By Charles Pekow — The Republican Congress and president are undoing as much Obama Administration work as they can – and their efforts include that related to cycling. Last December, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) issued new transportation planning regulations it said were designed “to promote more effective regional planning by states and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). The new rule, which technically took effect in January, required MPOs to implement an overall transportation planning process that must include the needs of all users, including bicyclists (goo.gl/QBDL9P).
DoT issued the rule over objections of commenters who argued that local planners could better determine bicyclists’ and others’ needs than regional ones. Therefore, Congress passed a bill in April overturning the rules (goo.gl/o6bBZV). As of early May, it was awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature.
