S. 5114Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

PATH Act

Introduced July 23, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated August 4, 2026 at 6:22 AM UTC

The Promoting Access to Transit in High‑Growth Communities (PATH) Act updates the federal fixed guideway capital investment grants program. It lets grant recipients use specific ridership forecasting methods that consider factors like population density, population growth, current transit use, and development planning. The changes affect transit agencies and other entities applying for these federal grants.

Key Provisions

  • Amends 49 U.S.C. 5309(d)(2)(B)(i) to allow a grant recipient to include ridership forecasting methods that account for population density, growth rate, and development planning activities.
  • Rewrites 49 U.S.C. 5309(d)(2)(B)(ii) to replace the sole focus on population density with a choice of population density or growth rate (whichever best supports forecasting), plus current public‑transportation ridership and development planning activities.
  • Updates 49 U.S.C. 5309(e)(2)(B)(i) with the same language permitting the use of these forecasting methods for grant eligibility.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

July 23, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 23, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

July 23, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 23, 2026

II

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5114

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 23, 2026

Mr. Curtis (for himself and Mr. Kelly) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to include certain ridership forecasting methods in determinations of whether a project under the fixed guideway capital investment grants program is justified, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Promoting Access to Transit in High-Growth Communities Act or the PATH Act.

2.

Fixed guideway capital investment grants

Section 5309 of title 49, United States Code is amended—

(1)

in subsection (d)(2)(B)—

(A)

in clause (i), by striking recipient; and inserting recipient, which may include ridership forecasting methods that account for population density, population growth rate, and development planning activities as described in section 20005(b)(2) of MAP–21 (49 U.S.C. 5303 note);; and

(B)

in clause (ii), by striking population density and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting population density or population growth rate, whichever population factor is most beneficial to ridership forecasting to the project, current public transportation ridership in the corridor, and development planning activities as described in section 20005(b)(2) of MAP–21 (49 U.S.C. 5303 note).; and

(2)

in subsection (e)(2)(B)(i), by striking recipient; and inserting recipient, which may include ridership forecasting methods that account for population density, population growth rate, and development planning activities as described in section 20005(b)(2) of MAP–21 (49 U.S.C. 5303 note);.