Surface Transportation Weather Safety Gap Analysis Act of 2025
This bill, titled the Surface Transportation Weather Safety Gap Analysis Act of 2025, requires the Comptroller General (GAO) and the Secretary of Transportation to jointly conduct a study on weather-related hazards and gaps in surface transportation safety. The study will examine how weather affects road, rail, and other surface travel, and identify where safety gaps exist. The plan is to review federal programs and grants addressing weather-related safety, assess whether these programs reduce crash risk, reach rural areas, and support real-time traveler notifications, and look at how weather data is integrated into traffic management at state, local, and Tribal levels, including any barriers to such integration. It will also evaluate emergency management, law enforcement, and incident command roles in closures or evacuations, consider resource constraints (including information technology), cost-benefit analyses, privacy concerns, and best practices. The bill directs a joint report to be delivered to Congress within two years with recommendations to close any identified gaps.
Key Points
- 1Joint study required: The Comptroller General and the Secretary of Transportation must conduct a joint study on weather-related hazards and gaps in surface transportation safety.
- 2Scope of evaluation: The study will review federal programs and grants addressing weather-related safety and assess whether they reduce crash risk, reach rural areas, and support real-time traveler notification.
- 3Data integration and barriers: The study will examine how weather data is integrated with traffic management by state, local, and Tribal practices, and identify barriers to this integration.
- 4Emergency response and resources: The study will assess the roles of emergency management, law enforcement, and incident command in closures or evacuations, as well as resource constraints, including information technology.
- 5Deliverables: A joint report with findings and recommendations to close safety gaps, including potential legislative or administrative actions, due within 2 years of enactment.