Sponsors (2)
The bill directs a permanent share of highway formula funds to pedestrian safety projects—improving crossings and potentially saving lives and costs for many communities, while reducing funding flexibility and imposing administrative and fiscal strains on state and especially rural governments.
Pedestrians in high-crash areas—particularly in urban communities and children/youth—will see safer crossings as states direct more funding to upgrades (crosswalks, signals, sidewalks), likely reducing injuries and deaths.
Local governments will receive targeted resources to improve pedestrian infrastructure (crosswalks, signals, sidewalks) in communities with frequent crashes, enabling more repairs and safety projects.
Families, taxpayers, and health systems may face lower costs over time because targeted pedestrian safety investments can reduce crash-related medical bills and lost productivity.
State transportation agencies will have 5% less flexible funding from §104(b)(3) apportionments each year starting FY2027, reducing their ability to fund other highway priorities.
Smaller or rural states and their communities may be disproportionately affected because they must reserve the set-aside despite having fewer pedestrian issues, constraining funds for other local priorities.
State and local governments will face added administrative and planning burdens (required consultation and coordination) that could slow project delivery and increase implementation costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires a 5% annual set‑aside of a state's §104(b)(3) apportionment beginning FY2027 for projects at state‑identified high‑risk pedestrian crossings.
Requires states to reserve 5% of a specific federal highway apportionment each fiscal year starting in FY2027 for projects that reduce injuries and deaths at high‑risk pedestrian crossings. States must identify those high‑risk crossings in consultation with their local governments and spend the set‑aside on highway safety improvement projects aimed at reducing pedestrian‑motor vehicle injuries and fatalities. The change is a targeted funding requirement: it designates a portion of existing federal highway formula funds to pedestrian safety projects rather than creating a new grant program or adding new net federal spending. The requirement applies to every fiscal year beginning in FY2027 and thereafter.
Official title: To amend title 23, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Transportation to require States to set aside certain funds to carry out highway safety improvement projects to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities at high-risk pedestrian crossings.
Introduced June 24, 2026 by Mike Carey · Last progress June 24, 2026