Transportation Alternatives

Program (TAP)

NYS Department of Transportation

Local Programs Bureau

Mary Harding, Statewide Coordinator

March 2014

NYS Department of Transportation

Transportation Alternatives

Program

Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st

Century (MAP-21)

• Combined and consolidated specialized grant

programs from SAFETEA-LU:

• Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP)

• Scenic Byways

• Recreational Trails

• Safe Routes to School Programs

• Added Boulevards

Transportation Alternatives

Terminology

• Think of Transportation Alternatives as a new

program

• Former stand-alone programs are now

categories

• TEP is renamed Transportation Alternatives

• 6 eligible project types

• Similar to TEP eligible project types

Funding Structure

• States receive an apportionment of TAP funds

• Funds are set aside for Recreational Trails

Program at FY 2009 levels

• Separate solicitation through NYSOPRHP*

• New York will receive $50 million over the 2

year MAP-21

• Each Region receives a share

• All TAP funds are 80/20

*NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Funding Structure (cont.)

• 50% of funds are sub-allocated by population

• 50% are available for any area of the State

MAP-21 Transportation Alternatives Program

Funding Structure (cont.)

• Large Urbanized Areas (aka Transportation Management Area (TMA)

• Albany-Schenectady (CDTC)

• Bridgeport-Stamford (NYMTC)

• Buffalo (GBNRTC)

• New York-Newark (NYMTC)

• Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (OCTC, UCTC, PDCTC)

• Rochester (GTC)

• Syracuse (SMTC)

• Who Can Apply

• How to Apply

• Eligible Categories

• Requirements

• Deadlines

• All TAP projects must be selected via competitive solicitation

• NYSDOT and MPOs will convene joint review teams based on 11 NYSDOT Regions

Local Governments Regional Transportation Authorities State Natural Resource or Public Land Agency Transit Agencies Tribal governments Regional Planning Commissions Any other local or regional governmental entity

responsible for transportation or recreational trail oversight

NYSDOT, MPO, non profit organization, and School Districts cannot be Sponsors

• Project must:

• Relate to Surface Transportation

• Meet the intent of the Transportation Alternatives Program and qualify under one of the categories

• Benefit the public and have community support

• Have a 20% Local Match (including SRTS projects)

• Be submitted by the application deadline

• Be completed and have final construction inspection accepted within five years

Relates to Surface Transportation

• Includes transport both by land and water.

Transport by water encompasses features

such as canals, docks and piers connecting

to ferry operations

• With a transportation component—NOT

recreation

• TA project sponsor must illustrate the

project's relationship to surface

transportation in the project proposal

MAP-21 Transportation Alternatives Program

• Proximity to a highway or a pedestrian/bicycle

corridor

• Enhances the aesthetic, cultural or historic

aspects of the travel experience

• Serves a current or past transportation

purpose

MAP-21 Transportation Alternatives Program

Transportation Alternatives

Categories

• Transportation Alternatives (as a category)

• Safe Routes to School

• Recreational Trails

• Boulevards

MAP-21 Transportation Alternatives Program

• Pedestrian & Bicycle Facilities

• Safe Routes for Non-Drivers

• Conversion of Abandoned Railway Corridors to

Trails

• Scenic Turnouts and Overlooks

• Sub-categories

• Community Improvement

• Environmental Mitigation

• All eligibilities remain

• SRTS projects must be within 2

miles of a K-8 school

• 5 E’s

• No required percentage for

Non-infrastructure activities

• 80% reimbursable (20% match)

• Funds may be used for the planning, design, and

construction of Boulevards and other roadways

largely in the rights-of-way of former Interstate

System routes or other divided highways

Recreational Trails

• Continues to be administered by NYS Parks and

Recreation through a separate solicitation

• http://nysparks.com/grants/recreational-

trails/default.aspx

• Benefit a broad segment of the public

• Accessible to a broad segment

• ADA Compliant

• Maintenance (including snow and ice removal)

• Support from a broad segment of the

community, especially those in the vicinity of

where the project will be constructed

• Public outreach and documentation is required

for federal funds

• TAP funds require a local match

• Federal share is 80%

• Reimbursement of eligible items

• Local share is 20% minimum

• SRTS projects are subject to local match

requirements (100% under SAFETEA-LU only)

• Former eligible TEP categories that are no

longer eligible under TAP

• Pedestrian and bicycle education

• Only K-8 targeted education is available

under SRTS category

• Acquisition of scenic or historic

easements/sites

• Historic preservation unrelated to

transportation facilities

• Operation costs

• Transportation museums

• Sponsor:

• Primary contact and

responsible for project

oversight

• Enters into State-Local

Agreement with

NYSDOT

• Pays project costs then

seek reimbursement

• Required to attend a TAP

workshop and Federal

Aid 101 training

• Applicant:

• Partner with Sponsor to deliver the project

• Role will be clearly defined in agreement with Sponsor

• Required to attend a TAP workshop and Federal Aid 101 training

• To projects which receive federal financial assistance

and when property acquisition is required for a

Federal or federally-assisted project.

• If Federal funds are used in any phase of the program

or project, the rules of the Uniform Act apply.

• Even when Federal dollars are not used specifically for

property acquisition or relocation activities.

• To any recent acquisition, regardless of whether

federal funds are used for the purchase. Contact the

Regional Right of Way Office if you have any questions

or need specific guidance.

• Administration and oversight of Federal-

aid projects under Stewardship

Agreement with FHWA

• Regional Local Project Liaison (RLPL)

• Provides support to Sponsor to ensure

project success

• Ensure all federal and state rules and

regulations are followed

• Seeks and should regularly receive project

status updates from Sponsor

• $200,000 Minimum federal share request

• Equals $50,000 Sponsor Local Match*

• $250,000 Total Project Cost*

*minimum-Sponsor may choose to provide a higher match

TAP funds/federal share is capped at amount requested

TMA/Urbanized Areas over 1 million population:

• $2.5 million Maximum federal share request • Equals $625,000 Sponsor Local Match*

• $3.125 million Total Project Cost*

All other areas of the State:

• $1.6 million Maximum federal share request • Equals $400,000 Sponsor Local Match*

• $2 million Total Project Cost*

*minimum-Sponsor may choose to provide a higher match

TAP funds/federal share is capped at amount requested and limited to reimbursement for eligible items only

Planning Targets

◦ Funds proportionately provided to each

NYSDOT Region based on population and

lane miles.

◦ While the TAP funding maximum request is

$1.6 million, the total amount of available

funds in your NYSDOT Region may be less

◦ Region CANNOT fund projects higher than

their target

◦ Regional staff will provide this information at

workshops in their regions

• Must be detailed

• By phase

• preliminary engineering

• final design

• right of way acquisition

• construction (by project elements)

• construction inspection

• Identify source for estimated costs

• Survey costs, if needed

• Contingencies to account for inflation from now until time project is constructed

• Must be detailed

• Thresholds (all from date of funding award unless otherwise stated)

• Execute State Local Agreement within 6 months-

1 year

• Design work (receive NYSDOT approval of

Contract Bid Documents) within 2 years

• Project constructed, completed and final

construction inspection received within 5 years

• Close-out initiated within 3 months from receipt

of construction inspection acceptance

• MUST be complete and have all required attachments • Comprehensive application will allow rating and ranking

team to sufficiently review project

• Criteria: • Sponsor’s Ability to Deliver

• Project’s Relationship to TAP and Surface Transportation

• Public Benefit

• Alignment with Transportation Plans and Systems

• Budget Accuracy and Scope Detail

• Efforts to reduce cost

• Local match availability

• Schedule and Process

• Strongly recommend Pre-Review for

Sponsors who have never implemented

or applied for a federal aid transportation

project before

• Pre-review opportunity • Due to Regional Office by Wednesday, May 7th

• Complete Applications only!

• Feedback will be returned in time for incorporation of recommendations by the final due date

• All applications due by Wednesday, June 11, 2014 • Complete Applications only!

• No additional submissions after this date

• Incomplete applications will be ineligible and will not be scored

• Electronic submission • Region may also require paper copies

• February 10, 2014: TAP Program Announced

• March – April: Workshops and FA 101

Training

• May 7, 2014: Applications due for preliminary

review

• June 11, 2014: Final Applications Due

• September 10, 2014: Project Lists due to

Main Office

• October 8, 2014: Announce awards with

Walk to School Day

TAP Guidebook and Application

Regional TAP Coordinator Contact Information

https://www.dot.ny.gov/tap

Mary Harding

Statewide TAP Coordinator

Local Programs Bureau

Mary.harding@dot.ny.gov

518-485-8291

Questions?