The Building Safer Streets Act directs the federal government to update traffic design standards and funding programs to better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users alongside cars. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to clarify how states and local governments should evaluate all transportation modes when designing roads, provide exceptions to standard highway designs for safer multimodal projects, and publish guidance on street designs that safely serve multiple users. It also mandates a Government Accountability Office study on how traffic design rules affect local engineers' ability to implement safer street designs, with findings due within two years. Additionally, the legislation sets aside at least 10 percent of funding in the Safe Streets for All program for small communities with projects under $1 million and allows the federal government to cover up to 90 percent of costs for qualifying small community projects. The bill generally aims to make federal highway programs more flexible in prioritizing safety for all road users, not just vehicles.
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