What's Next for Transportation under Trump
Where we're at now, what's next with Oregon's 2025 transportation package, and what you can do for safe, equitable streets under the Trump administration
Post-election, not much seems clear. Many organizations, policy experts, and advocates are worried about what’s next for their communities under a chaotic, destructive, and divisive Trump administration.
Here’s our breakdown of what you need to know about where multimodal transportation stands locally, how we might be affected by national changes, and what we need to do together to fight back and protect our streets.
Where We’re at After the Elections
The Good
We educated a total of 66 candidates for office in Oregon this year through our Transportation School, covering funding 101, the public health impacts of unsafe infrastructure, the effects of racial injustice on transportation, and the economic benefits of investments in a multimodal network.
In Portland, we’re excited to have a new city council and mayor who are knowledgeable about and supportive of active transportation investments. The incoming council can make significant headway on our Vision Zero goals by implementing plans and policies already on the books.
For example, to reduce speeds along high crash corridors, they need to prioritize installing automated traffic enforcement and fortifying infrastructure that separates vulnerable users from motor vehicle traffic. Beyond completing the 2030 Bike Plan, we also need to rapidly daylight intersections (eliminating blind spots as users enter the intersection or crosswalk) through investment and enforcement.
It’s also time for us to evolve the Safe Routes to Schools concept which The Street Trust led developed locally back in the 1990s. Using models like London’s School Streets, we can do more to create larger clean air and safety buffer zones near schools and parks, as well as equitably manage the right-of-way through pricing reforms.
We will all need to keep up the pressure to ensure that our new leaders in Portland, including the new mayor, prioritize ending the epidemic of traffic deaths as a public health crisis that goes hand-in-hand with unsheltered homelessness.
Looking to Multnomah County, the TST Action Fund championed two safe streets leaders in Shannon Singleton and Meghan Moyer. At this level of government, we’ll be advocating for:
Improved ADA access to the proposed Earthquake Better Burnside Bridge
A more comprehensive, long-term vision for walking, biking, and rolling along the Eastbank of the Willamette, connecting major developments from Lower Albina to OMSI.
At the state level, we’re eager to collaborate with lawmakers on the 2025 transportation package. Our priorities in Salem will be clear and unwavering…
Every dollar, particularly from any new sources of funding, must be spent to address the intersecting and escalating crises of traffic fatalities and injuries, global warming, and racial inequality.
Statewide, we’re moving full steam ahead on these fronts in 2025. Stay tuned here and join us on Bluesky to get the latest on our advocacy work and the legislative session.
* A special thank you to the volunteers on our endorsements committee, who tackled the high-volume City of Portland races.
The Bad
There’s no doubt that the national political landscape casts a long shadow. With so much uncertainty at the federal level, we’re facing chaos and retrenchment on funding for multimodal infrastructure and climate initiatives. We cannot ignore these potential setbacks and the likelihood that Oregon and other blue states will be forced to go it alone in the coming years. This means we will need to rely on strong, dedicated community support more than ever to hold the line on equitable transportation policies and to keep our streets safe and accessible to all.
The Ugly
We all recognize that the return of the Trump administration poses grave threats to human rights, fuels hate, and deepens social divides. Without federal leadership aligned with Oregon’s progressive values, ensuring safe access to all our diverse communities will become even more critical.
Safe, accessible transportation is an essential right and requirement for a healthy, prosperous life. Living with inequitable and incomplete transportation systems means groups like elders, people with disabilities, school children, and others who don’t drive are cut off from basic needs like fresh food, health care, and social connection. This is why the local fight for safe streets and an accessible multimodal system is more urgent than ever.
Regardless of the political landscape, The Street Trust will continue our programs to combat the impacts of inequity and place power in the hands of people to live better through multimodal travel and community, including:
Our Ride2Own program which helps people ride their way to owning their own electric bike at no cost. We’ve helped put 90 e-bikes on the road across Portland, Milwaukie, and Hillsboro (with 25 more on the way in East Portland!) Our participants receive free safety gear and tune ups, as well as free safety classes and community riding events.
WeBike which empowers trans people of all genders, gender
non-conforming people, Two Spirit, and women to travel safely by bike and transit. In the past year, we helped create a safe home in the cycling community for 80 people.
Safe Routes to School where we work directly with schools to advocate for student safety in walking, biking, and taking transit — ensuring children in underserved areas can reach school safely and confidently.
Where We Are With the Interstate Bridge Replacement
Thousands of you participated in the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) NEPA public comment period that closed in mid-November. Thank you! Special thanks to those who also joined our downtown Vancouver walking tour and/or our bicycling tour through North Portland and Hayden Island.
This Herculean task brought together advocates for transportation and climate justice from across the region. We are proud of the over a thousand community members we helped mobilize to comment with our partners, representing a third of the around 3,000 total comments received by the IBR team. The demand for usable paths for walking and biking came through loud and clear.
According to The Columbian last week, IBR Program Director Greg Johnson said respondents emphasized that “paths for people walking and biking were extremely important.” He continued, “We’ve heard some very specific desires that we’re looking into that hopefully will help shape our design efforts as we move forward,” he said. “Some are very creative and innovative. Some we can’t do but we’re going to take all of them into account and have our designers hear what advocates are thinking.”
While there’s still a long road ahead for this massive project, we’ll be at the table, keeping you informed, representing our community — and ensuring that future transportation investments are safe, equitable, and sustainable.
* We extend our gratitude to the volunteer working group members and the many organizations we partnered with: 40-Mile Loop, Bridgeton Neighborhood, Cycle Vancouver, Downtown Vancouver Businesses (shoutout to Niche Wine Bar!), Just Crossing Alliance, and Oregon Walks.
What’s Next on the Road to the 2025 Legislative Session
Thanks to everyone who took time to testify and comment during the legislature’s statewide roadshow this summer and fall, community voices are already informing next steps for the transportation package.
Participants consistently emphasized the need for a safe, efficient transportation system that works for everyone, whether they drive or not. For both rural and urban residents, the priorities were clear:
Well-maintained roads and infrastructure,
Robust options for people walking, biking, and using transit,
And a fair, accountable transportation system where funding and priorities align.
Rest assured that The Street Trust will continue to lift up community voices and fight for the safe, complete roads and transit Oregonians desperately need. As we gear up for the beginning of the session, we’re already setting the agenda with lawmakers and partners at three working groups convened by the Oregon Legislature.
Members of The Street Trust can be proud that their support is the reason there’s a dedicated contract lobbyist for walk and roll investments in The Capitol in 2025. Join us here.
Thanks to community support and our long term advocacy work, The Street Trust secured three spots on each group. With our Move Oregon Forward coalition, we have a total of 45 seats at the table to represent you.
In the over 36 hours of meetings so far, we’ve advocated for your priorities including:
Fully funding safety programs statewide
Securing new revenue streams for ODOT’s Great Streets Program, which included jurisdictional transfers as well as deferred maintenance and upgrades to other deadly state highways
Fully funding Safe Routes to Schools infrastructure and programs
Completing the state’s bike/pedestrian network
Investing in transit and paratransit, especially in suburban and rural communities
Transitioning off the gas tax through a road user charge (VMT tax) and indexing the gas tax to inflation
Ensuring good governance of transportation revenue—progressive, climate-aligned, and transparent
📝 Pro-tip: If you’re interested in getting an inside view into what’s being discussed, working groups are live streamed via the legislature’s website here.
Our representatives are:
Sarah Iannarone, Executive Director, The Street Trust
Lindsay Huber, Deputy Director, The Street Trust
Cameron Bennett, TST Board Member & Oregon Micromobility Network Liaison
Rob Zako, Executive Director, Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation
Steph Noll, Executive Director, Oregon Trails Coalition
Megan Ramey, Safe Routes to School Manager, Hood River County
In addition to our work on the statewide transportation package, we will be pushing forward several pieces of complete streets and safety legislation, including funding for Inner Powell Blvd, Hall Blvd in Tigard, and OR281 in Hood River. In partnership with the Oregon Micromobility Network (website launching next month!), we will also be working on sensible regulation and safety investments for e-bikes and other micromobility projects.
We look forward to working alongside passionate people like you as well as the legislature to realize our transportation goals in the 2025 session. We hope you’ll come along with us on the journey to safe, complete streets for all.
P.S. We need your support to continue this transformative advocacy work in 2025. Please join us as a member of The Street Trust here. You’ll get discounts, free entry to community events, and insider updates on the legislative session. Thank you!