Federal funding for transportation is once again under threat. Here’s what you need to know and how to take action.
From repairing bridges to constructing trails, federal grants help communities across the country invest in projects they could not otherwise afford. They improve safety, expand transportation options, strengthen local economies, and connect communities in ways that promote health and sustainability. Federal grants provide funds for large-scale projects that can transform entire regions.
Federal grant funding is essential to building safer streets and stronger communities. Here’s how you can help protect it.
BUILD America 250 Act
- Background: The BUILD America 250 Act is the reauthorization of the federal surface transportation program. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has approved the act, but it falls short of meeting the nation’s transportation needs. The Act increases funding for highways and reduces funding for walking, biking, and public transit, despite the urgent need for safer transportation options for everyone. Representatives need to reject this bill and revise it to prioritize affordability, accessibility, safety, and public health.
- Take Action: Visit Transportation for America’s website to learn more and use the form to tell your representative to vote “NO” on the BUILD America 250 Act.
BUILD Grant Program
- Background: On July 7, 2026, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the projects selected for this year’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program. Formerly known as the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, BUILD has historically supported multimodal transportation projects and projects spanning multiple jurisdictions. This year’s awards directed a much larger share of funding to roads and bridges, with comparatively less investment in projects that improve walking, biking, and taking public transit.
- Take Action: Contact your representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives and tell them that you support multimodal transportation projects, particularly bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
- Background: The CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) seeks to advance public health and support active lifestyles. The DNPAO administers multiple programs, including the State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program (SPAN) and Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH). The House of Representatives has included no funding for these programs in its Health and Human Services budget.
- Take Action: The Senate has the opportunity to add funding for these programs back into the Health and Human Services budget. Contact your representatives and ask them to fund the State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program (SPAN) and Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) in the FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations legislation. You may contact:
As the 2025 State of Our Streets report found, crashes involving people walking and biking in the St. Louis region are becoming increasingly deadly. Investments in safer streets, trails, sidewalks, and transit are critical for reversing that trend, and federal transportation funding is one of the most important tools that communities have to make those investments.
By speaking up now, you can help protect federal grant funding for these programs, supporting safer, healthier, and more connected communities.