Guaranteed Transit Funding Lacking in New Infrastructure Bill

Lauded by the administration as a historic amount, the transit funding promised in the revised bill lags far behind projected needs.

2 minute read

August 4, 2021, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Transit Line

Eric Broder Van Dyke / Shutterstock

The inadequate transit funding in the proposed federal infrastructure bill threatens to halt the progress of transit systems in the U.S., "locking in hundreds of billions of dollars for highways while setting transit up for long-term cuts in funding," as reported by Deron Lovaas. Yet despite America's reputation as car-centric, "[i]n 2018 alone we took almost 10 billion trips by bus, train, or other means of travel. And this way of getting around benefits us all, whether we live in cities, suburbs, or rural areas."

Furthermore, transit is crucial to the livelihoods of many. "More than half of riders use transit because they need to (cars are expensive to own and maintain!) or because they want to save money. That means transit is one of the best investments we make in equity. And not just economic equity — 60 percent of riders are Black, Indigenous or People of Color."

Yet funding–particularly guaranteed funding–lags far behind estimated needs. Passing guaranteed transit funding, argues Lovaas, is important because it "is more useful to transit agencies than non-guaranteed funding," allowing them "to plan and finance projects more cost-effectively," and because "[i]f transit loses ground in this round of negotiations, the starting line for transit next time around will be even farther from where it needs to be." According to Lovaas, "[n]ow is the time to take a leap forward by sticking with the deal in place since 1982 and delivering a boost to transit investment on top of it, not taking a big step back."

Sunday, July 25, 2021 in CleanTechnica

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

6 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine