New Round of Transportation Enhancement Applications Announced
Great Source of Trail Funding
On your mark, get set, go! You have five months to ready a crackerjack application for the next round of Transportation Enhancements Program (TEP) funding. Applications are available for non-traditional transportation projects in twelve categories such as facilities for bicycles and pedestrians; rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities, including historic railroad facilities and canals; and preservation of abandoned railway corridors, including conversion and use for pedestrian and bicycle trails.
Applications for funding may be submitted by any municipality or non-profit incorporated group, but must be sponsored either by a municipality, a state agency or an eligible public authority. Applications are rated for environmental enhancement, connectivity to the existing transportation system, availability of matching funds and level of community support. Successful applicants are expected to begin work promptly and to comply with all federal and state regulations.
As this is a reimbursement program, applicants must pay the full project costs up front. Up to 80 percent of eligible costs are reimbursable. Eligible projects must have a total cost of at least $200,000. Federal reimbursement is limited to $2.5 million per project.
The deadline for submitting an application is June 27, 2008. Funding recipients are expected to be announced by the end of the year. Information, including a TEP Guidebook and application, is available on the NYSDOT website and will also be made available at NYSDOT regional offices. Workshops for potential applicants will held by the NYSDOT Regions and the Metropolitan Planning Organizations(MPOs) beginning in late February or early March.