Brazil proposes national policy for bicycle infrastructure on federal highways

Bill 3080/26, currently under analysis in the Chamber of Deputies, seeks to establish the National Policy for the Incentive of Cycling Infrastructure on Federal Highways. The proposal requires that the planning of federal highways consider the inclusion of cycle paths and lanes, although the actual construction of these works remains optional.

The policy targets federal public policy and infrastructure agencies, highway managers, the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit), and private concessionaires regulated by the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT). Evaluation for including cycling infrastructure is recommended in scenarios involving urban crossings, connections between nearby urban centers, high cyclist flow, proximity to sports or educational facilities, histories of accidents, or potential for cycle tourism.

Objectives of the bill include increasing cyclist safety, reducing accidents, encouraging bicycle use for transport and leisure, integrating federal roads with local cycling systems, and reducing pollutant emissions. Deputy Pompeo de Mattos (PDT-RS), the bill's author, stated that highways designed exclusively for motorized vehicles no longer meet contemporary mobility demands, as cyclists are often forced to share lanes with heavy vehicles without physical separation.