Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) by the Ohio Department of Transportation funds projects enhancing non-motorized travel, historic preservation, and environmental efforts. It supports local governments in implementing initiatives that improve accessibility and safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Eligible projects include shared paths, bike lanes, and upgrades for ADA compliance. The program prioritizes connections to activity centers, ensuring public accessibility and engagement in transportation planning.

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) provides funds for projects that advance non-motorized transportation facilities, historic transportation preservation, and environmental mitigation and vegetation management activities. ODOT encourages adding alternatives to planned transportation projects rather than stand-alone projects. TAP-funded activities must be accessible to the general public or targeted at a broad segment of the general public.
ODOT’s TAP funds are for those projects sponsored by local governments outside the county boundaries of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), unless the local is within a small MPO (population less than 200,000) that has opted to join the ODOT program. There are four (4) counties that return their TAP funding, these counties are Allen, Belmont, Licking, and Washington.
If warranted, a project could be awarded Safety funding in addition to TAP funding. Safety funding, unlike TAP funds, can be used by the project sponsor in the Preliminary Engineering, Design, or Right-of-Way phase of the project. A Safety section of the TAP Application is an opportunity to provide information on how a proposed project might improve roadway safety.
ODOT is providing this guidance to those eligible entities who completed an online Letter of Interest (LOI) for which ODOT determined met the minimum eligibility guidelines. The application must be for the same project scope submitted in the LOI and be, for rating purposes, submitted under only one of the qualifying categories as follows:

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

For the purposes of the TAP Program, a pedestrian is not only defined as a person traveling by foot but also “any mobility impaired person using a wheelchair.” Projects proposed under this category that connect activity centers such as businesses, medical facilities, schools, libraries, shopping areas, recreational areas, etc. will receive higher priority.
Provision for Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities - This may include activities such as shared-use paths, bike lanes, paved shoulders, geometric improvements, turning lanes, traffic signs, new sidewalks, and sidewalk gap closures. Also eligible are bicycle parking racks, bicycle lockers, designated areas with safety lighting, and covered bicycle shelters.
Upgrading facilities to meet Federal, State, and/or local responsibilities for compliance with ADA requirements (such as ramps, and/or other necessary design features) are also eligible. This category may also include traffic calming improvements to reduce conflicts in heavy pedestrian areas. Traffic calming improvements could include roundabouts, bump-outs, speed humps, raised crossings, raised intersections, median refuges, narrowed traffic lanes, lane reductions, full- or half-street closures, automated speed enforcement, variable speed limits, and demarcations with color, texture, and/or pattern.
Some amenities that make these facilities safer or more accommodating to users, such as vegetative management (see eligibility description below), and street furnishings for pedestrians (including lighting, trash receptacles, and seating apparatuses) are also eligible. Street parking construction costs and stand-alone parking lot projects for future bicycle or pedestrian facilities are ineligible, however, parking facilities (with restrooms) at a trailhead of an existing bicycle/pedestrian are eligible for funding.
For all bicycle and pedestrian projects please review the following criteria outlined in The Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 2012 and ODOT's Location & Design Manuals (see Related Resources), and A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, where applicable. Pedestrian facility projects must be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.
Abandoned Railway Corridors (Rails-to-Trails)
Conversion of abandoned railway corridors for the purpose of creating shared-use paths (includes acquisition and construction) - This category includes the acquisition, rehabilitation, and development of corridors for bicycle and pedestrian use. The acquisition of right-of-way can be a stand-alone project; however, there must be a planned trail on the land being acquired. Eligible railway corridors must either have been authorized for abandonment, have abandonment proceedings pending, or have been set aside for future transportation use under applicable federal or state laws. Preservation of an abandoned rail corridor must lead to the development of a pedestrian and/or bicycle facility and is not intended to solely preserve the rail corridor for future use. Sponsors must comply with federal regulations involving property acquisitions contained in the “Uniform Act.” Talk to your ODOT District representative. Also, see Uniform Act - Real Estate - FHWA (dot.gov).
Community Improvement Activities
Archaeological planning and research - This category is limited to research on sites relating to impacts from implementation of a transporta­tion project eligible under the United States Code of Federal Regulations Title 23 – Highways. This category is not for routine excavations. All work must be done in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation or the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation Projects and must be managed under the direction of qualified professionals who are educated and experienced in archaeology.
Construction of Turnouts, Overlooks, and Viewing Areas - This category allows for the construction of overlooks, turnouts, and viewing areas that allow for the visual enjoyment of significant scenic or historic view sheds. Significant view sheds can include Ohio Scenic Byways and recognized historic districts or historic sites.
Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation of Historic Transportation Facilities - Historic transportation buildings are buildings or structures associated with the operation, passenger and freight use, construction, or maintenance of any mode of transportation where such a building is listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register as determined by SHPO. Historic structures and facilities include but are not restricted to, tunnels, bridges, trestles, canals, viaducts, stations, rails, non-operational vehicles, and other transportation features related to the operation, passenger and freight use, construction, preservation or maintenance of any mode of transportation. Funds for the operation of historic transportation facilities are ineligible. Any Historic structure or site must be on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. If the structure or site is found not to be on or eligible for the National Register the project will not be eligible. All work must be done in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation Projects.
Vegetation Management - Practices in transportation rights-of-way to improve roadway safety, prevent against invasive species, and provide erosion control. Routine maintenance of landscaping / vegetation is not eligible.
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, including activities described in 23 U.S.C. 133(b) (11), 328(a), and 329; or to reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality or to restore and maintain connectivity among terrestrial or aquatic habitats.
Recreational Trails
Includes projects that will provide and maintain recreational trails for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail use. This category provides funds for all kinds of recreational trail uses. Examples are pedestrian uses like hiking, running, and wheelchair use, bicycling, in-line skating, equestrian use, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, off-road motorcycling, all-terrain vehicle riding, four-wheel driving, or using other off-road motorized vehicles.
Eligible projects under Recreational Trails category can include maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails, development and rehabilitation of trailside and trailhead facilities and trail linkages for recreational trails, and construction of new recreational trails (with restrictions for new trails on Federal lands). Recreational trail projects offering a transportation component will take priority over those that are only recreational.
Recreational trail projects are managed through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The application cycle is different from the TAP application cycle. Information on the Recreational Trails Program can be found here: ODNR Recreational Trails ProgramODNR Recreational Trails Program
Safe Routes for Non-Drivers
The construction of infrastructure-related projects that will improve safety connectivity, and accessibility for non-drivers, including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities to access daily needs and projects that are otherwise eligible under ODOT’s Safe Routes to School Program. These projects be either infrastructure or non-infrastructure in nature. However, funding for a Safe Routes to School Coordinator is not eligible for TAP funds.

Ineligibility

Though not a comprehensive list, these are some activities that will not be funded with federal dollars and are the sponsor’s responsibility. Items that are ineligible for funding by the TAP program can be included in the construction contract as nonparticipating items with the funding provided by the sponsor.
Landscaping and scenic enhancements as independent projects- However, landscaping and scenic enhancements could be eligible as part of the construction of any Federal-aid highway project under 23 U.S.C. 319, including TAP-funded projects.
Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites.
Administrative costs - Some examples of actions considered to be administrative are application preparation; consultant selection and management; coordination with ODOT, etc.
Public art - Items of public art include, but are not limited to statuary, decorative banners, flag displays (including flagpoles), murals, fountains, clock towers, etc.
Standard roadway or bridge infrastructure items, such as roadway paving or structural work, will not be considered for funding unless incidental to the TAP project.
Parking - The exception is if the facility is related to a bicycle trailhead, or to access a turnout, overlook, viewing area, or historic transportation facility.
Mitigation - A work item that serves to mitigate (compensate for) an environmental impact (including historic, natural, or cultural).
Operation of historic transportation facilities
Transportation MuseumsAny action or work taken prior to FHWA project authorization will make the entire project ineligible for compensation.