Surface Transportation Research and Development Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill extends funding for transportation technology and university research centers for five more years. This ensures that experts can keep working on ways to make travel faster and more efficient through 2031.
• The government would start a new study on high intensity LED headlights. Many drivers complain about glare from these lights, so the study will look at how they affect road safety and the ability to see people walking or biking at night.
• It requires a new strategy to use more recycled asphalt when building or fixing roads. Using old road material can save money and reduce waste while making sure the new pavement stays high quality.
• A new council will be created to better organize transportation data. This group will help different agencies share information more easily and stop them from doing the same work twice, which helps the government run more efficiently.
• The bill also puts more focus on train safety. It specifically asks for research into how to safely move dangerous materials on freight trains and how to update older rail lines for modern use.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.