Funding Programs

Eligibility criteria and descriptions of project and program activities are provided for the four federal grant programs and TRPC’s Rural Community Support Program.

TRPC awards and schedules the programming of projects for four grant programs that are administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): 

This section describes each grant program’s eligible project types.

Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) 

TRPC will fund a variety of projects throughout the urban and unincorporated rural areas of the region. The flexibility inherent in STBG means that most types of transportation projects other than general-purpose capacity projects are eligible for consideration.

Projects must be located on federal-aid routes (exceptions apply for TA projects funded with STBG funds and certain plans and studies). Projects located on rural minor collectors and local roads are ineligible. Visit WSDOT’s Federal Functional Classification Map App to view federal-aid routes: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/data/tools/geoportal/?config=FunctionalClass 

STBG eligible projects and activities include:

  • Construction of highways, bridges, and tunnels.
  • Construction of ferry boats and terminal facilities.
  • Transit capital projects.
  • Infrastructure-based intelligent transportation systems capital improvements including vehicle-to-infrastructure communication equipment.
  • Truck parking facilities.
  • Wildlife crossing structures.
  • Operational improvements and capital and operating costs for traffic monitoring, management, and control facilities and programs.
  • Highway and transit safety infrastructure improvements and programs.
  • Fringe and corridor parking facilities.
  • Recreational trails projects.
  • Planning, design, or construction of boulevards and other roadways.
  • Protection for bridges and tunnels.
  • Surface transportation planning programs, highway and transit research and development, and workforce training.
  • Surface transportation infrastructure modifications to facilitate direct intermodal interchange, transfer, and access into and out of a port terminal.
  • Projects and strategies designed to support congestion pricing.
  • Projects and strategies designed to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions.
  • The installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and vehicle-to-grid infrastructure.
  • The installation and deployment of current and emerging intelligent transportation technologies, including the ability of vehicles to communicate with infrastructure, buildings, and other road users.
  • Planning and construction of projects that facilitate intermodal connections between emerging transportation technologies.
  • Protective features, including natural infrastructure, to enhance the resilience of a transportation facility otherwise eligible for assistance under STBG.
  • Measures to protect a transportation facility otherwise eligible for assistance under STBG from cybersecurity threats.

For details on Implementation Guidance for the STBG Program as revised by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, visit https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/specialfunding/stp/.

back to TOP

Transportation Alternatives (TA)

Transportation Alternatives STBG Set-Aside provides funding for a variety of generally smaller-scale transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management; environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; recreational trails; safe routes to school projects; and vulnerable road user safety assessments.

Eligible project types include:

  • Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nonmotorized forms of transportation, including sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, traffic calming techniques, lighting and other safety-related infrastructure, and transportation projects to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure-related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers, including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities to access daily needs.
  • Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, or other nonmotorized transportation users.
  • Construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas.
  • Community improvement activities, including:
    • inventory, control, or removal of outdoor advertising;
    • historic preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities; 
    • vegetation management practices in transportation rights-of-way to improve roadway safety, prevent against invasive species, and provide erosion control; and
    • archaeological activities relating to impacts from implementation of a transportation project
  • Any environmental mitigation activity, including pollution prevention and pollution abatement activities and mitigation to:
    • address stormwater management, control, and water pollution prevention or abatement related to highway construction or due to highway runoff; and
    • reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality or to restore and maintain connectivity among terrestrial or aquatic habitats
  • The recreational trails program
  • The safe routes to school program
  • Planning, designing, or constructing boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate System routes or other divided highways.

For details on Implementation Guidance for the TA STBG Set-Aside Program as revised by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, visit: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/transportation_alternatives/guidance/.

TA Eligible Applicants

Entities eligible to receive TA funds include:

  • A local government. Local government entities include any unit of local government below a state government agency. Examples include city, town, township, village, borough, parish, or county agencies.
  • A transit agency. Transit agencies include any agency responsible for public transportation that is eligible for funds as determined by the Federal Transit Administration.
  • A natural resource or public land agency. Natural resource or public land agencies include any Federal, Tribal, State, or local agency responsible for natural resources or public land administration. Examples include:
  • State or local park or forest agencies.
  • State or local fish and game or wildlife agencies.
  • Department of the Interior land management agencies.
  • U.S. Forest Service.
  • A school district, local education agency, or school. School districts, local education agencies, or schools may include any public or nonprofit private school. Projects should benefit the general public and not only a private entity.
  • A Tribal government.
  • A nonprofit entity. The BIL removed the requirement that the nonprofit entity be responsible for the administration of local transportation safety programs.
  • Any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for or oversight of transportation or recreational trails (other than a metropolitan planning organization that serves an urbanized area with a population of over 200,000 or a State agency) that the State determines to be eligible.
  • A State, at the request of an eligible entity listed above.

back to TOP

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)

The CMAQ program plays a pivotal role in addressing two critical challenges facing urban areas: traffic congestion and air pollution. Established under the Clean Air Act, CMAQ funding aims to support projects that reduce emissions from transportation sources, improve air quality, and alleviate traffic congestion. Projects must be situated in Thurston County’s PM10 Air Quality Maintenance Area (see Map 1).

Eligible project types include:

  • Implementation of public transit improvements, such as bus rapid transit (BRT) systems, light rail, or commuter rail projects.
  • Development and implementation of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, including bike lanes, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, and bike-sharing programs.
  • Deployment of alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., electric, hybrid, natural gas) and associated infrastructure, such as charging stations or refueling stations.
  • Promotion of ridesharing, vanpooling, and other transportation demand management (TDM) strategies to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips.
  • Installation of traffic signal synchronization systems and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion.
  • Implementation of congestion pricing schemes or tolling initiatives to manage traffic demand and reduce vehicle emissions.
  • Deployment of clean vehicle technologies, such as diesel retrofits, particulate traps, or emission control systems, for existing fleets.
  • Introduction of telecommuting programs, flexible work schedules, and other initiatives to reduce peak-hour traffic congestion and vehicle emissions.
  • Support for land use and transportation planning efforts that promote transit-oriented development (TOD), mixed-use zoning, and compact urban design to minimize vehicle travel and enhance air quality.
  • Project planning activities are eligible only if the project leads directly to construction of a CMAQ project; that is, system planning and other non-project specific planning is not eligible.

CMAQ Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include cities, counties, transit agencies, MPOs, tribes, special purpose governments, and non-profit organizations with a public agency sponsor.

For more information about the CMAQ program, visit: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/air_quality/cmaq/reference/cmaq_essentials/. 

back to TOP

Carbon Reduction Program (CRP)

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP), to provide funds for projects designed to reduce transportation emissions, defined as carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from on-road highway sources. Eligible project types include:

  • Projects to establish or operate a traffic monitoring, management, and control facility or program, including advanced truck stop electrification systems
  • Public transportation infrastructure
  • Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other nonmotorized forms of transportation
  • Advanced transportation and congestion management technologies
  • Deployment of infrastructure-based intelligent transportation systems capital improvements and the installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure communications equipment
  • A project to replace street lighting and traffic control devices with energy-efficient alternatives
  • Travel demand management strategies and programs;
  • Efforts to reduce the environmental and community impacts of freight movement;
  • Acquisition, installation, or operation of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure or hydrogen, natural gas, or propane vehicle fueling infrastructure; and
  • Purchase or lease of zero-emission construction equipment and vehicles, including the acquisition, construction, or leasing of required supporting facilities
  • Diesel engine retrofits
  • Certain types of projects to improve traffic flow that are eligible under the CMAQ program, and that do not involve construction of new capacity
  • A project that reduces transportation emissions at port facilities, including through the advancement of port electrification

For more information about the Carbon Reduction Program, visit: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/crp.cfm. 

CRP ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Applicants eligible to receive CRP funds include Traditional and Non-Traditional Partners in Thurston County including cities, county, tribes, Intercity Transit, Port of Olympia, and TRPC. 

Rural Community Support Program (RCSP)

The Rural Community Support Program (RCSP) was established by TRPC in partnership with Thurston County to create a reliable funding program for the region’s traditionally underserved communities. The program can fund small but impactful projects while simplifying the grant application and project implementation processes with minimal barriers.

The federal STBG, TA, and CRP eligible project types offer general guidelines for RCSP project proposals. Because projects will be reimbursed with non-federal funds, applicants have greater flexibility to submit project proposals that align with their community’s priorities. Applicants are encouraged to coordinate with TRPC and Thurston County staff for technical assistance and guidance on their prospective proposals prior to submitting their applications.