The federal transportation program’s current approach is failing. Under the status quo, roads have become more dangerous, the maintenance backlog has grown, and the program continues to prioritize highway expansion over investing in transit. Last month, Senate Democrats circulated a letter calling for changes to the program that are aligned with T4America’s priorities. A better federal transportation program is possible—here’s how.
The Senate Letter is a step in the right direction
The letter, led by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), was released on June 3, 2026, and calls for the next surface transportation reauthorization bill to prioritize affordability, reduce political interference, improve roadway safety, and address the nation’s maintenance backlog. The letter provides a strong starting point for how the Senate should approach negotiations over the next surface program bill while calling out ongoing issues with the current administration’s implementation of the program.
The letter’s first priority area spotlights political interference in transportation and infrastructure grants. Since January 2025, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has not signed a single Federal Transit Administration-issued Capital Investment Grant (CIG) that provides full funding for a new metro, light rail, or bus rapid transit line. This isn’t a new strategy; in the first Trump Administration, there were also attempts to slow or stop transit capital expansion projects.
The letter is clear: “Congress cannot have confidence in a final bill — even one that is bipartisan and negotiated in good faith — if the Administration is actively failing to implement the laws already in place.” This raises a vital question to the rest of the Senate: If we see that CIG cannot be implemented faithfully, why do we assume a future bill would be implemented differently, and why is there such a rush to pass a bad bill with only minimal “wins”?
The letter’s next priority calls for the next surface transportation reauthorization program to focus on safer transportation for all roadway users. The letter argues that a bill “must also ensure that states are reducing fatalities on their roads or else face requirements to invest federal dollars in highway safety projects.”
Why is this important? The United States has a traffic safety crisis, where the rate of roadway fatalities is much higher than that of our global peers. The letter also highlights that the burden of the roadway safety crisis falls especially hard on pedestrians, who experienced a 72 percent increase in fatalities from 2009 to 2015.
The letter also acknowledges transportation’s role in the affordability crisis and is the second-highest expense for households, averaging $13,318 per household in 2024. The letter says, “Families deserve affordable options for daily travel, including transit, passenger rail, walking, and biking. By developing other ways to get around, families can save money on fuel, reduce vehicle maintenance costs, reduce insurance costs, and even avoid purchasing additional vehicles altogether.”
Finally, the letter recognizes the condition of our federal-aid roadways and how poor road conditions increase vehicle maintenance costs and lead to greater wear and tear on cars, arguing that “Focusing on road maintenance over road expansion is critical to reducing travel costs for American families.”
Priorities can turn into policy with real outcomes
This letter shows that Senate Democrats are ready to create a federal transportation program focused on real outcomes—from addressing affordability to building in safeguards to ensure faithful implementation.
First and foremost, after a year and a half of stalled, canceled, and rescinded discretionary grants, the next transportation reauthorization bill must include airtight language to ensure that no administration can interfere with awarded grants based on their own politics or priorities. This can’t just be language stating “The Secretary may not terminate grant agreements”; it must include clear wording that, if grant agreements are not honored, there will be consequences, such as lawsuits and language to restore grants that have been interfered with. The Senate should not be eager to provide funds for an administration that has proven it will not always fully implement a reauthorization as intended. Without good-faith implementation, communities applying for grants will be undermined, and their trust in the transportation program will be eroded.
Moreover, the Senate must ensure that the next reauthorization bill centers on proven roadway safety strategies that accommodate all road users, including drivers, pedestrians, bikers, and transit riders. The Senate has an opportunity to write policy requiring states and MPOs to set safety targets based on proven safe roadway design elements and to publish reports on traffic fatalities to increase transparency and direct investments to the most dangerous corridors.
To help make transportation more affordable, Congress should invest in more rail, transit, and active transportation options so that households across the country can have cheaper alternatives to get to school, work, and access services. The Senate can invest in transit reliability by providing federal transit operating funds to improve service frequency and by providing robust, guaranteed funding for passenger rail projects. If more reliable and frequent transit options are invested in, households could save $750 annually in gas and vehicle maintenance and $1,300 in vehicle depreciation.
Despite $1.5 trillion in federal transportation spending, the abysmal condition of our roadways has barely improved. Strong language in the Senate version of the transportation reauthorization bill must ensure that poor roadway conditions are improved and maintained. Reauthorization text must also include language that ensures any federal funding provided to states for expansion is contingent on demonstrating the capacity to operate and maintain those roadways over the long term. Finally, there must be both progressive targets set for federal-aid roadway repair and a cap on funds if these goals are not met.
Until we can focus on outcomes, Congress must focus on a clean extension for surface transportation reauthorization
A clean, one-year extension (or a straight extension of the previous surface transportation law with no changes) looks increasingly likely as Congress approaches the August recess. Instead of attempting to force a status quo bill through a floor vote, Congress should focus on extending the current law for one year, which would also continue the funding provided by IIJA’s advanced appropriations, giving them more time to negotiate a bill that aligns with their stated priorities. Members should use the letter as a guide for what a pragmatic bill should look like to be accountable to the American taxpayer, be fiscally responsible, and aim for measurable outcomes. T4America applauds the leaders in the Senate for the letter, but the next step is to put those priorities into action.
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