US Congressional Candidate Vows to Prioritize Street Safety and Transit Funding

Shifting Focus to Washington

City Council Member Julie Won, representing western Queens and a candidate for New York’s Seventh Congressional District, has laid out a federal agenda aimed at tackling traffic violence, bolstering public transportation, and enacting stricter vehicle safety regulations. Won, who has been a vocal advocate for livable streets initiatives, is seeking to replace incumbent U.S. Representative Nydia Velázquez. Her platform directly addresses the dangers posed by current federal transportation policies and vehicle designs, which she argues prioritize cars over people.

The impetus for Won’s federal ambitions is rooted in the persistent tragedy of traffic fatalities and injuries in her district and across New York City. She highlights the stark reality of “traffic violence,” citing the nearly 5,000 injuries and 20 deaths recorded in NY-7 over the past year alone, including four children killed at intersections within her City Council district since 2023. Won asserts that these outcomes are a direct consequence of governmental policies at all levels, from Washington to New York City. Her pledge is to champion safer streets in Congress, restore federal funding for safe streets initiatives that she claims were diminished by the Trump administration, and secure transit investment gains that are set to expire.

Federal Policy Failures

A central tenet of Won’s critique is the federal government’s long-standing commitment to car-centric infrastructure. She points out that approximately 80 percent of federal surface transportation funding is allocated to highways, with a disproportionately small amount directed towards public transportation—a stark contrast in a district like NY-7, where 66 percent of commuters rely on buses or subways. This funding imbalance, she argues, perpetuates an inequitable system that benefits a minority of road users while neglecting the majority.

Beyond funding, Won identifies federal design guidelines as a critical failure. These guidelines, which local governments follow to access federal dollars, are perceived as outdated and car-focused, failing to account for the realities faced by pedestrians, cyclists, and vulnerable road users. Won argues that these guidelines act as a de facto barrier, forcing cities to fight Washington for permission to implement safety improvements. The increasing size and height of vehicles over the past two decades further exacerbate these issues, reducing visibility for pedestrians, particularly children, and increasing the lethality of crashes. While Europe has mandated pedestrian safety standards for years, Won notes that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has “deliberately chosen not to” implement similar standards in the United States.

Personal Experience and Local Successes

Won’t personal experiences underscore her commitment to street safety. She recounts being hit by a car while cycling in 2020 and witnessing her mother and mother-in-law suffer injuries from traffic incidents. These experiences, coupled with the tragic deaths of children in her district, have fueled her legislative efforts.

At the city level, Won has championed several key initiatives. She introduced legislation for universal daylighting—clearing the space near crosswalks to improve visibility for all road users. Despite having significant co-sponsorship and broad community support, the bill faced bureaucratic hurdles, particularly with the current administration’s stance mirroring previous ones. Data from the Federal Highway Administration suggests daylighting can reduce crashes by up to 30 percent, a statistic echoed by the success of cities like Hoboken, which has seen no traffic deaths for over eight years, partly attributed to universal daylighting.

Won has also been instrumental in securing improvements to Queens’ infrastructure. She advocated for a dedicated pedestrian and cyclist roadway on the Queensboro Bridge and allocated funding for the Queens Boulevard bike lane, which reportedly reduced traffic fatalities on that corridor by 68 percent. She also negotiated substantial funding for the transformation of DOT operational yards and parking lots under the Queensboro Bridge into public open spaces, including a waterfront esplanade and bike path.

Federal Legislative Priorities

If elected to Congress, Won has outlined three primary federal legislative priorities:

Defend and Expand Safe Streets for All (SS4A): Won intends to fight for the full restoration of SS4A funding, which she claims was redefined by the Trump administration to exclude projects deemed “hostile to motor vehicles.” She also aims to protect the program from executive clawbacks and expand its reach to enable more communities to implement street redesigns without being constrained by outdated federal guidelines.

Advocate for a Robust Surface Transportation Reauthorization: With the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) set to expire on September 30, 2026, Won pledges to work to maintain the IIJA’s significant increase in transit funding. She will also defend the flexibility that allows federal highway dollars to be redirected towards transit projects, warning that its loss could have long-lasting negative impacts on urban transit investment.

Mandate Safer Vehicles: Won plans to push for federal mandates requiring vehicle manufacturers to meet updated pedestrian safety standards. She highlights the current lack of federal standards for vehicle front-end design and weight, which contribute to increased danger for those outside the vehicle.

Key facts

• Federal Funding: Restore and expand Safe Streets for All (SS4A) | Improve street safety, redesign dangerous streets
• Transportation Policy: Protect and enhance Surface Transportation Reauthorization (IIJA) | Secure transit funding, maintain flexibility for transit investment
• Vehicle Standards: Mandate federal pedestrian safety standards | Reduce fatalities and injuries from vehicle collisions

Won’s campaign centers on a vision of federal policy that actively promotes safety and equitable access to transportation for all residents, moving away from a system that has historically prioritized automobiles. Her approach seeks to leverage federal power to enact systemic change, addressing both the design of infrastructure and the safety of vehicles themselves.

Source: Streetsblog NYC (https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/05/25/julie-won-safe-streets-congress-election-nydia-velazquez-washington)