Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) recently cosponsored Senate Bill 944 – known as the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act – to help communities address dangerous gaps in sidewalks, bike lanes, and other active transportation networks.
The bipartisan bill, led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ron Johnson (R-WI), would allow states and localities to use Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds to complete pedestrian and cyclist safety projects.
Sen. Ossoff highlighted the bipartisan nature of this effort when commenting on this bill. According to him, it’s all about improving pedestrian and cyclist safety.
“I am working across the aisle to make our roadways safer for pedestrians,” Sen. Ossoff stated. “This bipartisan legislation would help address gaps in pedestrian and cyclist safety.”
The Executive Director of Go Georgia, John Devine, also shared support for the legislation. Go Georgia is an advocacy organization working to build equitable and sustainable transportation in Georgia.
“Passing the Langenkamp Act means that more Georgians will get home safely at the end of their trip — Go Georgia couldn’t be more grateful for Senator Ossoff’s leadership to advance this life-or-death issue,” said Devine.
The Bill
SB 944 is a companion bill of House Resolution 2011, which is also known as the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act.
This bill, sponsored by Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), expands the HSIP to include additional bicyclist and pedestrian safety measures and increases the federal cost share for certain safety projects.
Specifically, the bill allows HSIP to fund projects that connect two or more segments of existing bicyclist or pedestrian infrastructure, based on a state's plan to improve the safety of vulnerable road users in areas identified as high-risk.
The bill also allows an increased federal cost share of up to 100% for transportation projects that include a Federal Highway Administration Proven Safety Countermeasure for bicyclists or pedestrians.
The project must also include the relevant state strategic highway safety plan, which emphasizes areas that are related to vulnerable road users.
