Skip to Content
Streetsblog Massachusetts home
Streetsblog Massachusetts home
Log In
Advocacy Opportunities

Rep. Pressley Calls on Feds to Fund Highways, Transit Equally

An unrealistically traffic-free rendering of MassDOT’s proposed new interchange at I-495 and I-90, a federally-funded project that’s expected to cost about $300 million.

StreetsblogMASS relies on the generous support of readers like you. Help us meet our year-end fundraising goals – give today!
StreetsblogMASS relies on the generous support of readers like you. Help us meet our year-end fundraising goals – give today!
StreetsblogMASS relies on the generous support of readers like you. Help us meet our year-end fundraising goals – give today!

On Thursday, Representative Ayanna Pressley joined 32 other members of the U.S. Congress to introduce the Transit Parity Resolution, which calls on the federal government to end its 40-year practice of spending four times as much on highways than on transit.

Since 1982, federal transportation funding has been governed by the "80-20 split," which restricts the federal Department of Transportation from spending more than 20 percent of its Highway Trust Fund money on transit projects, leaving the majority of federal funding for highway projects.

During the Reagan administration, when the 80-20 funding split was originally established, the Highway Trust Fund was still funded through the federal gas tax, so lawmakers at the time rationalized that most of the money should go to roads.

But after decades of expensive highway expansions and declining gas tax revenues (the federal gas tax hasn't been raised since 1993), gas taxes no longer come anywhere near to paying for the nation's overbuilt highway infrastructure. Since 2008, lawmakers have bailed out the trust fund with $144 billion from other taxpayer funds.

This circumstance begs the question: if drivers on highways are no longer paying for the nation's transportation programs, why is federal spending still doling out four times as much money for highways than for transit?

“Public transit is a public good, and it’s past time our government treat it like one,” said Rep. Pressley in a press release announcing the resolution. “For too long, our federal transportation investments have prioritized highways over public transit, incentivizing travel in private cars which increases traffic congestion, produces pollution, and exacerbates racial and economic inequality. Today, we have an opportunity and an obligation to fundamentally realign our federal transportation policy to center community connectivity and emphasize equity, access, and sustainability.”

The proposed resolution states that "the House of Representatives (1) declares public transit benefits all Americans and is a national priority; and (2) finds that prioritizing public transit, including safe access to public transit options, requires the Federal Government to provide funding to public transit that is equal to the level of highway funding."

Transportation for America, an organization focused on improving federal transportation policies, cheered the resolution.

“Why shouldn’t transit receive 80 percent or even 100 percent of transportation dollars?” wrote Emily Mangan on the T4America blog earlier this year. “We are not saying that other modes should not receive any money. The point is that all assumptions should be questioned and funding should go to projects that create jobs quickly in a stimulus bill and support today’s needs and goals, not those of 40 years ago.”

T4America is also collecting signatures on an online petition to end the 80-20 funding policy.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Massachusetts

Roadblocked: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Eliminates Most Federal Funding For Allston Highway Realignment

Without a formal project agreement in place, MassDOT will receive only $8 million out of a $335 million "reconnecting communities" grant that the Biden administration had pledged.

July 10, 2025

Another Bus Lane Bites the Dust: Wu Administration Forces Chelsea, Charlestown Transit Riders to Wait In More Traffic

The change comes just weeks before the MBTA rolls out a new bus lane enforcement system, which is expected to improve bus service considerably – at least on the dwindling number of streets where dedicated bus lanes still exist.

July 8, 2025

Balanced For Now – But Beacon Hill Is Putting the T Back On the Edge of Another Fiscal Cliff

The state's final budget gives the T about $80 million less than it had planned to spend in the coming fiscal year to cover its payroll and other transit operating costs.

July 7, 2025

Ambulance Data Reveals That Boston Drivers Are 4 Times More Likely to Run Over Pedestrians From Black Neighborhoods

"Overall, residents of predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods are about four times more likely than residents of predominantly white neighborhoods to be struck as a pedestrian."

July 1, 2025
See all posts