133(a)(2), Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 170; Pub. L. 100–17, title I, §127, Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 167; Pub. L. 102–240, title I, §1033, Dec. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 1975; Pub. L. 104–59, title III, §310(b), Nov. 28, 1995, 109 Stat. 582.)

#### Amendments

1995—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 104–59 substituted “determined in accordance with section 120(b)” for “80 percent”.

1991—Pub. L. 102–240 substituted “walkways” for “walkway” in section catchline and amended text generally, substituting present provisions for provisions authorizing States to construct pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes, paths, etc., as Federal-aid highway projects, relating to safe accommodation of bicycles on bridge with deck replaced or rehabilitated with Federal participation, prohibiting bicycle project under this section unless principally for transportation purposes, deeming walkway and bicycle projects as highway projects and setting Federal share at 100 per centum, allowing use of funds authorized for forest highways, forest development roads and trails, etc., for construction of walkways and bicycle routes, prohibiting use of motor vehicles on trails and walkways, and relating to obligation of funds.

1987—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 100–17 inserted “and sums apportioned or allocated for highway substitute projects in accordance with section 103(e)(4) of this title” after “title” in second sentence.

1983—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–424 designated as subsec. (a) that portion of former subsec. (a) relating to pedestrian walkways. Remainder of former subsec. (a) relating to bicycles was redesignated (b)(1).

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated as par. (1) that portion of former subsec. (a) relating to bicycles and added pars. (2) and (3). Provisions of former subsec. (b) relating to pedestrian walkways and bicycles projects were redesignated (c) and (d), respectively.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated as subsec. (c) that portion of former subsec. (b) relating to pedestrian walkways. Provisions of former subsec. (c) relating to pedestrian walkways and to bicycle routes were redesignated (e) and (f), respectively.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated as subsec. (d) that portion of former subsec. (b) relating to bicycle projects. Former subsec. (d) redesignated (g).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated as subsec. (e) that portion of former subsec. (c) relating to pedestrian walkways. Former subsec. (e) redesignated (h) and amended.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated as subsec. (f) that portion of former subsec. (c) relating to bicycle routes.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated former subsec. (d) as (g).

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 97–424 redesignated former subsec. (e) as (h), substituted reference to subsecs. (a), (b), (e), and (f) of this section for reference to former subsecs. (a) and (c), and substituted provision that no State shall obligate more than $4,500,000 for such projects in any fiscal year, except that the Secretary may, upon application, waive this limitation for a State for any fiscal year for provision that no State was to obligate more than $2,500,000 for such projects for any fiscal year.

1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–599 inserted provision relating to energy conservation and struck out requirement that such construction be in conjunction with Federal-aid highways.

1976—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–280 substituted “$45,000,000” for “$40,000,000” and “$2,500,000” for “$2,000,000”.

#### Effective Date of 1991 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 102–240 effective Dec. 18, 1991, and applicable to funds authorized to be appropriated or made available after Sept. 30, 1991, and, with certain exceptions, not applicable to funds appropriated or made available on or before Sept. 30, 1991, see section 1100 of Pub. L. 102–240, set out as a note under section 104 of this title.

#### Energy Conservation Bicycle Transportation Program; Report

Pub. L. 95–619, title VI, §682, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3287, set forth findings respecting an energy conservation bicycle transportation program and required a study and report not more than one year after Nov. 9, 1978, by the Secretary of Transportation for bicycle use potential, etc.

#### Bikeway Construction Projects

Section 141(a)–(e), (i) of Pub. L. 95–599, related to establishment by Secretary of design and construction standards for bikeway construction projects and to grants to States for bikeway construction projects, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–17, title I, §133(e)(2), Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 173.

#### Bikeway Demonstration Program

Pub. L. 93–643, §119, Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2288, authorized grants to States for demonstration projects for construction of bikeways, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–17, title I, §133(e)(2), Apr. 2, 1987, 101 Stat. 173.

#### Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 103, 133 of this title.