Townships are encouraged to apply for assistance from the Transportation Alternatives Program, administered by PennDOT.  The deadline for applications is January 8.

The federally funded program supports projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving nondriver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, environmental mitigation, recreational trail program projects, and safe routes to school projects.

Projects must have a construction cost of at least $50,000 but may not exceed $1 million, unless the project is of exceptional regional or statewide significance.

Applications will be reviewed based on such criteria as safety benefits, reasonableness of cost, readiness for implementation, statewide or regional significance, integration of land use and transportation decision making, collaboration with stakeholders, and leverage of other projects or funding.

There is currently $9 million available to be administered statewide through PennDOT, and up to $11 million to be administered through six large Metropolitan Planning Organizations. These amounts are subject to change if a new federal long-term transportation bill is enacted.

PennDOT will hold a webinar for potential applicants on November 16 at 1 p.m. To access the webinar or apply for funding, go to PennDOT's Competitive Transportation Funding website.

Townships may also contact Chris Metka, Transportation Alternatives/Safe Routes To School Coordinator, at 717-787-8065.

11/9/2015