Safety

Photo by Anthony Le

Trails and active transportation networks can play a critical role in reducing serious injuries and fatalities for vulnerable road users by providing safe connections and routes that limit vehicle interactions and create rights-of-way that people are comfortable using. Communities across the country are recognizing the benefit of these tools and have been prioritizing trail and active transportation networks in their efforts to increase safety. The following programs provide funding opportunities where trail and active transportation projects are eligible as part of an effort to address safety issues.

Young Woman on Bicycle Waiting at crosswalk - Photo courtesy Getty Images — Photo courtesy Getty Images

Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)

This new program provides funds for the development and implementation of Comprehensive Safety Action Plans to support local initiatives aimed at addressing serious injury and fatalities on roads and streets.

Bicyclist riding bike on the road along traffic - Photo courtesy Getty Images — Photo courtesy Getty Images

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

With the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, there were new and significant changes to the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), which include increased overall funding, as well as a new reform for biking and pedestrian safety. This new policy mandates that certain states are now required to spend 15% or more of their HSIP funds to address safety improvement for vulnerable road users (e.g., pedestrians, bicyclists and wheelchair users) if 15% or more of the community’s annual crash fatalities are biking or pedestrian fatalities. This change will impact dozens of states and could account for hundreds of millions of dollars of HSIP funds dedicated to pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements. States that are not mandated can still spend funds on safety projects for pedestrians and bicyclists but are not required to do so.

The following states are required to abide by the new 15% spending mandate:

Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Nevada

New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Washington

Resources

HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (HSIP): https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/docs/hsip.pdf

Highway Safety Improvement Program Special Rules Guidance:
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/hsip/rulemaking/docs/Section148_SpecialRule_Guidance.pdf

State DOT Best Practices in Implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: https://www.railstotrails.org/media/1344248/dot_best_pracitice_ohio_case_study_112822.pdf

Computations for FY 2023 HSIP Funds Set-Aside for Vulnerable Road Users: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/comptables/table5p3.cfm