Sep 29, 2023
Funding Supports Goals of New York’s Nation Leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and Emphasizes Activities that Address the Mobility Needs and Abilities of All Users
Assists Municipalities in Meeting the Requirements of the Clean Air Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that $165 million in new funding is available to support community-based investments designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of local and regional transportation systems while promoting safety and mobility. The funding is available for projects that create new and enhance existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, improve access to public transportation, create safe routes to schools, convert abandoned railway corridors to pedestrian trails, and help reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. In addition, these funds may be used by municipalities to support activities that meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“As we continue to see the destructive results of climate change locally, nationally, and across the world, it’s imperative that we continue to make investments in clean, environmentally-friendly transportation alternatives,” Governor Hochul said. “These community-based projects reaffirm New York’s nation-leading commitment to the environment while facilitating local economic development and improving public health.”
These funds, made available to the state through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and administered by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), are provided through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), and the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP).
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Governor Hochulcontinues to advance smart transportation policies that afford all New Yorkers safe and environmentally sound opportunities for work, recreation, and social connectivity. These critical community-based investments will provide positive impacts for regions all across New York, enhancing the overall safety and quality of life for residents and visitors, while continuing the fight against global climate change.”
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “Clean transportation investments like these are critical to ensuring the health and wellbeing of all New Yorkers. These transformative projects will not only help improve public health and decrease environmental pollution, but also they will also provide much-needed improvements to bicycle paths, pedestriantrails, railway corridors, and so much more – reducing congestion and greenhouse gas emissions across the state. I commend Governor Hochul for her visionary climate leadership, and I am proud to help deliver this funding to help advance clean transportation in every corner of New York State.”
State Senator Tim Kennedy said, “By investing in complete streets concepts, we're not only investing in the sustainability of our infrastructure, but we're also actively prioritizing the safety of all roadway users. This funding, paired with the implementation of thoughtful, meaningful policy reform, is fostering a vision for an inclusive, person-focused New York.”
The following entities are eligible for funding:
- Local Governments (Counties, Towns, Cities, and Villages)
- Regional Transportation Authorities
- Transit Agencies
- Natural Resources or Public Land Agencies (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, local fish and game or wildlife agencies)
- Tribal Governments
- Local or Regional Governmental Transportation or Recreational Trail Entities
- New York State Department of Transportation (for CMAQ only)
Only in partnership with entities listed above:
- Metropolitan Planning Organizations (serves an urbanized area with population of 200,000 or fewer)
- School Districts
- Non-Governmental Organizations
Projects will be selected through a competitive solicitation process and rated based on established criteria that include public benefit, air quality improvements, cost-effectiveness, and partnerships. Projects must be related to the surface transportation system and provide full access to the public. The TAP-CMAQ-CRP project awards will amount to no less than $500,000 and no more than $5 million for any single project. NYSDOT will provide up to 80 percent of the total eligible project costs with a minimum 20 percent match provided by the project sponsor. Eligible project costs may include planning, design/engineering services, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and construction inspection.
TAP funds a variety of transportation-related projects which increase options for non-vehicular transportation, including:
- Planning, design, and construction of infrastructure-related projects to improve non-driver safety and access to public transportation and enhanced mobility.
- Construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas.
- Safe routes to school (enables and encourages children to walk or bike to school).
- Planning, design, and construction of on-road and off-road facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and non-motorized transportation users.
- Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, and non-motorized transportation users.
- Planning, design, and construction of boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former divided highways.
- Community improvement activities (inventory, control, or removal of outdoor advertising, preserve historic transportation facilities, vegetation management practices, and archeological activities).
- Environmental mitigation activities.
CMAQ funds transportation-related projects that reduce vehicle emissions or traffic congestion in designated areas that do not meet, or previously did not attain, National Ambient Air Quality Standards. For this solicitation CRP funds projects that support the reduction of transportation emissions in small urban and rural areas. These include, but are not limited to:
- Pedestrian and bicycle facility improvements.
- Travel demand management/planning for rideshare programs.
- Congestion reduction and traffic flow improvements.
- Transit improvements, including limited operating support for new services.
- Freight intermodal operational improvements.
- Development of alternative fuel infrastructure.
- Replace street lighting and traffic control devices with energy-efficient alternatives (CRP only).
The New York State Department of Transportation will be accepting applications for this funding opportunity through January 9, 2024. The application, program guidance, and workshop schedules are located at https://www.dot.ny.gov/
New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
Governor Hochul’s nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), New York is on a path to achieving its mandated goal of a zero-emissions electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy-wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented ramp-up of clean energy and the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector. New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050 while meeting a goal to deliver 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities and advancing progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs in end-use savings. The CLCPA scoping plan provides the framework for how New York State will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors, including the transportation sector, increase renewable energy use, and ensure all communities equitably benefit from the clean energy transition.