Donald Trump has canceled funding for active transportation projects like walking and biking paths across the United States, with the president describing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure as “not vehicle-friendly.”
DOT Withdraws Support for Bike and Pedestrian Projects
The U.S. Department of Transportation has withdrawn support for numerous bike lane and sidewalk projects nationwide. Bloomberg reported the department’s reasoning for canceling these projects.
In San Diego County, a $1.2 million grant for road improvements that included bike lanes was scrapped. The department stated that such bicycle infrastructure “appears to reduce lane capacity and such road diet measures are not vehicle-friendly.”
Alabama Trail Plan Also Deemed “Not Friendly”
The term “not friendly” also described a plan in Alabama to convert street lanes into trail space. The department said these proposals “run counter to its priority of preserving or increasing road capacity for vehicles.”
Boston Projects Criticized for Impact on Cars
In Boston, the DOT said a grant to improve intersection safety in the city would “impede vehicle capacity and speed.” Another separate project promoting walking and biking faced criticism for altering the “current car-centric layout.”
A spokesperson for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said they are “evaluating options” after the relevant grants were canceled. They explained that the grants were not just for bike lane infrastructure but would also have funded road resurfacing, improved lighting, bus stop upgrades, and tree planting on neighborhood streets.
Trump’s Long-Standing Opposition to Bike Lanes
Trump’s opposition to bicycle projects is not new. Earlier this year, the president targeted bike lanes in New York City.
After the election, Trump claimed “nobody is going to come to this city” because of “terrible” congestion pricing that is “destructive to New York,” and what he called “horrible” bike lane infrastructure.
“They should get rid of the bike lanes and the sidewalks in the middle of the streets. They are terrible, they are dangerous. These [electric] bikes go 20 miles an hour, they hit people,” he said.
He continued, “I think it’s really bad, but I want to talk about [scrapping congestion charges] right now. If I decide to do it, I can kill it through the DOT in Washington. That’s a lot of power. Traffic is way down because people can’t get into Manhattan, and it’s only getting worse. People don’t realize it until they get the bill.”
