No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a national greenway paths program under which the Secretary of Transportation shall make competitive grants to eligible organizations to improve or construct safe and connected greenway paths designated by the Secretary as regionally or nationally significant (i.e., those crossing multiple jurisdictions or state lines, reducing congestion and emissions, improving safety and access, supporting metropolitan planning organization goals, or meeting other Secretary criteria). Grants may be used to construct or improve such paths or acquire necessary real property, with annual set-asides of at least $5 million for planning and design grants and no more than $3.5 million for program administration, research, technical assistance, communications, and training. The Secretary must publish a request for applications within 60 days and select recipients within 180 days after funds are made available; the federal share is 80 percent generally, 90 percent for rural areas, and up to 100 percent for projects serving communities with poverty rates over 40 percent; and grant decisions must consider factors such as community connectivity and integration with transit or parks, broad community support, traffic safety commitments, additional matching funds, equity in addressing disparities, and advancement of pedestrian/cyclist safety, accessibility, economic, environmental, and quality-of-life goals. The Secretary must submit an interim report to Congress by September 30, 2028.