ChangestoBikingandWalkinginMAP21,the Transporta$onLaw

Since1991,transporta0onlawshaveincludedprogramstofundprojectssuch asbikelanes,bikepaths,andsidewalks.Thesefundsenablestatesand communi0estoaccessfederalresourcesforsafer,moreaccessible, economicallyvibrantstreets. MovingAheadforProgressinthe21stCentury(MAP21)willdetermine howfederaltransporta0onfundsaretobespentatthestateandlocallevel. Thelaw,whichtakeseectonOctober1,2012,retainsfundingforbikingand walkinginarenamedandrestructuredprogram.

Transporta$onAlterna$ves
Inthepast,threeprogramsweredesignedtofundnonmotorizedprojects:Transporta0onEnhancements (TE),SafeRoutestoSchool(SRTS),andRecrea0onalTrailsProgram(RTP).Inthelastthreeyears,these threeprogramsrepresented48%offederalfundingforwalkingandbikingprojects. MAP21consolidatesTE,SRTS,andRTPintointooneprogram:Transporta0onAlterna0ves. Transporta$onEnhancementsisrenamedTransporta0onAlterna0veac0vi0es.Thenewlawmakes severalimportantchangestotheprogram: Bikingandwalkingprojectsremaineligible.Statescancon0nuetofundbiking andwalkinginfrastructureundertheconsolidatedprogram.Theprogram includesaneweligibility,saferoutesfornondrivers,forbikingandwalking networks. Someeligibili$esareeliminated:Thenewlaweliminateseligibilityfor museums,bicycleandpedestrianeduca0on,andacquisi0onofscenicand historicsites.Construc0ngturnoutsiss0llallowed.Othereligibili0eshavebeen modied. Neweligibili$eshavebeenadded.Environmentalmi0ga0onwasexpandedfromthe specicusesincurrentlaw.Scenicbywayprogramusesarenowincluded. SafeRoutestoSchool(SRTS)ac0vi0esbothinfrastructureandnoninfrastructureareeligible undertheTransporta0onAlterna0vesprogram,butitisnolongerastandalone programwithguaranteedfunding. Recrea$onalTrailsProgram(RTP)remainsunchangedandisfundedat 2009levels.Now,though,governorshaveachoicetooptoutofthe program30dayspriortowhenfundingisavailable. Addi$onaluse:Redesigningandconstruc0ngroadwaysintherightofwayof formerinterstatesisnoweligible.

FundingLevelsandAlloca$on
MAP21keepsoveralltransporta0onfundinglevel,butcutsfundingforkeybiking andwalkingprograms.In2013,only$808millionwillbeavailablefor Transporta0onAlterna0ves,comparedtothehighof$1.2billioncombinedfor TE,SRTS,andRTPin2011.Actualfundinglevelsunderthenewlawwilldepend onhowwellbikingandwalkingprojectsfareinthenewTransporta0on Alterna0vesprogramandinotherprogramswherefundinghasbeenincreased. StatescanalsochoosetotransferfundsfromotherprogramsintotheTAprogram. MAP21alsochangeshowbikingandwalkingfundsaredistributed.First,fundingforthe Recrea0onalTrailsProgramistakenothetop,providedastatehasnotchosentooptoutoffunding. RemainingTransporta0onAlterna0vesfundingisdividedupintotwoequalpots. 50%fundingbypopula$on:DepartmentsofTransporta0on(DOTs)willdistributehalfof Transporta0onAlterna0vesfundsaccordingtotheshareofpopula0onwithinthestate. MPOswithpopula$ongreaterthan200,000:DOTwillsuballocatefundstoMetropolitan PlanningOrganiza0ons(MPOs).MPOswilldistributetheirfundsthroughtheirowncompe00ve grantprocess. Communi$eswithapopula$onof5,000to200,000:DOTwillholdacompe00vegrant processforcommuni0estocompeteforfunds. Ruralareaswithapopula$onunder5,000:DOTwillholdacompe00vegrantprocessfor communi0estocompeteforfunds. 50%fundingbygrantprogram:StateDOTswilldistributetheremaininghalfofTransporta0on Alterna0vesfundsthroughthecompe00vegrantprogramwithoutregardforpopula0onsize. Eligibleen00esincludelocalgovernments,schooldistricts,tribalgovernments,andpublic landsagencies.StateDOTsarenoteligible.Changestotransferabilityofhighwayfundsmeanastate cantransferalargerpercentageofthesefundsthanunderSAFETEALU.

EligibilityUnderOtherPrograms
Bikingandwalkinginfrastructurecon0nuestobeeligibleunderallhighwayprograms,includingthe SurfaceTransporta0onProgram(STP),Conges0onMi0ga0onandAirQuality (CMAQ),andtheHighwaySafetyandInfrastructureProgram(HSIP).States canalsotransferfundsfromotherprogramslikeHSIPandSTPintotheTA program. NewrequirementsunderHSIPrequirebeferdatagathering onbikingandwalkingcrashesandsafety.Bikingand walkinginfrastructurealsocon0nuestobeeligible Formoreinforma$on,contact: CaronWhitaker undersometransitprograms.
CampaignDirector,AmericaBikes caron@americabikes.org (202)2153908