Boston is suing the Trump administration over a canceled $20m Roxbury street-upgrade grant, saying the Transportation Department cited EV charging as its reason. The city says charging was under 1% of costs and the project would improve safety, transit access and traffic flow.
The Roxbury Resilient Corridors project received the grant through the federal RAISE program during Joe Biden’s presidency. Boston says three streets marked for upgrades rank in the top 3% of city streets for concentrations of traffic injuries and fatalities. The Transportation Department classifies the area as “persistent poverty” and a “historically disadvantaged community.”
The city argues the cancellation was unlawful and overtly political, and contradicted RAISE’s congressional purpose of supporting projects that promote sustainability, safety and technological innovation, including in underserved communities. It also argues federal agencies cannot alter a congressionally established program to reflect changing political priorities. The case, City of Boston v Duffy, names Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and was filed in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Boston says it is the ninth lawsuit it has brought against the administration; eight are in partnership with the Public Rights Project, which is providing pro bono counsel.
