The majority of federal infrastructure funding is not tied to federal requirements, letting states set their own targets for road safety and improvements.

"The lengths the U.S. Transportation Department can go in shaping how states spend money has emerged as a flash point in the implementation of the [federal] infrastructure package," writes Ian Duncan in The Washington Post.
When the highway administration conducted its most recent performance reviews, covering 2019 and 2020, it often graded states as having made progress even when they performed worse than in previous years. The most recent disclosures show that four states hit all 11 of their targets, yet no state made actual improvements across the board. In reality, 34 states slid backward on at least half of the measures that federal officials track.
"The law does not require that money go to repairing aging or dangerous infrastructure, leaving those spending decisions to state transportation leaders." According to the article, "The federal government has little direct control over what states build, handing over money in the form of huge grants."
While some programs have stricter requirements (for example, "states where cyclists and pedestrians account for more than 15 percent of road deaths will be required to dedicate funding to their safety"), the bulk of federal funding is not attached to specific targets.
While the Federal Highway Administration has defended the system, "The U.S. Transportation Department, however, recently indicated it intends to revisit the approach. A road safety plan that Buttigieg released early this year says the department will consider revising its rules to 'ensure that State safety performance targets demonstrate constant or improved performance for each safety performance measure.'"
FULL STORY: Under federal rules, ‘significant progress’ on infrastructure can mean more road deaths and decrepit bridges

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland