Each January, transportation leaders, researchers, and advocates gather in Washington, DC, for the Transportation Research Board (TRB) annual convening to share ideas and connect around the future of transportation.
This year, several League staff members attended sessions, shared our work, and spent time in conversation with partners and peers. Some attended Transportation Camp on the Saturday before TRB week, while others participated in the Crossroads Convening later in the week. Together, these spaces offered important insights into where transportation research, policy, and advocacy are headed, and what that means for bike advocates right now.
Below are reflections and takeaways from a few League staff members, in their own words.
What is the biggest takeaway for bike advocates?
- Ken: A speaker said that we “need visionaries at this moment,” and I think that’s important. Especially as we are now often playing defense, we also need to have a positive vision of what the future looks like, whether that’s an individual project or a revitalized institution like the Transportation Research Board.
- Anna: Based on my experience at Crossroads, my biggest takeaway was that TRB (and really, all related work) must continue to factor in equity to make the data, case studies, and research as robust as possible. One session at Crossroads really emphasized that researchers and practitioners who limit the factors of their work to exclude equity will have work that is lacking, less comprehensive, and less robust. Consistently applying an equity lens will make your outcomes more deeply impactful and insightful, whether you’re conducting research or doing on-the-ground work.
- Will: During a session on surface transportation reauthorization, Beth Osborne, the President and CEO of Smart Growth America (and a longtime former Hill staffer), shared some key knowledge. She told us that you do not have a powerful seat at the negotiating table unless you can declare that you will pull support – and actually mean it and follow through. Beth discussed how this is particularly hard for advocates in the active transportation space. This is a timely lesson, considering there are lots of (understandable) worries around the next reauthorization bill. The session echoed the idea we’ve heard from many of our peers, that negotiating an extension of the current reauthorization bill is a better bet than settling for a less-than-ideal one.
Was there a moment, conversation, or session that stuck with you this week?
- Ken: Several speakers who previously worked at USDOT mentioned that USDOT does not develop projects; communities do. Whatever changes may happen at the federal level, you can lay the groundwork for change by having a local pipeline of bicycle projects.
- Anna: The entire Crossroads Convening, which was at capacity and overflowed to online attendance to accommodate everyone, just showed that people WANT to talk about equity, do the work, and continue making progress in this area.
- Will: I, too, was struck by Crossroads Convening being at capacity. My biggest takeaway from these events was a conversation that I had with a PhD student from UC Irvine, Montana Reinoehl. He was using his schoolwork to research racial equity in Los Angeles’ mobility investments ahead of the 2028 Olympics. It was great to see someone without a formal organizational affiliation taking initiative and applying novel approaches to this work.
What was it like to share the League’s work and perspective in these spaces?
- Anna: Someone told me they were really glad to hear that the League is doing more work at the local level, sharing that they are excited to see how this unfolds and want to support this new chapter.
- Ken: Researchers at TRB were worried about e-bike backlash due to confusion and unregulated e-motos. Many looked to federal agencies for clarity, and while I could share the League’s efforts supporting federal regulation, I cautioned that federal regulation is unlikely in the near-term.
- Will: Several folks at Transportation Camp mentioned that they wanted to have some focused data on the benefits of biking and trails. I mentioned to them that I am working on gathering state economic benefit data on bicycling and trails ahead of the National Bike Summit, and would share it with them once complete. I even got to connect with the chairperson of the Capital Trails Coalition, which did an in-depth report on the economic impact of multi-use trails throughout the DMV several years ago, who said she looked forward to seeing what data was gathered.
What left you feeling energized, encouraged, or hopeful coming out of TRB week?
- Anna: It’s encouraging to know that, despite what the federal government is saying or limiting, practitioners, researchers, and the public are continuing to work on equity goals and feel encouraged to continue the conversation beyond the convening and into the future.
- Ken: Maybe this isn’t the most positive thing, but one speaker remarked on the current trend of dissolving institutions that “dismantling provides the opportunity to build anew.” It’s a challenging idea, but also a reminder that institutions haven’t worked well for people who bike in the past, and now there are opportunities to reshape systems and work toward a more hopeful future.
These reflections on Transportation Research Board week make it clear that even in a challenging moment for federal transportation policy, momentum continues through local leadership, robust research, and meaningful collaboration across the field. The League leaves these conversations grounded in what we heard and energized by the people doing the work, as we continue supporting communities and advocates working to make bicycling safer, more equitable, and more accessible nationwide.