The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is committed to advancing legislation that protects all vulnerable road users at the state and federal levels. From parking-protected bike lanes in Pennsylvania to e-bike regulations in New Jersey and protecting federal bicycle and pedestrian funding, our advocacy spans multiple jurisdictions and policy areas.
Meeting with Legislators in Washington and in their Districts
This spring and summer, we significantly expanded our direct engagement with elected officials. At the National Bike Summit in March, we met with staff from the offices of Senators Fetterman, McCormick, Booker (NJ), and Kim (NJ), as well as House Representatives Evans (PA), Fitzpatrick (PA), and Conaway (NJ). Following up on legislators we missed at the summit, we subsequently met with Representative Mary Gay Scanlon in Chester and Scott Heppard, Chief of Staff for Representative Brendan Boyle.
Representative Scanlon: A Champion for Delaware County
In June, we met with Representative Scanlon at her Chester waterfront office to discuss safe streets in Congressional District 7, which encompasses nearly all of Delaware County and Southwest Philadelphia. We were joined by Liz Hocker, a Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia member (FFSSGP) and Scanlon constituent. Liz’s 17-year-old son, Damien, was tragically killed by a driver while crossing MacDade Boulevard in Ridley Park—a loss that has made her a passionate advocate for safer streets in Delaware County. Representative Scanlon has proven to be a strong and committed supporter of our vision for safer communities.
Representative Boyle: Building Coalitions with Transportation Professionals
In late July, we met with Scott Heppard at Representative Boyle’s office on West Girard Avenue. Heppard himself uses bike share in Philadelphia and Washington, demonstrating firsthand support for active transportation. We brought along Matt Ludwig, a Fishtown resident and transportation engineer who has led numerous Circuit Trails and active transportation projects throughout the region, including expansions of the LINK trails in Camden County and the Riverfront North Trail in Northeast Philadelphia.
Left to right – Patrick Monahan, Matt Ludwig, Julio Rodriguez, Scott Heppard, John Boyle
Key Legislative Priorities
At each meeting, we discussed critical federal funding and policy initiatives:
- Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside –dedicated funding for local active transportation projects
- Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Bill (Sarah’s Law) – allows for full funding of bicycle safety projects using the Highway Safety Improvement Program
- Discretionary Programs – ATIIP, Carbon Reduction Program, and Safe Streets for All
The Build 250 Reauthorization: A Mixed Picture
In May, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the Build 250 Reauthorization Bill, which will establish transportation policy and funding through 2030. While the bill cuts bicycle and pedestrian funding overall, it preserved important programs like the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, Sarah’s Law and Safe Streets for All. However, it eliminated funding for ATIIP and the Carbon Reduction Program—programs that have directed millions of dollars to Circuit Trails projects in our region. Build 250 will also weaken federal requirements to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians on major bridge projects; this could directly affect our effort to get a bicycle and pedestrian path on the PA Turnpike Bridge.
The Road Ahead: Countering Federal Rollbacks
A robust, multi-modal transportation bill positions us to counter recent federal threats to bicycle infrastructure and safety. The Trump Administration’s rollback of bike lanes and speed cameras from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Proven Safety Countermeasures webpage represents a significant setback. We must continue to advocate for access to bridges and infrastructure that support safe, connected transportation networks for all users.
Build 250 Transportation Bill Factsheet
