Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

Mica’s Transpo Bill Would Spell Disaster for Transit

There has been speculation for months now that the House Republicans' transportation bill proposal would be terrible for transit, biking, and walking. And sure enough, John Mica didn't disappoint.

false

The chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee yesterday released a six-year reauthorization proposal that would slash overall transportation funding 33 percent and eliminate dedicated funds for biking and walking.

No surprise there, says Yonah Freemark at the Transport Politic. Without new funding sources, investment in America's infrastructure is bound to decline. And the effect of the GOP proposal on the nation's transit systems would be severe, he writes:

The revealing of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica’s (R-FL) plan for a six-year, $230 billion reauthorization bill is the latest evidence that support in Congress for expanded investment in the U.S. transport network is weak. Though the bill is by no means final — Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA)’s own two-year plan, slightly larger (and with $12 billion in missing revenues), was partially revealed yesterday — the writing is on the wall: At least for now, expecting any improvement in federal funding for transit or even highway programs is unrealistic.

The specific distribution of funds to transit or highways has not been enumerated, but the current shares (about 20% for transit and 80% for highways) will be maintained. This would mean a cut from about $11 billion for transit today to about $7 billion. What does this mean? Fewer dollars in the urban formula program means fewer new buses and rail cars for transit agencies across the country. Less money for state of good repair means a decline in the number of renovations of aging railway tunnels and viaducts or bus depots. A loss for the New Starts program means the end of several major capital expansion projects nationwide.

Bemoaning the lack of funding for transit and transportation in general is a worthwhile endeavor, but the real challenge continues to be whether any significant group of politicians of any stripe can be convinced of the need for revenue generators. In other words, without new taxes to fund the transportation program, the argument that the nation’s infrastructure is inadequate will never really matter.

Freemark's full post is worth a read for anyone who's been following the reauthorization process about cares about making cities more transit-oriented, walkable and bikeable -- and the future of the United States, for that matter.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Alon Levy at Pedestrian Observations takes a look at some real budget busters: billion-dollar road boondoggles. Portland Transport examines what the House transportation proposal might mean for the Columbia River Crossing highway megaproject. And Transport Michigan has more details on the standoff between private funders and the city of Detroit over light rail plans -- specifically the Kresge Foundation's grudging support for the center-running rail alignment on Woodward Avenue.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Koreatown Community Rallies To Reclaim Our Streets From ICE Terror

"This is an attack on Los Angeles. This is an attack on California. On all of us."

July 11, 2025

Give Input on Metro Sepulveda Rail Plan to connect Valley and Westside

Metro is still deciding between some low-performing monorail alternatives and some high-performing heavy rail alternatives. What do you want to see?

July 10, 2025

Whittier Councilmember Fernando Dutra Is New Metro Board Chair

Board Chair Dutra: "[Metro is] not just a train and a bus company. We also manage projects on the freeways... Our projects along the 5, the 605, 91, and 105 Freeway are very very important... I'll be focusing on making sure we keep our freeways moving freely."

July 9, 2025
See all posts