Pedestrians take the forefront in October with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) holding its first “Pedestrian Safety Month,” a national educational outreach to heighten awareness for motorists and pedestrians of all ages.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) held a Summit on Pedestrian Safety in July during which groups representing both pedestrian and bicyclist organizations took part.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Safety offers a “focused approach” program to target specific issues including pedestrian and bicyclist safety in jurisdictions across the nation. It offers examples of programs that have undertaken changes to target this issue.

The House of Representatives Tuesday night passed a stopgap funding measure that will keep the federal government fully operating beyond next Wednesday (Sept. 30). The measure included a one-year extension of the current federal highway bill that would have expired the same day.

On Monday, House Democrats offered a Continuing Resolution to extend the highway fund by one year with $10.4 billion. If approved by the Senate, the extension would be a “straight” extension of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, better known as the FAST Act, meaning no increase in funding to existing programs. The proposal also would include funds needed to ensure the short-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), with a general fund transfer of $10.4 billion to the HTF, allocated for highways.

The Senate is expected to vote next week ahead of the deadline.

Democrats in the House of Representatives today proposed a Continuing Resolution that includes a one-year extension of the current federal highway bill.

The resolution is aimed at avoiding a federal government shutdown but included the highway bill, which is scheduled to expire on Sept. 30. The federal government shutdown could come in nine days without action. The proposal would fund the government through Dec. 11.

If approved, the resolution would ensure that current transportation programs would not lapse on their expiration date of Oct. 1.

ATSSA’s annual Legislative Briefing & Fly-In wrapped up its first virtual event on Wednesday with a day full of meetings with legislators on Capitol Hill and their respective staffs.

Meetings ran from morning to evening as ATSSA members from across the country had the opportunity to deliver firsthand their priorities for the roadway safety infrastructure industry.

ATSSA’s Government Relations Team set up 54 meetings with legislative offices representing districts in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

ATSSA members heard from three members of Congress and a U.S. Senator today during the first day of the Association’s two-day Legislative Briefing & Fly-In.

This year’s event was handled via virtual format with nearly 70 people taking part from across the country. Two members of Congress spoke from their Capitol Hill offices.

On Wednesday, ATSSA members are scheduled for 54 meetings with federal legislators or their staff members.