When It Comes to US Transportation, 2025 Had Some Wins, Too
Amid federal-level threats and funding cuts, cities have still found ways to fight congestion, boost road safety and forestall the public transit death spiral.
Congestion Relief Zone signs at 5th Avenue in New York City speak to the city’s success in keeping the controversial program alive.
Photographer: Michael Nagle/BloombergThis year has been a rocky one for those hoping to untether the US transportation system from its reliance on the automobile. Sean Duffy, President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Transportation, has yanked funding for street improvements deemed “hostile” to cars, questioned the value of bike lanes and mounted an attack on “political messages or artwork” painted on crosswalks that researchers suggest are harmless.
Public transportation has been a particular focus of Duffy’s ire. Already vulnerable due to escalating costs and a post-Covid dip in ridership, transit agencies have also had to deal with the USDOT secretary’s dubious claims about endangered riders and threats about pulling financial support.