Story perspectives

Funding Priorities Shift: Safety Compromised by Congestion Rise

4/22/2026

Summary

Story summary

The federal transportation program allocates 9 percent of funding to safety initiatives, including the Highway Safety Improvement Program and Transportation Alternatives.
Even with freeway expansion, congestion in the 100 most populous United States cities rose 144 percent from 1993 to 2017.
This trend persists even in areas with population declines, highlighting a failure to address congestion.
The current approach prioritizes economic growth over safety, undermining efforts to reduce road fatalities.

1 of 1

Story summary

The federal transportation program allocates 9 percent of funding to safety initiatives, including the Highway Safety Improvement Program and Transportation Alternatives.
Even with freeway expansion, congestion in the 100 most populous United States cities rose 144 percent from 1993 to 2017.
This trend persists even in areas with population declines, highlighting a failure to address congestion.
The current approach prioritizes economic growth over safety, undermining efforts to reduce road fatalities.