Sponsor
Timothy Patrick Sheehy
Senator · R-MT
Senator · R-MT
The bill increases training, technology, and enforcement to improve work-zone safety—particularly for workers and rural/tribal areas—but relies on limited §402 funds and could impose ongoing costs or divert resources from other highway-safety priorities and high-traffic urban zones.
Drivers and passengers in and near work zones could experience fewer crashes and fatalities because the bill funds targeted enforcement, alerting technology, and training.
Road construction and maintenance workers would have improved on-the-job safety from enhanced training, certification, and intrusion-mitigation technologies.
Tribal and rural communities would receive prioritized assistance, directing more federal safety resources to underserved areas.
State and local law enforcement overtime and equipment costs funded from §402 could reduce funds available for other highway-safety programs or local priorities.
Deploying and maintaining new alerting technologies and pilot programs may create ongoing costs that strain State budgets if federal support is limited.
Stretching limited §402 funds across many eligible activities risks diluting impact if States do not prioritize the most effective measures.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows States to use portions of §402 highway safety funds for enforcement, technology, training, education, and evaluation to reduce work‑zone crashes and requires a GAO effectiveness report within two years.
Official title: Amend title 23, United States Code, to allow States to use highway safety funds for work zone safety initiatives, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 18, 2025 by Timothy Patrick Sheehy · Last progress September 18, 2025
Authorizes States to use portions of existing highway safety §402 funds to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths in and near highway work zones by funding law enforcement overtime and equipment, driver education modules, alerting and intrusion-mitigation technologies (including pilots), training and certification for flaggers and construction personnel, and data collection and program evaluation. It requires States to prioritize Tribal governments and rural areas when carrying out these activities and directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the effectiveness of work zone safety programs within two years.