MAP Roads Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a new grant program to help states and counties turn old paper maps of local roads into digital data. The goal is to make sure rural roads show up correctly on GPS apps and websites that people use every day.
• The Department of Transportation would give $20 million each year to states through 2031. Those states would then give smaller grants to counties to hire workers or contractors to scan records and create digital maps of their local road systems.
• Many rural roads are not currently in digital formats, which can lead to navigation errors for drivers and emergency responders. By putting these roads online, the bill aims to improve safety and help people find their way through rural areas more easily.
• States that get this money must build a public website where anyone can look at the road data. This information must be updated at least once a year and be designed to work with popular navigation apps like Google Maps or Waze.
• The bill makes it clear that just because a road is put on a digital map, it does not change who owns the road or who is allowed to drive on it. It also protects the privacy of sensitive locations like historical or archaeological sites.

Impact Analysis

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