TA continues to build upon the legacy of the Transportation Enhancements (TE) and Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) programs by providing funding opportunities for local projects that support additional transportation options, strengthen local economies, improve quality of life, protect the natural environment, and enhance transportation infrastructure.
The Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside, formally known as Transportation Alternatives Program or TAP, from the Surface Transportation Block Grant(STBG) Program provides funding for a variety of transportation projects that prioritize safety, comfort, and connectivity to destinations for all people who use the street network such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management; environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; recreational trails; safe routes to school projects; and vulnerable road user safety assessments.
States and MPOs for urbanized areas with more than 200,000 people will conduct a competitive application process for the use of TA funds; eligible applicants include tribal governments, local governments, transit agencies, school districts, and a new eligibility for nonprofit organizations responsible for local transportation safety programs. The IIJA Act also newly allows each urbanized area of this size to use up to half of its sub allocated TA funds for any STBG-eligible purpose (but still subject to the TA-wide requirement for competitive selection of projects). All applicants regardless of population will be eligible for the statewide TAP program under the Flex category. Applicants that are under 15,000 population that fall within the ACOG/INCOG adjusted urbanized boundaries are eligible to apply for statewide funding in whichever population category they fall. All applicants will be limited to 2 applications per cycle.
The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) was authorized under Section 1122 of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and is codified at 23 U.S.C. sections 213(b), and 101(a)(29). Section 1122 provides for the reservation of funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b) of Title 23 to carry out the TAP. The national total reserved for the TAP is equal to 2 percent of the total amount authorized from the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund for Federal-aid highways each fiscal year. (23 U.S.C. 213(a)).
The TAP provides funding for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, replacing the funding from pre-MAP-21 programs including Transportation Enhancements, Recreational Trails (RTP), and Safe Routes to School (SRTS), wrapping them into a single funding source.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is seeking projects outside of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa adjusted urbanized areas with populations of 0-5,000 residents that could be funded with available Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funds. Funds requested cannot exceed $700,000 per project. Projects inside the Oklahoma City or the Tulsa urbanized areas are selected through a separate competitive process administered by the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) or the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INCOG).
