Lawmakers in Congress recently began crafting a new bill to reauthorize federal funding programs for America’s surface transportation system. This includes funds for roads, bridges, and transit systems, as well as bike lanes, greenways, and bike trails.

Unlike the annually passed appropriations bills to “fund the government” you hear about on the news every holiday season, Congress passes larger surface transportation funding bills approximately every five years. The current surface transportation funding law, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) — expires on September 30, 2026. PeopleForBikes worked with Congress to include several wins for the bike industry in the IIJA, including critical increases for bike infrastructure funding. 

What does this mean for my business? 

When we create safe places to ride bikes, more people ride more often, meaning more business for bike retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers. Communities with better bike infrastructure networks have more bike shops and higher sales. 

It’s no secret that the current trade environment has created tough times for the bicycle industry. Our top priority at PeopleForBikes is the short-term fight to protect bike businesses. At the same time, the long-term fight to improve bike infrastructure in the U.S. persists, and things continue to move in the right direction. From Brooklyn, New York, to Bentonville, Arkansas, the past decade has seen huge improvements in safe and connected places to ride in communities nationwide. Ridership has also trended upward. According to our latest U.S. Bicycling Participation Study, more than 35% of Americans (112 million) rode a bike in 2024, the highest number on record.

The upcoming infrastructure bill is a great opportunity to continue this momentum to make our goal of transforming the U.S. the best place in the world to ride a bike a reality. 

How will Congress pay for it? 

The main funding source for federal surface transportation infrastructure bills is the Highway Trust Fund (HTF). The HTF is dedicated to financing the construction and maintenance of highway and transit projects, including bike infrastructure. Since its inception in 1956, the HTF has been primarily funded by federal taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel. The HTF has long been a stable funding source of infrastructure projects, but the declining purchasing power of the gas tax and growing electric vehicle adoption have created significant revenue shortfalls in recent years. Under an administration very sensitive to government spending, resolving this issue will be key in the success of the bill.

Will this be a bipartisan bill? 

In an increasingly partisan Washington, infrastructure has long been a rare source of bipartisanship, and the upcoming bill seems to be no different. So far, key authors of the bill have expressed that they want a bipartisan bill.

Is Congress close to finishing the bill?  

Because these bills are passed about every five years, it is a long process and a massive effort, and we are only at the beginning. Both the House and the Senate have held initial hearings to gather perspectives from the transportation and infrastructure community. Key committees have requested members of Congress to submit their priorities for the bill. Stakeholder groups have begun to travel to Washington and meet with members of Congress about their infrastructure priorities.

What is PeopleForBikes doing? 

PeopleForBikes is leading the lobbying effort for the bike industry while working closely with partner groups. We have met with leading lawmakers and staff to advocate for policies that support bicycling. This includes: 

• High-quality, modern bicycle infrastructure
• Safety for all road users
• Efficiency and modernization improvements

How can I help as a member of the bike industry? 

Engage with your senators and representatives. Invite them to tour your facility and get to know them while sharing the importance of pro-bike policies, including infrastructure funding, to the future of your business. PeopleForBikes is glad to help. Reach out to Director of Federal Policy Chris Bell at chris@peopleforbikes.org if you would like assistance in reaching out to your elected officials.