Biden’s Failed Bike Lane Plan Crashes Headfirst into Reality

Within this month, a multitude of cyclists rallied in an annual summit held in Washington D.C., their morning meal disrupted by a startling email notification. It unveiled the startling news of President Donald Trump’s administration abruptly freezing federal financing for bicycle lanes, instigating discontent among responses. These are apparently projects promoted by former President Joe Biden, focusing on green energy and aiming to uplift commute, leisure trails, and bike infrastructure.

With federal attention shifting away, several states have decided to take matters into their own hands. Pennsylvania is taking the lead in what is marked as a united attempt, accompanied by other states including California, Maryland, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, and New York. They have initiated an effort labeled as the ‘Clean Rides Network’ to keep these environmentally beneficial projects in motion.

Despite the federal government stepping aside, these states continued to gain momentum in their respective statehouses for green transportation initiatives. This seems more of an overambitious endeavor instead of an urgent necessity. Considering the fact that the transportation department paused funding for bike lanes, it becomes clear there are alternative options present to be explored.

Unexpectedly, Colorado, who wasn’t in the list of the core seven states, enacted a policy that has become the groundwork for a key goal of the Clean Rides Network. In 2021, Governor Jared Polis pledged to significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado and implemented an as-yet-unseen method to expedite the process.

This new strategy required that any large-project funding from the state transport department, that could cause an increase in vehicle traffic, had to correspondingly initiate a project to counteract the environmental damage. Interestingly, this led to the cancellation of two extensive highway expandable projects. Misfortune or beneficial? We would think the former.

Redirecting the funds designated for those cancelled projects, Colorado increased its intercity bus service that surprisingly soared in popularity among city folks and tourist skiers. One should take note, however, that transportation methods causing fewer emissions does not automatically mean it’s better for the state. Each state carries its unique needs and resources.

Following the sudden enthusiasm from Colorado, Minnesota adopted a similar directive to balance greenhouse emissions. The network consisting of several other states this session have pushed forward analogous proposals. The Maryland House recently approved their amended version of this Colorado policy.

Representative Hettleman, to coax her colleagues into approving the policy, chose to emphasize the economical benefits over the environmental ones. How intriguing it is that a study conducted on behalf of Colorado’s transportation department forecasted savings up to $40 billion, attributed to ameliorated air quality, increased road safety, and reduced traffic congestion?

In other regions belonging to the Clean Rides Network, such as Illinois and Massachusetts, lawmakers have been trying to move forward with like-minded proposals. However, they have been met with firm opposition from various notable quarters, including some leading business magnates and advocates for road construction.

This resistance seemingly originates from concerns that these schemes might not be rooted in scientific analysis and could end up deferring necessary upgrades to the currently deteriorating transport infrastructure in places like Illinois – another ideological blunder in the making?

Although the majority of state leaders advocating for these alternative transportation options are Democrats, some traditionally more conservative states have reportedly expressed some interest. But it’s quite plausible economic worries rather than environmental concerns drive this, given transportation costs rank immediately after housing for most respondents.

This strongly showcases that the concern for everyday citizens plays more on car and gas prices than the price of grocery shopping. In light of this growing economic concern, Virginia has started to appraise potential transport projects based not solely on environmental impacts but also on factors like safety and congestion mitigation.

Utah unveiled a comprehensive transit plan for its rapidly increasing population, whereas Montana implemented land use and zoning alterations to create more pedestrian-friendly urban environments. Such progressive moves certainly have caught the public’s attention, though whether they’re the best strategies remain to be seen.

The power dynamics within the United States anarchic system offer states the liberty to manage their transportation systems independently. While this flexibility empowers them to take the initiatives mentioned above, it’s pertinent to question whether such ardent renewal endeavors might deviate attention from other pressing concerns and lead to potential missteps.