Relating to: requiring bicycle and pedestrian facilities in highway projects and granting rule-making authority. (FE)

SB 343 requires state highway departments to include bike paths and pedestrian pathways in all new highway construction or reconstruction projects funded by state or federal money. It creates specific exceptions allowing projects to skip these features only if the cost exceeds 20% of the total project budget, if they would cause excessive harm in a tight space, if there's no community need, or if a local community refuses to maintain them. The bill directs the state transportation department to create rules defining these exceptions, with a requirement for a senior official to review cost-based exceptions. This policy directly affects state highway planning and project developers working with state or federal funds.