Amid mounting attacks on essential public goods and an increasingly polarized political environment, one bright spot emerged in the 2024 elections: voters overwhelmingly supported big transit projects, pulling the lever for 51 of 61 ballot measures before them—in many cases voting to tax themselves for better transportation options. That 87% win rate held true all across the nation, from the deep South to fast-growing cities in the Sunbelt.

What’s the lesson for those of us who are concerned about the future of American democracy? Transportation is both the second largest expense for the average household and is one of the most direct and daily interfaces people have with their government. When it works, it opens access to jobs, school, opportunity; when it fails, it reinforces inequality and erodes trust. In short, Americans know we need transit infrastructure projects—and they still trust in government to deliver them. If faith in democracy is about believing not just that government still works, but that it works for your family, then it’s more urgent than ever that we deliver tangible results that restore people’s faith in public institutions.

The other takeaway is that politicians can win on these issues—if they know voters have their back. Examples like New York City’s congestion relief program show that advancing progressive policies can actually be a source of political strength, even in the face of powerful federal opposition. New York’s congestion relief program is a powerful and rare example of a government doing something hard––and succeeding. It’s a bold, equity-centered policy that is already delivering measurable results: faster commutes, cleaner air, and hundreds of millions in transit investment. What made it possible wasn’t just good policy––it was power: a broad, organized, and diverse base of riders, advocates, and legal experts who drove political will.

But congestion relief is also an incredibly important test case in the fight for democracy. As the federal government takes legal action to try to end the program, the fight over congestion pricing is a fight for the rights of states and local governments to make their own decisions. If the federal government can undo legally settled local policy on a whim, what other policies—whether climate, equity and justice, or reproductive rights—are also at risk?

Congestion relief programs might not be right for every state, but there are bold, brand-new solutions to the many problems of transportation—high costs, long commutes, and massive greenhouse gas emissions—being advanced by advocates across the US right now. Join us as we talk about how the fight for better transportation is also a fight for democracy and how investing in the people and power behind these wins can deliver the results America desperately needs.