How Americans move around - whether by car, train, bus, bikes or on foot - is largely determined by what gets funded. Since the post-war 1950s, we’ve heavily funded the creation of an interconnected highway system to the detriment of, among others, establishing a robust public transit system throughout the country. As a result, we are decades behind other countries when it comes to affordable and accessible transit options.
This year, Congress is proposing the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-Term Development for America’s 250th Act, or BUILD Act which would cut the already disproportionately dwarfed (compared to roads and highways) funding for transit across the country. Massachusetts, in particular, already stands to lose about 18% of its current funding level, or up to $400M. Jeremy Siegel, host of In Commonmoderates a discussion offering a breakdown of federal funding for transportation, its current constraints, what it takes for us to build world-class transit.
