After the recent presidential election, Streetsblog Chicago checked in with local sustainable transportation advocates about what could done to help safeguard the future of walk/bike/transit in our region before Donald Trump takes office again.
Now, Chicagoland's Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) and other U.S. representatives are urging President Joe Biden to throw out lifeboats for sustainable transportation before the car-centric new administration takes over.
Along with Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Mark Takano (CA-39), fellow co-chairs of the Future of Transportation Caucus, Rep. Garcia wrote a letter (read it here) to President Biden highlighting steps he should take. These actions would help protect funding and programs from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act that benefit sustainable transportation.
These steps would include (their words):
- "Prioritizing the use of flex funding for transit projects"
- "Changing the risk assessment threshold for the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants Program to 50 percent"
- "Obligating Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Funds"
"We believe [these] three actions... will provide critical assistance to
secure cleaner air and water, increase mobility options that prioritize pedestrians, and reduce everyday costs for working-class people," the letter states.
"Safeguarding important funding programs, like the BIL’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program or the IRA’s Community Change Grants Programs, over the next few weeks is vital as we approach a period of uncertainty with a new administration," the representatives added in their letter. These initiatives help fund projects to make communities, especially ones negatively impacted by 20th Century highway construction, safer and more pleasant to walk in.
They noted that Trump's first term foreshadows challenging times ahead for sustainable transportation in his second one. "For example, the disbursement of grants for public transportation projects was often delayed by months at a time, leading to unnecessary additional costs," they wrote in the letter. "In addition,
discretionary grant awards disproportionately favored road expansion projects, which are well known to induce increased greenhouse gas emissions while doing nothing to relieve congestion long term."
Streetsblog Chicago has previously discussed how U.S. governors can use the flex funding strategy to move already-received money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-financed Highway Trust Fund to bankroll transit. For example, last November, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro shifted $153 million in BIL funds from highways to Philadelphia's transit agency, SEPTA. This approach would also be a huge help for Illinois public transportation, since Chicagoland faces a projected $730 million transit funding gap next year, when federal COVID-19-era transit subsidies are projected to run out.
"Building an equitable transportation system starts with centering communities who have suffered from disinvestment and neglect," Rep. Garcia said in a statement. "The actions proposed in this letter will help increase mobility options for working class people, reduce pollution in communities that have borne the brunt of past discriminatory practices, and address the urgent threat posed by climate change. I urge President Biden to act now to make it difficult for the incoming Trump administration to reverse the progress made in the BIL and IRA."
"With days remaining in his presidency and an incoming administration poised to undermine the historic progress Democrats have made in advancing transportation and climate justice, we’re calling on President Biden to move with urgency," stated Rep. Pressley. "That means acting swiftly to protect the investments passed under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and ensure these impactful policies are implemented without delay or obstruction."
"The Biden-Harris Administration spearheaded a once-in-a-generation effort to upgrade and improve our nation’s infrastructure," said Rep. Takano. "However, more can be done to cement the impact of the landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act before the end of the term." He stressed the importance of President Biden taking these "three actions to prevent the incoming administration from reversing the important progress that has been made."
Streetsblog asked Rep. Garcia's Deputy Chief of Staff Fabiola Rodriguez-Ciampoli whether Rep. Garcia has encouraged Governor JB Pritzker to flex funding in order to address Illinois' ominous transit budget cliff. "The congressman has not spoken to the governor about it, but our team, including our chief of staff, have spoken to the governor’s team, and we also sent this letter to his team so they’d know what we are asking the Biden administration," Rodriguez-Ciampoli replied.
The Green New Deal Network has been lobbying Illinois lawmakers to flex funding in order to save Prairie State transit from fare hikes, services cuts, and reduced ridership, a cycle known as the "transit death spiral." Campaigns and Political Director Saul Levin said the advocacy group is "thrilled" to see this "essential effort" from the three U.S. representatives. "Huge state and local wins on transportation and climate are possible in the very near term, including flexing dollars to urgent public transit projects. The governors of these states have an enormous opportunity to lead here."
Your move, President Biden, Governor Pritzker, and the Illinois General Assembly.
Did you appreciate this post? Streetsblog Chicago is currently fundraising to help cover our 2025-26 budget. If you appreciate our reporting and advocacy on local sustainable transportation issues, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here. Thank you!
