Counties - Construction of Sidewalks and Crosswalks - Safe Alternative Routes to Public Schools

SB 526 requires Maryland counties to annually identify areas where public school students live too far from school to qualify for bus transportation and map safe walking/biking routes (with sidewalks and crosswalks) for those students. County governments must post these route reports online and construct necessary sidewalks and crosswalks to make the identified paths safe. The bill directly affects students living beyond bus service distance and county governments responsible for infrastructure. It amends Maryland law to mandate this annual reporting and infrastructure planning process, effective July 2025.