As we highlighted in our 2025 Policy Platform, the major issue we’re following in Washington DC is the transportation reauthorization process. In short, this is a process Congress embarks on every five years to create the primary legislation that will guide the nation’s transportation policies, programs, and funding. You can learn more about the process by clicking here.
BikeWalkKC has been following the process and learned that the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee has begun outreach to local stakeholders to see what elements they want to prioritize with the new transportation bill. After consulting with other organizations working on the issue at the federal level (including the League of American Bicyclists, America Walks, and the National Transit Justice Center), we’ve identified the following five priorities that we want Congress to focus on as they begin work on transportation reauthorization:
1) Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act (HR 2011): America faces a safety crisis on our roadways, with pedestrian deaths near 40-year highs and cyclist deaths near the highest levels ever recorded. Roads designed between the 1960s and 1980s for speed and throughput, along with increased levels of driver distraction, are primarily responsible for this crisis. This bill would give states the flexibility to use Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds as a match for Transportation Alternatives safety projects. This will also help small and rural communities access these funds.
2) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) – The Next Iteration: The Safe Streets and Roads for All program has been incredibly successful with over 75 percent of the population covered by one of the more than 1600 planning grants, and 421 Congressional districts receiving at least one award. The next iteration of the program should create an easy mechanism for local governments to fund implementation of safety action plan priority projects. The easiest way to do this would be through a formula program (similar to the railway crossing program).
3) Bicycle Education Curriculum Update: Bicycle education, particularly for children, is a popular use of Highway Safety Grants, often delivered by law enforcement. The NHTSA bicycle education curriculum is over a decade old and starts to teach bicycling in the 5th grade. We support NHTSA updating the curriculum to address changes in bicycling safety (new state laws, electric bikes, etc.) and starting that education earlier in primary school. In addition, NHTSA should disseminate the changes to state Governor Highway Safety Offices and state DOTs.
4) Operating Funds for Transit Service: The federal transit program primarily provides funding for capital investments, not for day-to-day operating expenses. Transit agencies can purchase new buses or build new rail lines with federal funds, but often lack sufficient funding to cover the costs of fuel and competitive wages for operators. A new bus serves no purpose without the money to operate it. Congress needs to create an ongoing, predictable source of funding for transit operations. Funding with service standards ensures the additional funding is used to improve service, not replace local funding. Given the workforce shortage, the bill should include a set-aside for workforce recruitment and retention.
5) Implementing a “Fix-It First” Approach to Our Transportation System: The federal transportation program should prioritize existing maintenance on roads, bridges, and highways ahead of building new roads or highways that require decades of additional repair costs. Especially given how much we already struggle to maintain the existing facilities we have, greater consideration needs to be given to funding projects that maintain and improve key portions of our existing infrastructure.
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While this is not an exhaustive list of the priorities that we’d like to see addressed in the transportation reauthorization process, it represents some of the most pressing issues we face with our nation’s transportation system. Congress has a major opportunity to set forth policies that make it safer and easier for people to walk, roll, bike, and use public transit through this legislation. We look forward to working with our partners in DC and locally to bring positive change from the paper to the pavement.