South Dakota Transportation Alternatives Program

February 4, 2016

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a grant program that uses federal transportation funds, designated by Congress, for specific activities that enhance the intermodal transportation system and provide safe alternative transportation options.

The TAP replaces the former Transportation Enhancement Program and consolidates those eligible activities with the Safe Routes to School, Scenic Byways and Recreation Trails Programs. Transportation Alternatives builds upon the legacy of the Transportation Enhancement Program by expanding travel choices, strengthening the local economy, improving the quality of life and protecting the environment.

A few things to know about the TAP:

  • Eligible applicants include local governments, schools, tribal governments, natural resource and public lands agencies, regional transportation authorities, transit agencies or other local or regional governmental agencies with responsibility of transportation or recreational trails;
  • Funds may be used for preliminary and construction engineering, construction, right-of-way acquisition and non-infrastructure activities related to Safe Routes to School type projects;
  • Funded projects require a 18.05% non-federal match;
  • A variety of activities are eligible for funding. Eligible projects must meet one or more of these activities and must relate to surface transportation: facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized forms of transportation, safe routes for non-drivers, conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails, construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas, planning and implementation of community improvement activities, environmental mitigation, implementation of the Safe Routes to School Program, boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate System routes or other divided highways
  • Projects are selected based on the recommendations of a Selection Committee comprised of local government, law enforcement and education representatives, avid walkers and bikers, tribal representatives and others, with technical assistance from DOT and Federal Highway Administration representatives.

Letters of Intent for the 2017 round of funding will be due in July 2016. For more information contact Jerry Ortbahn at Jerry.Ortbahn@state.sd.us or 605.773.3281 or go to http://www.sddot.com/ services/transalt/default.aspx.