Chrissy Oakes advocates for bipartisan street safety while the administration seeks to reduce bike lane funding
Chrissy Oakes, a street safety advocate, argues that road infrastructure should be viewed as a single system where bike lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks are essential components rather than competing priorities. Oakes, who founded Safer17 after her father was killed by an SUV, emphasizes that Republicans and Democrats can find common ground by framing bike lanes as a tool for freedom of movement and economic development.
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In contrast, the administration has begun to scale back on bike lane projects, often labeling them as "DEI bike lanes." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has argued that bike lanes can contribute to congestion and longer travel times for cars and trucks. The administration announced it was tearing out the 15th Street bike lane in Washington, and it has canceled or frozen grants for projects in Nashville and Fairfield. While many communities have embraced bike-friendly policies, the administration is now pushing for a systematic change in transportation law to restrict bike lane funding overall. Despite these shifts, 76% of Americans support bike lanes in their local areas, including 66% of Republicans.
Sources
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I thought bike lanes were ‘DEI.’ Then an SUV killed my father
Washington Examiner
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Do DEI bike paths exist? The Trump administration says yes
Inquirer.com
Paywall and unreadable sources
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Do D.E.I. Bike Paths Exist? The Trump Administration Says Yes.
The New York Times
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8 Ways a Bike Saves You Thousands a Year — and How Washington Just Put That at Risk
moneytalksnews.com
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The Trump Administration’s Latest Foe: “DEI Bike Lanes”
Sierra Club