NY A08423

Changes highway law requirement from "considering" complete street design to "including" it as controlling criteria for state, county, and local transportation projects receiving federal and state funding under DOT oversight.

Requires Department of Transportation to create a scoring template based on complete streets checklist to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety and projects in areas with high demand for walking, biking, or public transit, with a minimum scoring threshold that all projects must meet.

Defines complete street design features to include sidewalks, bicycle lanes, crosswalks, bus pull-outs, curb cuts, traffic calming measures, and similar accommodations for all users, with exceptions for projects solely focused on one user category.

Exempts resurfacing, maintenance, and pavement recycling projects, and lists 12 specific project types from the requirement including drainage-only, noise barrier-only, guardrail-only, and lighting-only projects.

Provides exemptions when bicycle and pedestrian use is prohibited by law, when costs are disproportionate to need, when demonstrated lack of need exists, or when design features would adversely impact public safety; takes effect 90 days after enactment.