The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has removed bike lanes, speed safety cameras, and variable speed limits from its list of "Proven Safety Countermeasures." The list, which previously recommended 28 specific strategies to state and local planners to reduce traffic fatalities, now contains 23 items. Former FHWA acting administrator Stephanie Pollack noted that five strategies in total were removed during a recent update to the agency's website.
A spokesperson for the FHWA stated the changes are part of a policy shift to prioritize road capacity and reduce congestion. The agency said the move reverses previous policies that it claims burdened commutes with social initiatives. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently stated on social media that the Department is redirecting discretionary grants toward road infrastructure rather than what he characterized as "pet projects."
Safety advocates and former officials criticized the decision, arguing that the removed measures are evidence-based tools for preventing crashes. Pollack told reporters that safety decisions should be based on proven data and expressed concern over the removal of recommendations previously established as best practices. The DOT recently announced $1.7 billion in grants that focused on road repairs and excluded funding for pedestrian or cycling-specific projects.