PHASE Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
- Committees
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Aug 6, 2025
Bottom line
The bill aims to reduce pedestrian and vulnerable road user fatalities by fostering research into innovative traffic safety technologies and funding local infrastructure improvements.
What it actually does
This bill, the "PHASE Act of 2025," directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to identify innovative technologies for traffic control devices to protect pedestrians and vulnerable road users, ensuring they do not distract vehicle operators. It also mandates the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a study on physical alternatives to enhance pedestrian safety and establish a grant program for cities, Indian Tribes, and municipalities to implement such infrastructure improvements.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue that with increasing pedestrian fatalities, proactive federal action is crucial to leverage technology and infrastructure improvements to save lives. They contend that the bill's dual approach of research (NIST) and implementation (DOT grants) provides a comprehensive strategy to address a growing public safety concern, ensuring that solutions are both innovative and practical, while also considering potential distractions.
Opponents contend
Critics might argue that while the goal is laudable, the bill's authorized funding of $5 million per fiscal year for the grant program is insufficient to make a significant impact nationwide given the scale of the problem and the cost of infrastructure projects. Some might also raise concerns about the potential for new technologies to create unintended consequences or distractions, despite the bill's explicit directive to avoid them.
The bill text is concise and can be read quickly, allowing ample time for stakeholders to understand its provisions and implications.
Section 2
NIST Development of Innovative Traffic Control Technologies
This section requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to identify and transmit to the Secretary of Transportation potential solutions using new technologies. These solutions are intended to improve and enhance existing traffic control devices, making them better at protecting pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. NIST must provide evidence that these solutions will not distract vehicle operators, including bicyclists, or pedestrians, and that they comply with all federal regulations.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that leveraging NIST's expertise in technology and standards is crucial for developing cutting-edge solutions that are both effective and safe, ensuring that new devices enhance rather than detract from road safety.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against research and development initiatives aimed at improving safety, especially when safeguards against distraction are explicitly included. Potential concerns might revolve around the pace of development or the practical applicability of proposed solutions.
Tradeoffs
The tension lies in balancing the desire for innovative safety enhancements with the critical need to prevent new forms of driver or pedestrian distraction, requiring careful design and testing.
Section 3(a) and 3(b)
Department of Transportation Study on Pedestrian Safety Alternatives
This provision directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive study. The study will analyze urban areas experiencing increased pedestrian fatalities to pinpoint where crashes most frequently occur. It will also examine various physical alternatives designed to reduce vehicle crashes and fatalities involving vulnerable road users. Additionally, the study will assess the impact of intelligent speed assistance and blind spot detection safety systems on vulnerable road user safety, specifically evaluating their ability to detect all road users promptly. The Secretary must brief Congress on the study's results within two years.
Section 3(c), 3(d), and 3(e)
Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure Grant Program
This section establishes a grant program, administered by the Secretary of Transportation, to provide funding to cities, Indian Tribes, and municipalities. The grants are intended for implementing infrastructure projects that improve pedestrian safety, while also complying with federal regulations and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Eligible projects include innovative crosswalk technologies, additional pedestrian facilities, expanded buffer zones, pedestrian crossings, increased pedestrian accommodation on bridges, upgraded traffic signals, accessible pedestrian signals, accessible sidewalks, increased signage and lighting at crossings, adaptive lighting, accessible curb ramps, and marked/grade-separated crosswalks. The program is authorized to receive $5,000,000 in appropriations for each fiscal year.
The Department of Transportation study is specifically required to examine the impact of intelligent speed assistance and blind spot detection safety systems on the safety of vulnerable road users, including their ability to detect all road users in a timely manner.
Section 3(a)(3)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice for detailing specific research areas within a broader mandate, rather than an attempt to conceal.
Case for: Proponents argue that explicitly including these technologies ensures that the study addresses specific, cutting-edge solutions that could have a significant impact on reducing crashes, leveraging existing and emerging automotive safety features.
Case against: No direct case against studying these technologies. Some might argue that focusing on specific technologies could limit the study's scope if other, potentially more effective, solutions are overlooked.
Estimated impact: This provision directs research, potentially influencing future regulatory standards or recommendations for vehicle technology and infrastructure integration.