Transportation (Bicycle Infrastructure)

HR 6821, the Protect Our Students Act, redirects federal highway safety funds to improve school zone safety. It increases the required allocation of these funds for school zone improvements from 40% to 50% and authorizes specific safety measures including crossing guards, flashing lights, visible signage, crosswalks, traffic calming, and automated enforcement. The bill directly affects students walking to school, local schools, and communities by mandating that federal highway safety programs fund these targeted school zone upgrades. This changes how existing federal transportation funds can be used, focusing resources on proven safety infrastructure.

This bill requires new passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks (under 10,000 lbs) to have automatic emergency braking systems that detect cyclists in all lighting conditions and across diverse appearances. The rule must be finalized within 3 years of enactment, with manufacturers required to comply within two model years after the rule's release. It mandates systems that activate at appropriate speeds and recognize vulnerable road users like bicyclists, regardless of skin tone, clothing, or protective gear. The law directly affects vehicle manufacturers and aims to improve safety for cyclists through standardized vehicle technology.

This bill requires each state to appoint a dedicated coordinator for the Safe Routes to School program, serving as the main state contact for the initiative. The coordinator must not be assigned additional duties beyond this role without congressional approval, and states may use existing program funds for their salary. States must list the coordinator's contact information on their transportation department website and fill any vacancy within 180 days. The bill directly affects state transportation departments and their implementation of school route safety programs under federal law.