The second Trump administration canceled previously awarded federal grants intended for bike lanes, pedestrian trails, and street safety upgrades on 9 September 2025. The United States Department of Transportation specifically explained that the projects resulting from these grants are hostile to cars because they reduce road capacity.
Among the canceled projects was a USD $1.2 million grant for San Diego County that would have funded roadway improvements, which included protected bike lanes. Federal officials stated the initiative involved a road diet. The department deemed it counter to its priority of preserving vehicle capacity needed for efficient vehicle-centered traffic flow.
Officials in Fairfield, Alabama, also lost federal support for converting street lanes on Vinesville Road into trail space. The Department of Transportation argued that eliminating lanes not only diminishes traffic flow but also impacts a suitable level of vehicle speed. Local leaders indicated the trail cannot proceed without the canceled grant funding.
Boston officials also received notice that their projects, including specific safety improvements within the Mattapan Square, were being withdrawn. The department explained this cancellation by emphasizing that altering intersections to favor pedestrians and transit would undermine what it called the car-centric configuration of the streets.
The Rail Trail in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a seven-mile project linking neighborhoods through biking and walking paths, faced a rescinded award initially worth USD 11.5 million. City leaders immediately announced they would mount a legal challenge against the cancellation. They argued that the administration overstepped its federal authority.
McLean County in Illinois further experienced the loss of USD 675000 allocated for design work on a Route 66 pedestrian and biking path. Local officials cautioned that the rescinding of federal financial support will not only result in significant project delays but will also endanger safety upgrades that had already entered early planning stages.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the cancellations as part of the policy of the Trump administration to prioritize automobile travel. He stated that projects reducing speed or lane capacity undercut economic interests, and funds would instead be redirected to infrastructure and other initiatives that preserve or expand road capacity.
Note that these cancellations reverse policies established under Joe Biden. The previous admin emphasized multimodal transportation. Congressional leaders noted that grants were awarded under programs such as RAISE and Safe Streets for All. Both are intended to promote equity, sustainability, and safety beyond the automobile framework.