Parks to People Active Transportation Act
The Parks to People Active Transportation Act would direct the Secretary of Transportation to create a competitive grant program for the improvement or construction of greenway paths. The program is aimed at building safe, connected active-transportation corridors between communities that are regionally or nationally significant, including paths that cross local jurisdictions or state lines, reduce congestion and emissions, improve access to jobs and transit, and support broader community planning goals.
Eligible projects could include walkway, bikeway, and shared-use paths that connect communities, parks, waterways, transit services, and other public spaces. The bill also establishes a national greenway paths network, requires applications from eligible public or tribal entities, and allows grants to cover both construction and land acquisition. It gives priority considerations to projects with broad community support, safety commitments, matching funds, and demonstrated benefits for underserved areas, low-income communities, and communities of color.
The bill would add a new federal transportation grant program administered by the Department of Transportation and would authorize $300 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It would also set aside at least $5 million each year for planning and design grants and up to $3.5 million for administration, research, technical assistance, communications, and training. The measure would affect state, local, regional, and tribal governments, as well as metropolitan planning organizations and other eligible entities, by creating a new funding source for greenway and active transportation infrastructure. It would also establish federal cost-share rules, including higher federal shares for rural projects and projects in high-poverty communities, and require interim and final reports to Congress on grant awards, best practices, and implementation challenges.
The bill appears generally supportive of active transportation, safety, and multimodal connectivity, with its findings and grant criteria emphasizing walking, bicycling, recreation, transit access, emissions reduction, and equity. The available legislative history shows no recorded votes or committee debate, and the bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, suggesting it is still in the early committee stage. Based on the text alone, the measure is framed as a positive infrastructure and public-health initiative rather than a controversial policy change.
The main points of potential contention are likely to involve federal spending, the size of the authorization, and how grant priorities are set. Some stakeholders may question the use of federal funds for greenway and recreational infrastructure, while supporters are likely to emphasize safety, access, and environmental benefits. The bill also gives the Secretary broad discretion to designate nationally or regionally significant paths and to consider other appropriate criteria, which could raise concerns about administrative flexibility and project selection. Additional debate could arise over the matching-fund requirements, the exceptions for disadvantaged and rural communities, and the bill’s emphasis on equity-based scoring criteria.