Political partisanship in transportation overshadows strong overall support for reform

October 4, 2021

Transportation has long been viewed as one of the more reliable areas of agreement in Congress but has now become another front in the partisan wars. Look no further for evidence than the current Senate infrastructure bill, which seems to please few beside those who emphasize bipartisan agreement. Many on the left had hoped for a dramatic shift in priorities but are now faced with what is essentially a traditional highway bill. Meanwhile, those on the right deride the bill for investing too much in mass transit.

Why has transportation become so hotly contested? In research published this week in The Journal of the American Planning Association, we explore Americans’ views on transport policy.

Opinion by Kelcie Ralph and Nicholas Klein, The Hill, October 1, 2021

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