HR 7082 — Complete Streets Act of 2024

(a) In General.— The Secretary shall ensure that the plans and specifications for each proposed highway project under this chapter provide for a facility that will— (1) adequately serve the existing and planned future traffic of the highway in a manner that is conducive to safety, durability, and economy of maintenance; and (2) be designed and constructed in accordance with criteria best suited to accomplish the objectives described in paragraph (1) and to conform to the particular needs of each locality. (b) The geometric and construction standards to be adopted for the Interstate System shall be those approved by the Secretary in cooperation with the State transportation departments. Such standards, as applied to each actual construction project, shall be adequate to enable such project to accommodate the types and volumes of traffic anticipated for such project for the twenty-year period commencing on the date of approval by the Secretary, under section 106 of this title, of the plans, specifications, and estimates for actual construction of such project. Such standards shall in all cases provide for at least four lanes of traffic. The right-of-way width of the Interstate System shall be adequate to permit construction of projects on the Interstate System to such standards. The Secretary shall apply such standards uniformly throughout all the States. (c) Design Criteria for National Highway System.— (1) In general.— A design for new construction, reconstruction, resurfacing (except for maintenance resurfacing), restoration, or rehabilitation of a highway on the National Highway System (other than a highway also on the Interstate System) shall consider, in addition to the criteria described in subsection (a)— (A) the constructed and natural environment of the area; (B) the environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic, community, and preservation impacts of the activity; (C) cost savings by utilizing flexibility that exists in current design guidance and regulations; and (D) access for other modes of transportation. (2) Development of criteria.— The Secretary, in cooperation with State transportation departments, may develop criteria to implement paragraph (1). In developing criteria under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider— (A) the results of the committee process of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials as used in adopting and publishing “A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets”, including comments submitted by interested parties as part of such process; (B) the publication entitled “Flexibility in Highway Design” of the Federal Highway Administration; (C) “Eight Characteristics of Process to Yield Excellence and the Seven Qualities of Excellence in Transportation Design” developed by the conference held during 1998 entitled “Thinking Beyond the Pavement National Workshop on Integrating Highway Development with Communities and the Environment while Maintaining Safety and Performance”; (D) the publication entitled “Highway Safety Manual” of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials; (E) the publication entitled “Urban Street Design Guide” of the National Association of City Transportation Officials; (F) the publication of the Federal Highway Administration entitled “Wildlife Crossing Structure Handbook: Design and Evaluation in North America” and dated March 2011; and (G) any other material that the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (d) Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.— (1) In general.— On any highway project in which Federal funds hereafter participate, or on any such proj­ect constructed since December 20, 1944, the location, form and character of informational, regulatory and warning signs, curb and pavement or other markings, and traffic signals installed or placed by any public authority or other agency, shall be subject to the approval of the State transportation department with the concurrence of the Secretary, who is...