I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2071 
To ensure the safety of all users of the transportation system, including 
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, older individuals, and indi-
viduals with disabilities, as they travel on and across federally funded 
streets and highways. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2015 
Ms. MATSUI (for herself, Mr. JOYCE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. ISRAEL, Ms. 
ESTY, Ms. TITUS, Mr. LEWIS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. 
VAN HOLLEN, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. 
LOBIONDO, Mr. CURBELO of Florida, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Mr. 
JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. REED, Mr. VALADAO, and Mr. GIBSON) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To ensure the safety of all users of the transportation sys-
tem, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, chil-
dren, older individuals, and individuals with disabilities, 
as they travel on and across federally funded streets 
and highways. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safe Streets Act of 
2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMPLETE STREET.—The term ‘‘complete 
street’’ means a roadway that safely accommodates 
all travelers, particularly public transit users, 
bicyclists, pedestrians (including individuals of all 
ages and individuals with mobility, sensory, neuro-
logical, or hidden disabilities), motorists and freight 
vehicles, to enable all travelers to use the roadway 
safely and efficiently. 
(2) COMPLETE
STREETS
POLICY; COMPLETE 
STREETS PRINCIPLE.—The terms ‘‘complete streets 
policy’’ and ‘‘complete streets principle’’ mean a 
transportation law, policy, or principle at the local, 
State, regional, or Federal level that ensures— 
(A) the safe and adequate accommodation, 
in all phases of project planning and develop-
ment, of all users of the transportation system, 
including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit 
users, children, older individuals, individuals 
with disabilities, motorists, and freight vehicles; 
and 
(B) the consideration of the safety and 
convenience of all users in all phases of project 
planning and development. 
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(3) LOCAL JURISDICTION.—The term ‘‘local ju-
risdiction’’ means any unit of local government. 
(4) 
METROPOLITAN
PLANNING
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘‘metropolitan planning organiza-
tion’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
134(b) of title 23, United States Code. 
(5) ROADWAY.—The term ‘‘roadway’’ means— 
(A) the defined Federal functional classi-
fication roadway system; and 
(B) each bridge structure providing a con-
nection for such a roadway system. 
(6) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
(7) SENIOR MANAGER.—The term ‘‘senior man-
ager’’ means— 
(A) the director of a State department of 
transportation (or a designee); 
(B) the director of a metropolitan planning 
organization (or a designee); and 
(C) the director of a regional, county, or 
city transportation agency that is primarily re-
sponsible for planning and approval of trans-
portation projects (or a designee). 
(8) 
TRANSPORTATION
IMPROVEMENT
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘transportation improvement pro-
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gram’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘TIP’’ in 
section 134(b) of title 23, United States Code. 
SEC. 3. COMPLETE STREETS POLICY. 
(a) LAW OR POLICY.—Not later than October 1 of 
the fiscal year that begins 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act each State and metropolitan planning 
organization shall have in effect— 
(1) in the case of a State— 
(A) a law requiring that, beginning on the 
effective date of the State law, all transpor-
tation projects in the State shall accommodate 
the safety and convenience of all users in ac-
cordance with complete streets principles; or 
(B) an explicit State department of trans-
portation policy that, beginning on the effective 
date of the policy, all transportation projects in 
the State shall accommodate the safety and 
convenience of all users in accordance with com-
plete streets principles; and 
(2) in the case of a metropolitan planning orga-
nization, an explicit statement of policy that, begin-
ning on the effective date of the policy, all transpor-
tation projects under the jurisdiction of the metro-
politan planning organization shall accommodate the 
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safety and convenience of all users in accordance 
with complete streets principles. 
(b) INCLUSIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A law or policy described in 
subsection (a) shall— 
(A) apply to each federally funded project 
of each State department of transportation or 
metropolitan planning organization transpor-
tation improvement program; 
(B) include a statement that each project 
under the transportation improvement program 
makes streets or affected rights-of-way acces-
sible to the expected users of that facility, of all 
ages 
and 
abilities, 
including 
pedestrians, 
bicyclists, transit vehicles and users, freight ve-
hicles, and motorists; 
(C) except as provided in paragraph (2), 
apply to new road construction and road modi-
fication projects, including design, planning, 
construction, 
reconstruction, 
rehabilitation, 
maintenance, and operations, for the entire 
right-of-way; 
(D) indicate that improvements for the 
safe and convenient travel by pedestrians or 
bicyclists of all ages and abilities on or across 
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streets shall be fully assessed, considered, and 
documented as a routine element of pavement 
resurfacing projects; 
(E) delineate a clear procedure by which 
transportation improvement projects may be ex-
empted from complying with complete streets 
principles, which shall require— 
(i) approval by the appropriate senior 
manager, in accordance with subsection 
(d)(2); and 
(ii) documentation, with supporting 
data, that indicates the basis for such an 
exemption; 
(F) comply with up-to-date design stand-
ards, particularly standards relating to pro-
viding access for individuals with disabilities; 
(G) require that complete streets principles 
be applied in due consideration of the urban, 
suburban, or rural context in which a project is 
located; 
(H) include a list of performance stand-
ards with measurable outcomes to ensure that 
the transportation improvement program ad-
heres to complete streets principles; and 
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(I) directs agency staff to create an imple-
mentation plan. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—A law or policy described in 
subsection (a) shall not apply to a new road con-
struction or modification project for which, as of the 
effective date of the law or policy, at least 30 per-
cent of the design phase is completed. 
(c) 
EXEMPTION
REQUIREMENTS
AND
PROCE-
DURES.—A law or policy described in subsection (a) shall 
allow for a project-specific exemption from an applicable 
complete streets policy if— 
(1)(A) an affected roadway prohibits, by law, 
use of the roadway by specified users, in which case 
a greater effort shall be made to accommodate those 
specified users elsewhere, including on roadways that 
cross or otherwise intersect with the affected road-
way; 
(B) the cost to the exempted project in achiev-
ing compliance with the applicable complete streets 
policy would be excessively disproportionate (as de-
fined in the 2001 Department of Transportation 
Guidance on Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian 
Travel), as compared to the need or probable use of 
a particular complete street; or 
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(C) the existing and planned population, em-
ployment densities, traffic volumes, or level of tran-
sit service around a particular roadway is so low, 
that the expected users of the roadway will not in-
clude pedestrians, public transportation, freight vehi-
cles, or bicyclists; and 
(2) the project-specific exemption is approved 
by— 
(A) a senior manager of the metropolitan 
planning organization that approved the trans-
portation improvement program containing the 
exempted project; 
(B) a senior manager of the relevant State 
department of transportation; or 
(C) in the case of a project for which nei-
ther the metropolitan planning organization nor 
the State department of transportation is the 
agency with primary transportation planning 
authority, a senior manager of the regional, 
county, or city agency responsible for planning 
and approval of the project. 
(d) INTEGRATION.—Each State department of trans-
portation and metropolitan planning organization imple-
menting a complete streets policy shall incorporate com-
plete streets principles into all aspects of the transpor-
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tation project development, programming, and delivery 
process, including project planning and identification, 
scoping procedures, design approvals, design manuals, and 
performance measures. 
(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State department of 
transportation shall submit to the Secretary a report 
describing the implementation by the State of meas-
ures to achieve compliance with the requirements of 
this section, at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
(2) DETERMINATION BY SECRETARY.—On re-
ceipt of a report under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall determine whether the applicable State has 
achieved compliance with the requirements of this 
section. 
SEC. 4. CERTIFICATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a 
method of evaluating compliance by State departments of 
transportation and metropolitan planning organizations 
with the requirements of this Act, including a requirement 
that each State department of transportation and metro-
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politan planning organization shall submit to the Sec-
retary a report describing— 
(1) each complete streets policy adopted by the 
State department of transportation or metropolitan 
planning organization; 
(2) the means of implementation by the State 
department of transportation or metropolitan plan-
ning organization of the complete streets policy; and 
(3) the process for providing an exemption, 
from the requirements of the complete streets policy 
of the State department of transportation or metro-
politan planning organization. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report describing— 
(1) the method established under subsection 
(a); 
(2) the status of activities for adoption and im-
plementation by State departments of transportation 
and metropolitan planning organizations of complete 
streets policies; 
(3) the tools and resources provided by the Sec-
retary to State departments of transportation and 
metropolitan planning organizations to assist with 
that adoption and implementation; and 
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(4) other measures carried out by the Secretary 
to encourage the adoption of complete streets poli-
cies by local jurisdictions. 
SEC. 5. ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS. 
(a) FINAL STANDARDS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Architectural and 
Transportation Barriers Compliance Board established by 
section 502(a)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 792(a)(1)) shall promulgate final standards for ac-
cessibility of new construction and alteration of pedestrian 
facilities for public rights-of-way. 
(b) TEMPORARY STANDARDS.—During the period be-
ginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending 
on the date on which the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board promulgates final standards 
under subsection (a), a State or metropolitan planning or-
ganization shall apply to public rights-of-way— 
(1) the proposed Accessibility Guidelines for Pe-
destrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way of the 
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compli-
ance Board dated July 26, 2011, and supplemented 
on February 13, 2013; or 
(2) if the standards referred to in paragraph 
(1) do not address, or are inapplicable to, an af-
fected public right-of-way, the revised draft guide-
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lines for accessible public rights-of-way of the Archi-
tectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance 
Board dated November 23, 2005. 
SEC. 6. RESEARCH, TECHNICAL GUIDANCE, AND IMPLE-
MENTATION ASSISTANCE. 
(a) RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct 
research regarding complete streets to assist States, 
metropolitan planning organizations, and local juris-
dictions in developing, adopting, and implementing 
plans, projects, procedures, policies, and training 
programs that comply with complete streets prin-
ciples. 
(2) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall solicit 
participation in the research program under para-
graph (1) by— 
(A) the American Association of State 
Highway and Transportation Officials; 
(B) the Institute of Transportation Engi-
neers; 
(C) the American Public Transportation 
Association; 
(D) the American Planning Association; 
(E) the National Association of Regional 
Councils; 
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(F) the Association of Metropolitan Plan-
ning Organizations; 
(G) the Insurance Institute for Highway 
Safety; 
(H) the American Society of Landscape 
Architects; 
(I) representatives of transportation safety, 
disability, motoring, bicycling, walking, transit 
user, aging, and air quality organizations; and 
(J) other affected communities. 
(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The research under para-
graph (1) shall— 
(A) be based on the applicable statement 
of complete streets research needs of the Trans-
portation Research Board, as described in TR 
Circular E110; and 
(B) seek to develop new areas of inquiry, 
in addition to that statement. 
(b) BENCHMARKS AND GUIDANCE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The research conducted 
under subsection (a) shall be designed to result in 
the establishment of benchmarks and the provision 
of practical guidance on methods of effectively im-
plementing complete streets policies and complete 
streets principles that will accommodate all users 
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along a facility or corridor, including vehicles, pedes-
trians, bicyclists, and transit users. 
(2) FOCUS.—The benchmarks and guidance 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) focus on modifying scoping, design, 
and construction procedures to more effectively 
combine particular methods of use into inte-
grated facilities that meet the needs of each 
method in an appropriate balance; and 
(B) indicate the expected operational and 
safety performance of alternative approaches to 
facility design. 
(c) DATA COLLECTION.—The Secretary shall collabo-
rate with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the 
Federal Transit Administration, and appropriate commit-
tees of the Transportation Research Board— 
(1) to collect data regarding a baseline non-
motorized and transit use survey to be integrated 
into the National Household Travel Survey; and 
(2) to develop a survey tool for use by State de-
partments of transportation in identifying the 
multimodal capacity of State and local roadways. 
(d) TECHNICAL GUIDANCE.— 
(1) REPORT.—Not later than 15 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
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shall prepare and make available to all States, met-
ropolitan planning organizations, and local jurisdic-
tions a report that describes the best practices by 
which transportation agencies throughout the United 
States have implemented complete streets principles 
in accordance with, or in anticipation of, the require-
ments of this Act. 
(2) TOPICS FOR EMPHASIS.—In preparing the 
report under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
place particular emphasis on the following topics: 
(A) Procedures for identifying the needs of 
users of all ages and abilities of a particular 
roadway. 
(B) Procedures for identifying the types 
and designs of facilities needed to serve each 
class of users. 
(C) Safety and other benefits provided by 
the implementation of complete streets prin-
ciples. 
(D) Common barriers to the implementa-
tion of complete streets principles. 
(E) Procedures for overcoming the most 
common barriers to the implementation of com-
plete streets principles. 
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(F) Procedures for identifying the costs as-
sociated with the implementation of complete 
streets principles. 
(G) Procedures for maximizing local co-
operation in the introduction and implementa-
tion of complete streets principles. 
(H) Procedures for assessing and modi-
fying the facilities and operational characteris-
tics of existing roadways to improve consistency 
with complete streets principles. 
Æ 
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