Safe
Routes to School
ACTION
ALERT!
Call on Congress today to
support SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.
The Pedestrian and Cyclist
Equity Act of 2003 (PACE)
Summary
Section 1. Short Title
The bill title is stated as the
“Pedestrian and Cyclist Equity
Act of 2003”.
Section 2. Transportation and
Active Living Program
This section amends title 23,
United States Code, to establish
a transportation and active
living grant program
administered by the Secretary of
Transportation. To fund the
program, $25 million in contract
authority is provided from the
Highway Trust Fund for each of
the fiscal years 2004 through
2009. To assure a broad
geographical distribution of
funds, the total amount awarded
to applicants in any State may
not exceed $1 million for a
fiscal year. The federal share
of the cost of a project is 100
percent.
The purpose of the program is to
create, enhance and promote
community environments that
improve opportunities for people
to be physically active in their
daily lives through changes in
transportation, community
design, and architectural
policies and programs. Examples
of initiatives include the
integration of land use and
transportation planning to
promote non-motorized travel
choices; incorporate pedestrian-
and bicycle-friendly features
into community planning or
legislative initiatives; develop
campaigns and provide technical
assistance for safe routes to
school; enhance accessibility
and mobility initiatives for
people with disabilities; and
implement communications and
marketing strategies to promote
physical activity. Funds are
available for planning,
education, communications and
marketing functions, but may not
be used for construction,
reconstruction, or renovation of
facilities. Eligible applicants
include State, local, or
regional agencies, and nonprofit
organizations.
Section 3. Safe Routes to
School Program
This section amends title 23,
United States Code, to require
the Secretary of Transportation
to establish and implement a
safe routes to school program
for the benefit of children in
primary and middle schools. To
fund the program, $250 million
in contract authority is
provided from the Highway Trust
Fund for each of the fiscal
years 2004 through 2009. Funds
will be apportioned among the
States on the basis of total
student enrollment in primary
and middle schools, and no State
will receive an apportionment
for a fiscal year of less than
$2 million. The federal share of
the cost of a project is 100
percent.
Funds apportioned to a State
will be administered by the
State Department of
Transportation. Eligible
recipients may include State,
local or regional agencies,
including nonprofit
organizations, that demonstrate
an ability to meet the
requirements of the program.
Each State receiving an
apportionment must fund a
full-time position of
coordinator of the State’s safe
routes to school program.
Funds under the program (and
under the Surface Transportation
Program) may be used for
infrastructure-related projects
to encourage walking and
bicycling to school. Examples
include sidewalk improvements;
traffic calming and speed
reduction improvements;
on-street bicycle facilities;
off-street bicycle and
pedestrian facilities; and
secure bicycle parking
facilities.
Infrastructure-related projects
may be carried out on any public
road or any bicycle or
pedestrian pathway or trail in
the vicinity of schools.
Funds under the program may be
used for
non-infrastructure-related
activities. Examples include
public awareness campaigns and
outreach to press and community
leaders; traffic education and
enforcement in the vicinity of
schools; student sessions on
bicycle and pedestrian safety,
health, and environment; and
funding for training,
volunteers, and coordinators of
safe routes to school programs.
Not less than 10 percent of
amounts apportioned to a State
must be used for
non-infrastructure-related
activities.
Funds will be made available to
a national nonprofit
organization to operate a
national safe routes to school
clearinghouse, develop
information and educational
programs on safe routes to
school, and provide technical
assistance and disseminate
techniques and strategies used
for successful safe routes to
school programs.
A national safe routes to school
task force, composed of leaders
in health, transportation, and
education, including
representatives of appropriate
federal agencies, will be
established to study and develop
a strategy for advancing safe
routes to school programs
nationwide. A report containing
the results of the study
conducted, and the strategy
developed, shall be submitted to
Congress not later than March
30, 2005.
Section 4. Nonmotorized
Transportation Pilot Program
This section amends title 23,
United States Code, to require
the Secretary of Transportation
to carry out a nonmotorized
transportation pilot program to
construct, in three communities
selected by the Secretary, a
network of nonmotorized
transportation infrastructure
facilities, including sidewalks,
bicycle lanes, and pathways,
that connect directly with
transit stations, schools,
residences, businesses, and
other community activity
centers. The purpose of the
program is to demonstrate the
extent to which bicycling and
walking can carry a significant
part of the transportation load,
and represent a major portion of
the transportation solution,
within selected communities.
In carrying out the program, the
Secretary will develop
statistical information on
changes in motorized,
nonmotorized and transit use in
communities participating in the
program. The Secretary will
transmit to Congress an interim
report in 2007, and a final
report in 2010, on the results
of the program.
To fund of the program, $180
million in contract authority is
provided from the Highway Trust
Fund, and $45 million in
contract authority is provided
from the Mass Transit Account of
the Highway Trust Fund, over the
six-year life of the bill. The
federal share of the cost of a
project or activity funded under
the program is 80 percent.
USEFUL LINKS:
Cosponsors
Press Release
Photos from
PACE Press Conference
Dear Colleague Letter
PACE Legislation
Safe Routes to School Program and toolkit
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