Volts Hey governors: you can salvage sustainable transportation, but you need to do it quick!
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Nov 5, 2025 Liya Rechtman, Senior Transportation Policy Lead at Evergreen Action and former DOT advisor, dives deep into salvaging sustainable transportation amid federal rollbacks. She explains how states can utilize a little-known authority to shift highway funds towards transit, EV charging, and bike lanes. You'll hear about the critical one-year window for action and the importance of political courage from governors. Liya discusses the impact of outdated traffic models and the barriers to reallocating funds, calling for innovative strategies and urgent state responses.
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Pennsylvania Saved SEPTA With A Transfer
- Governor Josh Shapiro transferred $47 million from highway projects to save SEPTA for a year.
- That transfer demonstrated the meaningful but politically brave impact of using existing authorities.
Prefer Transfers Over Flexing
- Use transfer authority instead of flexing because transfers happen at the federal district level and are lower-friction.
- Transfer by project type into programs like the Surface Transportation Block Grant for greater flexibility.
Small Shifts, Big Impact
- Highway budgets dwarf other transportation pots, so modest transfers can produce outsized impacts for transit or EV programs.
- Small reallocations can fund entire state EV programs or significant transit relief.