Summary#
This bill, the Complete Streets Act of 2025, requires each State to set up a "complete streets" program. Complete streets are public roads planned and built to safely serve many travel modes (walking, biking, transit, scooters, cars, freight) and people of all ages and abilities. The Secretary of Transportation must publish benchmarks and guidance, and the Department of Transportation and the Department of Justice must update accessibility regulations. States must run a competitive program to offer technical assistance and grants to local and regional entities (for example, cities, transit agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits) that adopt approved complete streets policies and prepare prioritization plans for specific projects.
The bill sets deadlines for States to establish programs and to start making grants, requires States to direct a portion of certain federal highway funds to these programs, and sets limits and priorities for grants. It also requires the Secretary to create design standards (including protected bike lanes, sidewalks, lighting, and signal guidance) and to require many federally funded projects in metropolitan areas with transit to follow those standards after set timeframes. Reporting, certification, and review procedures for State programs, local policies, and project approvals are included. The bill includes measures to emphasize serving underserved communities and to give priority to places where nonmotorized users are most at risk.
What it means for you#
- If you are a State transportation agency: you must create a complete streets program, report to the Secretary, and set aside a portion of certain federal highway funds for the program.
- If you are a city, tribal government, transit agency, MPO, or other eligible entity: you can apply for technical assistance and grants if you adopt an approved complete streets policy and prepare a prioritization plan listing projects, costs, and timelines.
- If you are a pedestrian, cyclist, transit rider, or person with a disability: the bill aims to increase planning and funding for sidewalks, crosswalks, protected bike lanes, transit access, and accessibility features in public rights-of-way.
- If you are a contractor or designer: projects that meet the bill's criteria will be required to follow new complete streets design standards after specified dates.
Expenses#
- States must obligate 5 percent of certain federal highway funds each fiscal year to carry out their complete streets program (5% of funds apportioned under 23 U.S.C. 104(b) for States in paragraphs (A) and (B) of the bill's State definition, or 5% of funds apportioned under 23 U.S.C. 165 for certain territories).
- States may provide technical assistance payments of up to $100,000 per eligible entity per fiscal year to support development of prioritization plans.
- A grant to an eligible entity for design and construction may not exceed the lesser of $20,000,000 or 20 percent of the State's complete streets program funding for that fiscal year.
- The bill requires the Secretary to develop benchmarks, guidance, and design standards and requires DOT and DOJ to update accessibility regulations, but it does not specify total federal or State cost estimates or appropriations.
- No publicly available information on total projected federal or State costs beyond the specific percentages and caps listed in the bill.
Proponents' View#
No publicly available information.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.