Grant program to kick off next round of funding with webinars, timelines

Jan. 31, 2024

To our valued Active Transportation partners,

We're pleased to announce the 2024 solicitation of the Oregon Community Paths Program! We will begin accepting the required "pre-application" in August, but first, we have a series of webinars scheduled to help get you ready.

Key dates

• March 14, April 11, May 9 – OCP 2024 Solicitation webinar, 10 a.m. – noon. Registration information coming soon.
• August 1 to September 15 – Pre-Applications accepted.
• November 1 to January 15, 2025 – Applications accepted.
• March 2025 – Oregon Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee makes recommendations.
• May 2025 – Oregon Transportation Commission approves projects.
• October 2025 – Projects begin.

We will send information on how to sign up for a webinar in a future email. If you haven't already, please sign up for this and other information about the program.

Important information

What is the Oregon Community Paths Program? The OCP invests in facilities that are not primarily on or along a roadway. These off-system paths may be pedestrian/bicycle paths or path segments such as:

• Regional paths that connect communities or larger paths.
• Critical links that connect to major destinations, such as employment centers, schools, large transit stations, etc.

Who is eligible to apply for these grants? Eligible applicants include cities, counties, Tribes, school districts or transportation districts, and non-profits that meet certain criteria.

What types of walking and biking path projects are eligible? Projects that can be funded include those that could, for example:

• Traverse a park to connect another path.
• Go between housing developments to connect to a school or another path.
• Go along greenways or old rail lines.
• Exist in areas that are not otherwise within the public right of way.
• Cross streets, connecting paths.

Where is the funding from? The 2024 solicitation will use federal Transportation Alternatives Program and Oregon Transportation Commission-directed Surface Transportation Block Grant funding. There will not be any state-funded projects awarded in this round.

What are we working to achieve? Our goal is to complement existing active transportation programs in communities across the state.

Oregon’s Strategic Action Plan prioritizes building, maintaining and operating a modern, multimodal transportation system to serve all Oregonians, address climate change, and help Oregon communities and economies thrive. OCP supports that plan by increasing bicyclist and pedestrian safety, reducing the impact on the climate, increasing connectivity, and increasing opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, race, ethnicities and incomes in urban, suburban and rural areas across the state to bike or walk to reach their destinations. It increases multimodal transportation options and helps ensure transportation-disadvantaged communities are served and included in decision making.

What's next? We will publish solicitation and guidance materials in the coming months on the OCP website. We will notify everyone on our key audience list via email (feel free to share this e-newsletter and encourage folks to sign up for these program updates).

Background

Oregon Community Paths is a competitive statewide transportation program that supports investments in multiuse paths that are not part of a roadway. Examples of eligible projects may be routes or segments that pass through a park, along a greenway, or follow abandoned rail corridors to connect community centers, services, housing, employment, schools, and recreation. Some on-road projects, such as roadway crossings for existing paths, are also eligible. OCP projects must serve a transportation purpose (not recreational) and must be open for public use. The program was created by the Oregon Legislature's HB 2017.

For more information, please sign up for a webinar when we send out the details, or contact Alan Thompson, program manager, at 971-375-3903 or Alan.L.Thompson@odot.oregon.gov

Thank you for your support of safe walking and rolling in Oregon!

The Oregon Community Paths team