Whether it’s a preference for highway expansion, passenger rail, or bike infrastructure, different administrations can shift grantmaking priorities at the federal level.

New research from the Urban Institute examines how much presidential administrations impact federal transportation funding — and it turns out the influence is significant. According to UI researcher Yonah Freemark, “There are different political priorities for different administrations, and we should be thinking about that when having conversations about the role of the president and other people in the federal administration.”
As Dan Zukowski explains in Smart Cities Dive, “The Obama administration favored transit projects while the Trump administration prioritized road expansion, the report says. The Biden administration focused on bike and pedestrian projects to a larger extent than either previous administration.”
The report suggests four ways to make federal funding more equitable and ensure it reaches the communities that need it most: prioritizing applications from low-income communities, assisting communities with the application process to ensure underresourced communities don’t get left behind, assessing the benefits and drawbacks of infrastructure projects, and improving the transparency of federal grantmaking programs.
FULL STORY: How the White House influences transportation grantmaking

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

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.

Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us
Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)