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Description
of Senator Harkin’s
“Complete Streets Amendment”
Making Complete Streets a Priority
To ensure that state
transportation departments are fully considering all users when
constructing new transportation facilities with federal funds, each
state would be directed to adopt a “Complete Streets” policy, using
the 2000 FHWA policy statement as the basis for accommodating
bicyclists and pedestrians. Similarly, Metropolitan Planning
Organizations serving a population of 200,000 or more must either
satisfy certain thresholds in their planning process (e.g. data
quality, goal-setting or quantify benefits of investments) or simply
elect to adopt their own “Complete Streets” policy. The U.S.
Secretary of Transportation would report to Congress within one year
after the date of enactment on the policy statements adopted by
states and regional agencies.
Encouraging
Local Action on Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
Metropolitan
Planning Organizations serving a population of 200,000 or more would
also be directed to designate a bicycle/pedestrian coordinator and
account for the safety needs of pedestrians and bicyclists in their
long-range transportation plans, including a showing of how their
transportation improvement programs (TIPs) further these plans.
Finally, MPOs would assume more leadership with their local
governments in promoting investment in improvements to support
bicycling and walking.
Setting Goals
for Nonmotorized Transportation
The U.S. Secretary
of Transportation would be directed to promote a goal of increasing
pedestrian and bicycle trips, while seeking to reduce accidents
involving bicyclists and pedestrians, consistent with the goals set
forth in the National Bicycling and Walking Study conducted in 1994.
Within one year, the Secretary would establish a baseline and
completion dates for achieving these goals.
Focusing
Research on the Safety of Nonmotorized Travel
The U.S. Secretary
of Transportation would report annually to the Congress on the share
of research funds allocated to research that directly benefits the
planning, design, operation and maintenance of the transportation
system for nonmotorized users. The Transportation Research Board
would report annually to the Congress on the use of National
Cooperative Research Funds for these purposes.
Draft Harkin Amendment in detail
To amend title 23, United States Code, to improve the safety of
nonmotorized transportation, including bicycle and pedestrian safety
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STATEMENT OF POLICY BY STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Each State transportation department shall adopt a
statement of policy ensuring that the needs and safety of all road
users (including the need for pedestrian and bicycle safety) are
fully integrated into the planning, design, operation and
maintenance of the transportation system of the State transportation
department.
`(B) BASIS- In the case of bicycle and pedestrian safety, the
statement of policy shall be based on the design guidance on
accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians of the Federal Highway
Administration adopted in February 2000.
`(C) REPORTS- Not later 1 year after the date of enactment of this
paragraph, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to
Congress a report on the statements of policy adopted under this
paragraph.
NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION GOAL
`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall take such actions as are
necessary to, to the maximum extent practicable, increase the
percentage of trips made by foot or bicycle while simultaneously
reducing crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians by 10 percent,
in a manner consistent with the goals of the national bicycling and
walking study conducted during 1994.
`(B) ADMINISTRATION- Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish such
baseline and completion dates as are necessary to carry out
subparagraph (A).
RESEARCH
FOR NONMOTORIZED USERS
`(A) FINDINGS- Congress finds that--
`(i) it is in the national interest to meet the goals of the
national bicycling and walking study by the completion date
established under paragraph (4)(B);
`(ii) research into the safety and operation of the transportation
system for nonmotorized users is inadequate, given that almost 1 in
10 trips are made by foot or bicycle and 1 in 8 traffic fatalities
involves a bicyclist or pedestrian; and
`(iii) inadequate data collection, especially on exposure rates and
infrastructure needs, are hampering efforts to improve bicycle and
pedestrian safety and use to meet local transportation needs.
`(B) ALLOCATION OF RESEARCH FUNDS FOR NONMOTORIZED USERS-
`(i) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual
report on the percentage of research funds that are allocated (for
the most recent fiscal year for which data are available) to
research that directly benefits the planning, design, operation, and
maintenance of the transportation system for nonmotorized users--
`(I) by the Department of Transportation; and
`(II) by State transportation departments.
`(ii) NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM- The
Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences
shall submit to Congress an annual report on the percentage of
research funds under the National Cooperative Highway Research
Program that are allocated (for the most recent fiscal year for
which data are available) to research that directly benefits the
planning, design, operation, and maintenance of the transportation
system for nonmotorized users.
METROPOLITAN
PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS
`(A) BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN COORDINATORS- A metropolitan planning
organization that serves a population of 200,000 or more shall
designate a bicycle/pedestrian coordinator to coordinate bicycle and
pedestrian programs and activities carried out in the area served by
the organization.
`(B) CERTIFICATION- A metropolitan planning organization described
under subparagraph (A) shall certify to the Secretary, as part of
the certification review under Section 134 (i)(5), that--
`(i) the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians (including people who
use wheelchairs and people with vision impairment) have been
adequately addressed by the long-range transportation plan of the
organization; and
`(ii) the bicycle and pedestrian projects to implement the plan in a
timely manner are included in the transportation improvement program
of the organization.
`(C) LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANS-
`(i) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in clause (ii), a metropolitan
planning organization shall develop and adopt a long-range
transportation plan that--
`(I) includes the most recent data available on the percentage of
trips made by foot and by bicycle in each jurisdiction;
`(II) includes an improved target level for bicycle and pedestrian
trips; and
`(III) identify the contribution made by each project under the
transportation improvement program of the organization toward
meeting the improved target level for trips made by foot and
bicycle.
`(ii) APPLICATION- Clause (i) does not apply to a metropolitan
planning organization that adopts a statement of policy described in
paragraph (3)(B) for all transportation projects carried out by the
organization.
`(D) LOCAL JURISDICTIONS- A metropolitan planning organization
described in subsection (A) shall work with local jurisdictions that
are served by the organization to maximize the efforts of the local
jurisdictions to include sidewalks, bikepaths, and road
intersections that maximize bicycle and pedestrian safety in the
local transportation systems of the local jurisdictions.' |
