Safe Streets Under Siege: Federal Power Moves to Crush Local Autonomy
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
In 1892, the League of American Wheelmen, a precursor to today's League of American Bicyclists, presented a petition with 150,000 signatures to Congress, demanding a national "Road Department" to ensure safe roads for cyclists. This early advocacy laid the groundwork for federal involvement in bicycle infrastructure.
Fast forward to 1991, Congress passed the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), marking a significant shift in federal transportation policy. Before ISTEA, states collectively spent about $2 million annually on bicycle and pedestrian projects. Post-ISTEA, this figure increased dramatically, with funding reaching approximately $1.4 billion per year by 2021.
However, in 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), under Secretary Sean Duffy, issued a directive threatening to withdraw federal transportation funding from state and local governments that implement policies promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or that do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
This move undermines decades of progress in creating equitable and inclusive transportation systems. By targeting DEI initiatives and sanctuary policies, the USDOT's actions threaten to stall or reverse advancements in bicycle infrastructure, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities that rely on and advocate for these modes of transportation.
This situation exemplifies how state power can be wielded to reinforce existing class structures and suppress efforts toward social equity. The withdrawal of funding serves as a mechanism to coerce local governments into aligning with federal policies that may not reflect the desires or values of their communities.
The struggle for safe and accessible bicycle infrastructure is not merely about transportation; it is a fight against systemic inequalities and for the right of all individuals to move freely and safely within their communities. It is imperative to resist policies that threaten these rights and to advocate for transportation systems that serve the interests of all road users.
Take Action:
Sign the League of American Bicyclists' petition to support equitable transportation funding.
Contact your congressional representatives to express your support for inclusive and equitable transportation policies.
Join Critical Mass every last Friday of the Month at 6pm. We gather on the Barracks side of the French Market.
Together, we can work towards a transportation system that prioritizes equity, inclusivity, and the well-being of all community members.
- Eric Gabourel