Five ways the bill negatively impacts U.S. transportation policy.
How does the congressional reconciliation bill impact transportation? According to Streetsblog USA editor Kea Wilson, five major transportation-related provisions spell bad news for sustainable transportation advocates.
For one, the bill eliminates a modest but important benefit for bike commuters, as well as other clean commuting benefits. “While workers who rely on a mix of transit passes and van-pooling used to be able to deduct $175 for expenses related to each of those modes from their taxes — along with another $175 in parking benefits for those days when the bus just doesn't come — the new bill only allows multimodal commuters to deduct a total of $175 across all means of transportation.”
The bill retains a credit of up to $10,000 for vehicle purchases and eliminates fines for automakers that violate emissions standards. The bill also kills the federal EV tax credit as well as rebates for installing chargers. It also cuts funding for a variety of climate-related projects such as the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Program and the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants program.
FULL STORY: Five of the Ugliest Transportation Policies In the ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill
‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Guts EV Tax Credits
The bill eliminates federal subsidies for electric vehicle buyers and charging stations.
Five Key Transportation Funding Proposals in Trump’s Budget
The President’s proposed 2026 budget would keep spending roughly the same for transit and rail and eliminate over $5 billion in funding for EV charging infrastructure.
How Complete Streets Stands to Lose in the FY26 ‘Skinny Budget’
The President’s proposed budget could cut key resources for active transportation, public transit, and road safety programs.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Mexico City Anti-Gentrification Plan Aims to Half Housing Deficit
The plan comes in response to protests that targeted ‘digital nomads’ who locals blame for driving up housing costs.
Chicago Has Quietly Built Hundreds of Neighborhood Traffic Circles
Thanks largely to one alderperson’s efforts, the city has made mini-roundabouts a key piece of its road safety strategy.
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.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie