SAFE STREETS ACT OF 2013

The Safe Streets Act of 2013 proposes requiring State Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to implement 'complete streets' policies that accommodate all road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. The legislation applies to new federally funded road construction and modification projects, provided they are not already substantially underway (at or beyond 30 percent design). It establishes a framework for project exemptions based on cost, usage, or roadway type (such as freeways), and mandates the creation of accessibility standards for pedestrian facilities. Additionally, the act requires the Secretary of Transportation to evaluate compliance, report to Congress, and provide technical guidance and data on non-motorized transportation.

• The legislation defines a 'complete street' as a roadway designed to safely accommodate all travelers, specifically mentioning public transit users, bicyclists, pedestrians of all abilities, motorists, and freight vehicles.
• States and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) would be required to adopt complete streets policies within two years of the bill's passage, applying these principles to new federally funded road construction and modification projects.
• Projects may be exempted from complete streets compliance if the cost is excessively disproportionate to the need, if the roadway prohibits certain users (such as freeways), or if the local population is too low to expect pedestrians, bicyclists, or transit users.
• The act mandates the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to issue accessibility standards for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way, with existing DOT standards serving as an interim measure.
• The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is tasked with reporting compliance to Congress, providing best practice reports to agencies, and developing a survey tool to identify the multi-modal capacity of road networks.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2013). SAFE STREETS ACT OF 2013. https://www.eesi.org/files/cs-Safe_Streets_Act_of_2013-Analysis.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. SAFE STREETS ACT OF 2013. 2013. https://www.eesi.org/files/cs-Safe_Streets_Act_of_2013-Analysis.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=SAFE STREETS ACT OF 2013 |date=2013 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/cs-Safe_Streets_Act_of_2013-Analysis.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2013safe, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{SAFE STREETS ACT OF 2013}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/cs-Safe_Streets_Act_of_2013-Analysis.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }