Building Safer Streets Act

H.R. 10059, the Building Safer Streets Act, would amend federal highway and transit law to require greater transparency and flexibility in road design standards. It directs the Secretary of Transportation to publicly document the reasoning behind restrictions in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, update regulations to clarify what counts as adequate "consideration of all modes" of transportation (including pedestrians and cyclists), create categorical design exceptions for safety-improving multimodal projects, and issue guidance on connected multimodal networks and bus stop placement. It also revises how transportation benefit-cost analyses treat vehicle speed and sets a cap on vulnerable road user fatality targets under the highway safety improvement program.

The bill primarily affects state and local transportation agencies, traffic engineers, and planners who design federally funded roads, as well as recipients of certain grant programs (including a new 10% set-aside for small communities under the Safe Streets for All program, with an option for a higher federal cost share). Pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and other "vulnerable road users" are the intended beneficiaries, as the bill is framed around improving safety and access for all road users, not just motor vehicles. It also requires GAO and FHWA studies and reports to Congress on crash factors and use of the design manual.

The bill was introduced in the House on August 6, 2026, by Rep. Seth Moulton and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It has not yet been voted on in committee or by the full House; further committee action would be needed before it could advance to a House floor vote.

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