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S 584 111th Congress Senate Transportation and Public Works Access Board Administrative law and regulatory procedures Pedestrians and bicycling Public transit Roads and highways State and local government operations Transportation safety and security

Complete Streets Act of 2009

Introduced: March 12, 2009 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 12, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Mar 12, 2009
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Complete Streets Act of 2009 - Requires each state to have in effect within two years a law, or each state department of transportation and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) an explicit policy statement, that requires all federally-funded transportation projects, with certain exceptions, to accommodate the safety and convenience of all users in accordance with certain complete streets principles.

Defines "complete streets principles" as federal, state, local, or regional level transportation laws, policies, or principles which ensure that the safety and convenience of all users of a transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit users, children, older individuals, motorists, and individuals with disabilities, are accommodated in all phases of project planning and development.

Allows such law or policy to make project-specific exemptions from such principles only if: (1) affected roadways prohibit specified users by law from using them, the cost of a compliance project would be excessively disproportionate to the need, or the population and employment densities or level of transit service around a roadway is so low that there is no need to implement such principles; and (2) all such exemptions are properly approved.

Requires: (1) the Secretary to establish a method for ensuring compliance by state departments of transportation and MPOs with complete streets principles; and (2) states to require every agency responsible for a project within an approved transportation improvement program to review and certify project compliance with complete streets principles.

Requires states noncompliant with complete streets principles to use a portion of their surface transportation program funds to carry out a highway safety program.

Requires the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to issue final standards for accessibility of new construction and alterations of pedestrian facilities for public rights-of-way.

Requires the Secretary to conduct research regarding complete streets to: (1) assist states, MPOs, and local jurisdictions in developing and implementing complete streets-compliant plans, projects, procedures, policies, and training programs; and (2) establish benchmarks for, and provide technical guidance on, implementing complete streets policies and principles.

What's happening now March 12, 2009

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1