Safe Routes to School Expansion Act
Bill: H.R.386 | Sponsor: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. (D-MD)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Safe Routes to School Expansion Act
This bill expands eligibility under the Highway Safety Improvement Program to include certain safety projects related to safe routes to school infrastructure improvements such as sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, bus stop shelters or protected waiting areas.
The bill increases the federal share for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to fund improvements for pedestrian or bicyclist safety, safety of people with disabilities, and safe routes to school infrastructure.
DOT must also carry out a safe routes to school program for the benefit of children in primary, middle, and high schools.

To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to funding for 
            certain safety projects, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Routes to School Expansion 
Act''.

SEC. 2. HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 148 of title 23, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4)(B)--
                            (i) by striking clause (xviii) and 
                        inserting the following:
                            ``(xviii) Safe Routes to School 
                        infrastructure related projects described in 
                        section 211(e).'';
                            (ii) in clause (xxvi) by inserting ``or 
                        leading pedestrian intervals'' after 
                        ``beacons'';
                            (iii) by redesignating clause (xxviii) as 
                        clause (xxix);
                            (iv) by inserting after clause (xxvii) the 
                        following:
                            ``(xxviii) Installation of infrastructure 
                        improvements, including sidewalks, crosswalks, 
                        signage, and bus stop shelters or protected 
                        waiting areas.''; and
                            (v) in clause (xxix), as redesignated, by 
                        striking ``(xxvii)'' and inserting 
                        ``(xxviii)'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (12) 
                as paragraphs (11) through (13), respectively;
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:
            ``(10) Safety project under any other section.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `safety project under 
                any other section' means a project carried out for the 
                purposes of safety under any section of this title 
                other than this section.
                    ``(B) Inclusion.--The term `safety project under 
                any other section' includes a project, consistent with 
                the State strategic highway safety plan, that--
                            ``(i) promotes public awareness and informs 
                        the public regarding highway safety matters 
                        (including motorcycle safety and school bus 
                        stop safety);
                            ``(ii) facilitates enforcement of traffic 
                        safety laws; and
                            ``(iii) supports Safe Routes to School non-
                        infrastructure projects, as described in 
                        section 211(e).''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (12)(A), as so redesignated--
                            (i) in clause (ix) by striking ``and'';
                            (ii) by redesignating clause (x) as clause 
                        (xi); and
                            (iii) by inserting after clause (ix) the 
                        following:
                            ``(x) State or local representatives of 
                        educational agencies to address Safe Routes to 
                        School and school bus safety; and'';
            (2) in subsection (c)(1)(A) by striking ``(11)'' and 
        inserting ``(12)'';
            (3) in subsection (d)(2)(B)(i) by striking ``(11)'' and 
        inserting ``(12)''; and
            (4) in subsection (e) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Flexible funding for safety projects under any other 
        section.--
                    ``(A) In general.--To advance the implementation of 
                a State strategic highway plan, a State may use not 
                more than 25 percent of the amounts apportioned to the 
                State under section 104(b)(3) for a fiscal year to 
                carry out safety projects under any other section.
                    ``(B) Other transportation and safety plans.--
                Nothing in this paragraph requires a State to revise 
                any State process, plan, or program in effect on the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph.
                    ``(C) Effect of paragraph.--
                            ``(i) Requirements.--A project funded under 
                        this paragraph shall be subject to all 
                        requirements under this section that apply to a 
                        highway safety improvement project.
                            ``(ii) Other apportioned programs.--
                        Subparagraph (A) shall not apply to amounts 
                        that may be obligated for non-infrastructure 
                        projects apportioned under any other paragraph 
                        of section 104(b).''.

SEC. 3. FEDERAL SHARE PAYABLE.

    Section 120(c)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``an improvement for pedestrian or bicyclist safety or safety 
of people with disabilities, Safe Routes to School improvements,'' 
after ``utility poles,''.

SEC. 4. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 2 of title 23, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 210 the following:
``Sec. 211. Safe routes to school program
    ``(a) Program.--The Secretary shall carry out a safe routes to 
school program for the benefit of children in primary, middle, and high 
schools.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the program shall be--
            ``(1) to enable and encourage children, including those 
        with disabilities, to walk and bicycle to school;
            ``(2) to make bicycling and walking to school a safer and 
        more appealing transportation alternative, thereby encouraging 
        a healthy and active lifestyle from an early age; and
            ``(3) to facilitate the planning, development, and 
        implementation of projects and activities that will improve 
        safety and reduce traffic, fuel consumption, and air pollution 
        in the vicinity of schools.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--Amounts apportioned to a State under 
paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 104(b) may be used to carry out 
projects, programs, and other activities under this section.
    ``(d) Eligible Entities.--Projects, programs, and activities funded 
under this section may be carried out by eligible entities described 
under section 133(h)(4)(B) that demonstrate an ability to meet the 
requirements of this section.
    ``(e) Eligible Projects and Activities.--
            ``(1) Infrastructure-related projects.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A State may obligate funds under 
                this section for the planning, design, and construction 
                of infrastructure-related projects that will 
                substantially improve the ability of students to walk 
                and bicycle to school, including sidewalk improvements, 
                traffic calming and speed reduction improvements, 
                pedestrian and bicycle crossing improvements, on-street 
                bicycle facilities, off-street bicycle and pedestrian 
                facilities, secure bicycle parking facilities, and 
                traffic diversion improvements in the vicinity of 
                schools.
                    ``(B) Location of projects.--Infrastructure-related 
                projects under subparagraph (A) may be carried out on 
                any public road or any bicycle or pedestrian pathway or 
                trail in the vicinity of schools.
            ``(2) Noninfrastructure-related activities.--In addition to 
        projects described in paragraph (1), a State may obligate funds 
        under this section for noninfrastructure-related activities to 
        encourage walking and bicycling to school, including--
                    ``(A) public awareness campaigns and outreach to 
                press and community leaders;
                    ``(B) traffic education and enforcement in the 
                vicinity of schools;
                    ``(C) student sessions on bicycle and pedestrian 
                safety, health, and environment;
                    ``(D) programs that address personal safety; and
                    ``(E) funding for training, volunteers, and 
                managers of safe routes to school programs.
            ``(3) Safe routes to school coordinator.--Each State 
        receiving an apportionment under paragraphs (2) and (3) of 
        section 104(b) shall use a sufficient amount of the 
        apportionment to fund a full-time position of coordinator of 
        the State's safe routes to school program.
            ``(4) Rural school district outreach.--A coordinator 
        described in paragraph (3) shall conduct outreach to ensure 
        that rural school districts in the State are aware of such 
        State's safe routes to school program and any funds authorized 
        by this section.
    ``(f) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of a project, 
program, or activity under this section shall be 100 percent.
    ``(g) Clearinghouse.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall maintain a national 
        safe routes to school clearinghouse to--
                    ``(A) develop information and educational programs 
                on safe routes to school; and
                    ``(B) provide technical assistance and disseminate 
                techniques and strategies used for successful safe 
                routes to school programs.
            ``(2) Funding.--The Secretary shall carry out this 
        subsection using amounts authorized to be appropriated for 
        administrative expenses under section 104(a).
    ``(h) Treatment of Projects.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, projects carried out under this section shall be treated as 
projects on a Federal-aid highway under chapter 1 of this title.
    ``(i) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) In the vicinity of schools.--The term `in the 
        vicinity of schools' means, with respect to a school, the area 
        within bicycling and walking distance of the school 
        (approximately 2 miles).
            ``(2) Primary, middle, and high schools.--The term 
        `primary, middle, and high schools' means schools providing 
        education from kindergarten through twelfth grade.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Repeal.--Section 1404 of SAFETEA-LU (Public Law 109-59; 
        119 Stat. 1228-1230), and the item relating to such section in 
        the table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act, are 
        repealed.
            (2) Analysis.--The analysis for chapter 2 of title 23, 
        United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
        relating to section 210 the following:

``211. Safe routes to school program.''.
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