The Texas Department of Transportation (department) announces a Call for Projects for Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) Program funding.

The TA Program was reauthorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as IIJA) and is contained in 23 USC §133(h). Through the 2023 TA Call for Projects, the department will select projects for recommendation to the Texas Transportation Commission (commission) for current TA funds associated with available FY 2022-FY 2023 and anticipated FY 2024-FY 2025 federal appropriations under IIJA. Projects located in all areas of the state, regardless of population size, may be submitted under the current program call.

Purpose: The TA Program, as administered by the department, provides funding to plan for and construct a variety of alternative transportation projects that improve safety and mobility for non-motorized travelers and mitigate congestion by providing safe alternatives to motor vehicle transport. These include construction of accessible pedestrian pathways; on- and off-street bikeways; shared use paths; boulevard improvements to enhance bicyclist, pedestrian, and transit access; and improvements that provide safe walking and bicycling routes to schools. The TA Program also funds plans to establish bicycling and pedestrian networks.

Procedures Applicable to this Call for Projects: The department’s administrative rules governing implementation and administration of the TA Program are located at 43 TAC §§11.400 - 11.418 and §§16.153 ‑ 16.154. The 2023 TA Call for Projects involves a two-step application process. Project sponsors must complete both steps for each project to be considered for funding under this program call. The 2023 TA Program Guide and Preliminary Application (Step 1) are available on the department’s website at: http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/public-transportation/bicycle-pedestrian.html. The 2023 TA Program Guide includes detailed information about eligibility requirements of the funding program, specific procedures applicable to this Call for Projects, a map of the department’s district boundaries, a list of the district TA Coordinators, and a list of the project sponsor workshop locations and dates. The Detailed Application (Step 2) will be posted at the same webpage on or about March 27, 2023. Please contact the local TA Coordinator in your area for additional program information.

Content of Application: Step 1: The Preliminary Application package must include the following: (1) a completed 2023 TA Preliminary Application delivered to the department in its original Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) format; and (2) a PDF copy of a planning-level cost estimate (if available). Step 2: The Detailed Application package must include: (1) a completed 2023 TA Detailed Application delivered to the department in the format described in the detail application instructions; and (2) a copy of the completed 2023 TA Detailed Application, including attachments, provided in a single, color PDF. The Detailed Application package must demonstrate how the project would meet evaluation criteria specified in the program guide and present persuasive evidence of support for the proposed project from the communities in which the project would be implemented. The Detailed Application must include a commitment from the project sponsor to provide a minimum 20% local funding match for eligible project activities and direct state costs for oversight, subject to eligibility requirements outlined in the 2023 TA Program Guide for the use of Transportation Development Credits (TDCs) associated with this call for projects. A Detailed Application package that fails to include any of the required information specified in the Program Guide or application instructions is considered to be incomplete and may not be considered for funding.

Project Screening and Evaluation: A department evaluation committee will oversee a competitive evaluation process that will result in a recommended list of projects submitted during this Call for Projects. Department staff will screen each project to determine whether it is eligible for TA funding under applicable federal and state law and whether it meets technical standards established by applicable law and accepted professional practice. The department will evaluate the benefits of each eligible project based on criteria established for the program:

(1) Safety

(2) Connectivity and Accessibility

(3) Project Readiness

(4) Geographic Equity

(5) Community Support and Planning

(6) Transformational Elements (Large Scale projects only)

Project Selection: A list of recommended projects will be provided to the commission for consideration. The commission will select projects for funding under the TA Program based on: (1) recommendations from the director of the division responsible for administering the TA Program; (2) the potential benefit to the state of the project; (3) whether the project enhances the surface transportation system; and (4) funding availability. The commission is not bound by project selection recommendations provided by the department.

Key Dates and Deadlines:

December 2, 2022: Statewide Call for Projects issued

November 29 - December 16, 2022: TA Project Sponsor Workshops

December 21, 2022: Responses to workshop questions posted

January 27, 2023, 5:00 p.m., CST: Preliminary Application deadline

January 28 - March 24, 2023: Project screening

June 5, 2023, 5:00 p.m., CDT: Detailed Application deadline

Summer 2023: Project evaluation

October 2023 (target): Project selection by the commission

TRD-202204602

Becky Blewett

Deputy General Counsel

Texas Department of Transportation

Filed: November 16, 2022