Full Breakdown
FHWA Removes Bicycle-Safety Guidance from Agency Website
7/23/2026, 8:39:11 PM
Core Event
The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) safety office issued a directive that led staff to delete a paragraph from the agency’s website that had previously highlighted the role of bicycle facilities in reducing conflicts and crashes between cyclists and motor vehicles. The change was implemented within two days of the directive.
Background
The FHWA, a component of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has long promoted bicycle infrastructure as a means to improve road safety. This language reflected the agency’s broader safety strategy, which includes guidance for state and local officials on designing and maintaining bike lanes and other cyclist-friendly features.
Directive to Delete Guidance
According to reporting from NPR, a staff member in the FHWA safety office instructed the team to remove the bicycle-safety paragraph from the public website. The instruction was carried out promptly, resulting in the disappearance of the previously published guidance.
Staff Reaction and Uncertainty
A web-operations employee at the DOT told NPR that the sudden removal left staff questioning the rationale behind the change, asking why bicycle safety information was being taken down.
Potential Impact
The removal of the safety language could affect how state and local transportation agencies access federal guidance on bicycle infrastructure. Without the explicit endorsement on the FHWA site, officials may have fewer readily available references to support the development of bike lanes, potentially influencing the prioritization of such projects in future planning.
