ROUTES Initiative Quarterly Newsletter
U.S. Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 06/29/2022 01:30 PM EDT |
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The Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) Initiative aims to address disparities in rural transportation infrastructure by developing user-friendly tools and information, aggregating DOT resources into a single web resource, and providing technical assistance. If you want to learn more about ROUTES, or how it can help your community, visit the ROUTES Initiative website or reach out to the ROUTES team at rural@dot.gov.
DOT Updates
USDOT, Cherokee Nation Sign First Ever Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Compact
White House BIL Resources for Rural & Tribal Communities
USDA Launches Rural Partners Network
Funding & Financing
Tribal Safety Funding Awards & Infrastructure Funding Guide
Oklahoma DOT Receives TIFIA Loan for Rural Safety Projects
FRA Announces CRISI Grant Awards
Active & Upcoming Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)
Research & Technology
University Transportation Centers Funding Opportunity
Federal Data and Tools to Support Local Decision-Making
Rural Round-Up
Learn about TACL: The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library
Newly Released Estimates Show Traffic Fatalities Reached a 16-Year High in 2021
Rural Road Safety Awareness Week this July!
ROUTES Updates
USDOT, Cherokee Nation Sign First Ever Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Compact
Earlier this month the Cherokee Nation signed the first compact under the Department’s Tribal Transportation Self-Governance Program (TTSGP). The approval gives the Tribe the ability to plan and oversee its own road construction planning and transit projects without having to seek federal permission.
“We’re proud to stand today with the Cherokee Nation to announce this first of its kind Self-Governance Compact. It gives the Tribe much-deserved decision-making authority and flexibility over federal funds for transportation projects that can improve safety and create better connections across Cherokee Nation,” said Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg. “The Biden-Harris Administration and our Department are firmly committed to honoring Tribal sovereignty and codifying Tribes’ right to self-determination through agreements like this one.”
“We are honored to have U.S. Deputy Transportation Secretary Trottenberg visit the Cherokee Nation, which has led a sophisticated transportation program for several years helping our tribal communities, state and federal partners with safer, well-maintained roadways in the reservation,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Having oversight for the first time to plan, lead and oversee the finance of our own road projects will only mean more and better investments in terms of travel and infrastructure in the Cherokee Nation to the benefit of thousands of citizens.”
The TTSGP affords more control, flexibility, and decision-making authority to Tribes that choose to participate over Federal funds used to carry out transportation projects and activities in their communities. The signing is the culmination of several months of dialogue between USDOT and the Cherokee Nation. This program, which DOT established in 2020, follows the model that the Departments of the Interior and Health and Human Services have set forth with their Tribal Self-Governance programs, which have been in place for the last two decades.
White House BIL Resources for Rural and Tribal Communities
As DOT and partners across the federal government continue to implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the White House has released several resources for rural and tribal communities to navigate relevant programs. These resources include:
Together, these guides help rural and tribal communities understand the available funding for infrastructure provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other sources – offering information on the “what, where, and how” to apply for federal infrastructure dollars and highlights programs that can help communities deliver projects.
USDA Launches Rural Partners Network
The Rural Partners Network, announced earlier this year, introduces a new way of doing business: a collaboration among federal agencies meant to improve access to government resources, staffing and tools. Participating agencies designate key points of contact who focus specifically on rural strategies, improving visibility and attention to rural issues.
The Rural Partners Network also puts federal staff on the ground to support designated, economically challenged communities. Known as “Community Liaisons,” these federal employees provide local leaders with the expertise to navigate federal programs. Community Liaisons help build relationships and identify additional resources to get the job done. As their work progresses, the lessons learned will impact future federal rural policy development and investment strategies.
RPN recently released a Rural America Placemaking Toolkit. This toolkit is a dynamic, interactive, media-focused website that provides education, resources, activities, and tools on rural placemaking. This website will link information seekers with technical assistance providers, funders, and how-to guides on implementing placemaking in their own communities.
Funding & Financing
Tribal Safety Funding Awards & Infrastructure Funding Guide
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced that 51 Tribes will receive $8.9 million for 58 projects to improve transportation safety. This grant announcement comes in addition to $120 million to assist tribes in the coming years through the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund, and now available for Fiscal Years 2022 through 2026. This combined funding will help fulfill the goals laid out in the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy announced earlier this year, which comes amid a troubling spike in roadway deaths of drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists, particularly among Native Americans.
“At a time when Native Americans are more likely than any other group in our country to lose their lives in roadway crashes, these funds from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help improve safety in Indian Country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“There are projects that we know are the most likely to reduce fatalities and serious injuries and this historic funding opportunity aims to improve transportation safety in Tribal areas,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Stephanie Pollack. “Simple changes like adding rumble strips, better lighting, or clearer stop signs can and will save lives in communities across the country. FHWA is ready to assist Tribal leaders in their work to make travel safer in Indian Country.”
The complete list of grant recipients for FY2021 can be found here. The recipients include 11 Tribes that have not previously participated in the program and will receive funding to develop their first-ever transportation safety plans.
FHWA recently released a guide titled Transportation Funding Opportunities for Tribal Nations. This guide provides information to tribes on new and existing highway and bridge transportation funding programs for which tribes are eligible.
Oklahoma DOT Receives TIFIA Loan for Rural Safety Projects
The Build America Bureau provided a low-interest, long-term loan of $41.55 million to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) to finance 49% of the $85.97 million Rural Two-Lane Advancement And Management Plan (RAAMP). The Bureau helps communities across the country reduce the costs of infrastructure projects by providing Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loans, known as TIFIA loans, and other types of financing. Under the Rural Projects Initiative (RPI), the loan is for nearly half the project costs instead of the customary 33%.
The project will provide significant safety improvements, one of the primary objectives of RAAMP. The project is a compilation of eight rural projects that will add nearly 27 miles of
8-foot shoulders and asphalt resurfacing as well as 6.4 miles of roadway reconstruction. The projects are located in Harper, Kingfisher, Pontotoc, Caddo, Pittsburg, McClain, Bryan, and Ellis counties in Oklahoma.
“Over the last five years, 38 percent of all serious and fatal crashes in Oklahoma have occurred on rural roads with no shoulders,” said Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg. “US DOT is proud to support the RAAMP program to help address safety issues and save lives in Oklahoma.”
The TIFIA RPI helps improve transportation infrastructure in America’s rural communities. Under this initiative, a surface transportation project between $10 million and $100 million in an area with a population less than 150,000 can be eligible for financing with significant savings over traditional TIFIA loans and other commercial financing products, including interest rates at half of the Treasury rate.
FRA Announces CRISI Grant Awards
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded over $368 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant program funds to 46 projects in 32 states and the District of Columbia. These investments will play a crucial role in modernizing our country’s rail infrastructure and strengthening supply chains, helping to reduce congestion and get people and goods where they need to go quickly and more affordably. The program will create good-paying jobs and benefit urban and rural communities across the country.
"Americans deserve a world-class rail system that allows people and goods to get where they need to go more quickly and affordably, while reducing traffic and pollution on our roads," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "We're proud to award these grants to improve passenger rail for riders and strengthen the freight rail that makes our supply chains and our economy work."
“This round of CRISI grants – one of the largest ever – is a major step forward for the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to revitalize and rebuild the country’s infrastructure,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “These awards will allow FRA to support rail projects that lay the groundwork for future economic growth.”
CRISI aims to advance intercity passenger and freight rail projects that promote FRA’s key goals of safety, economic growth, transportation equity, and sustainable and resilient infrastructure. CRISI-funded projects will enhance multi-modal connections, address slow orders, and fix up 100-year-old track to speed up the movement of goods from ports to rail to trucks to shelves. As the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, these upgrades and expansions will help state and local governments and rail carriers meet renewed travel demand and strengthen supply chains.
By statute, a minimum of 25 percent of this funding must be awarded to rural projects, and this announcement includes nearly double the required investment in rural communities, which underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to addressing the needs of rural communities. In addition, $87.6 million is for projects that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service, and $25.7 million is for capital projects or engineering solutions targeting trespassing, exceeding the required statutory minimums. Historically, CRISI has funded projects that improve safety and railroad infrastructure, reduce congestion, relocate rail lines, conduct rail-related research, and enhance multi-modal connections between rail and other modes such as ports or intermodal facilities. Workforce development projects are also eligible to support the education and training needs of rail workers.
The CRISI program has drawn significant interest from states, local communities, and rail stakeholders since its inception, and this year FRA received more than $1.1 billion in CRISI requests, which far exceeds the available funding. FRA applied rigorous selection criteria to ensure that eligible projects would serve communities by enhancing safety, creating economic opportunities, providing energy efficient transportation options, and helping the country’s world-class freight network meet growing demand.
A full list of the FY 2021 CRISI grant awards can be found here.
Active & Upcoming Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)
ROUTES maintains a running list of open NOFOs applicable to rural transportation. This list can be found here, along with historical information on these grants (including prior NOFOs).
| Program | NOFO Close Date | Available Funding | OA | NOFO Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airport Improvement Program (AIP) | June 30, 2022 | $1,500,000,000 | FAA | Apply Here |
| Bridge Investment Program (Planning Grants) | July 25, 2022 | $20,000,000 | FHWA | Apply Here |
| Bridge Investment Program (Large Bridge Project >$100 Million) | August 9, 2022 | $2,360,000,000 | FHWA | Apply Here |
| Bridge Investment Program (Bridge Project <$100 Million) | September 8, 2022 | FHWA | Apply Here | |
| Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) | September 15, 2022 | $1,000,000,000 | OST | Apply Here |
| Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund (TTPSF) | September 15, 2022 | $22,000,000 | FHWA | Apply Here |
All Federal grants, including transportation grants, can be found at grants.gov. To find transportation related funding opportunities, select "All Department of Transportation" under the "Agency" menu on the left-hand side.
The programs listed in the table below are anticipating to release a NOFO in the coming months. This timeline is subject to change.
| Program | Anticipated NOFO Release | OA |
|---|---|---|
| Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Project Program | June 2022 | FHWA |
| Railroad Crossing Elimination Program | June 2022 | FRA |
| Ferry Service for Rural Communities | June 2022 | FTA |
| Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program | June 2022 | OST |
| All Stations Accessibility Program | July 2022 | FTA |
| National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program | Summer 2022 | FHWA |
| Thriving Communities | Summer 2022 | OST |
| Consolidated Rail Infrastructure & Safety Improvements Grant Program | August 2022 | FRA |
| Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program | September 2022 | OST |
Research
University Transportation Centers Funding Opportunity
On May 25, DOT announced $450 Million to fund up to 35 University Transportation Centers (UTC). President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues the UTC Program, with all 35 authorized grants again open for competition. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), DOT intends to select up to five National UTCs, 10 Regional UTCs, and up to 20 Tier 1 UTCs, each of which will conduct a combination of research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer and implementation activities.
UTCs must propose a focus area from among the legislation’s stated research priorities: Improving Mobility of People and Goods; Reducing Congestion; Promoting Safety; Improving the Durability and Extending the Life of Transportation Infrastructure; Preserving the Environment; Preserving the Existing Transportation System; and, Reducing Transportation Cybersecurity Risks.
Applicants are expected to describe how projects and programs may benefit people in rural and Tribal communities, including specific opportunities to improve mobility and foster a local economy. Among the transformational research challenges which the Department seeks to have UTCs address are:
- Rural Transportation Infrastructure – significant research and technology results improving rural transportation safety, efficiency, reliability and resiliency.
- Rural Transportation Safety – significant results improving rural transportation safety planning, design, and data collection.
Only U.S. non-profit institutions of higher education are eligible to apply or to be members of a proposed UTC consortium. Non-profit institutions of higher education may include qualifying two-year institutions. DOT highly encourages Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), as well as Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) to apply and/or partner in proposed UTC consortiums.
The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm EDT on August 25, 2022. Applicants may find the NOFO, Frequently Asked Questions, and other helpful resources at https://www.transportation.gov/utc/current-competition.
Federal Data and Tools to Support Local Decision-Making
Under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Section 25003, “Federal support for local decision-making,” the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is taking charge to ensure local decision-makers have the data and tools they need to make infrastructure investment decisions. BTS is developing a work plan for reviewing, updating, and developing the data assets needed to assist local communities with making infrastructure investment decisions. BTS will host several listening sessions giving local decision-makers the opportunity to share their experience and needs for infrastructure data and data analysis tools.
BTS will host listening sessions with local decision-makers to learn the data and data analysis tools that currently or could assist with:
- improving maintenance of existing assets;
- rebuilding infrastructure to a state of good repair;
- creating economic development through infrastructure development;
- establishing freight plans and infrastructure that connects the community to supply chain;
- increasing options for communities that lack access to affordable transportation to improve access to jobs, affordable housing, schools, medical services, foods and other essential community services;
- reducing congestion;
- improving community resilience to extreme weather events; and
- other topics.
If interested in participating a listening session or have questions, please reach out to the BTS Outreach Team at BTSOutreach@dot.gov. More information about the effort is available at https://www.bts.gov/local-outreach.
N-CATT Request for Applications: Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams & Technology Summits
The National Center for Applied Transit Technology (N-CATT) is now accepting applications for transit agencies to receive one-on-one technical assistance through the Center's Strategic Technology Technical Assistance Teams (STTATs). N-CATT will work with up to three transportation providers to navigate a technology challenge or opportunity that results in a useful starting product for the agency, such as an implementation plan or ready-to-go technology solicitation.
Please submit your application in one document in PDF format to moreno@ctaa.org no later than 11:59p.m. EDT, on July 12, 2022. Read the full RFA here.
N-CATT is also accepting applications for up to three direct recipients (state Departments of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Rural Planning Organizations, Tribal consortiums, or others) to hold Technology Summits with their small-urban, rural, and tribal agencies. This is an opportunity for agencies across the applicant's geography to bring in challenges they face and use those to work with their peers to collaborate on technology priorities and begin mapping out tech investments at the state level.
Please submit your application in one document in PDF format to moreno@ctaa.org no later than 11:59p.m. EDT, on July 12, 2022. Read the full RFA here.
TRB Rural Research Roadmap
The Transportation Research Board (TRB), a division of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, recently published a rural transportation research roadmap that provides a long-term vision for research aimed at improving rural transportation in the United States. This comprehensive, balanced rural research roadmap includes a diverse range of rural transportation stakeholders, community types, and topics. Although the primary emphasis was technical research, stakeholder outreach also revealed a strong interest in research to assess the effectiveness of existing rural transportation policies.
NCHRP Research Report 988: Rural Transportation Issues: Research Roadmap identifies transportation-related issues faced by rural communities and suggests research needed to provide information and data to state departments of transportation (DOTs) and other public agencies to inform infrastructure investment decisions. This report brings attention to the unique circumstances related to providing transportation to and within rural areas, and will be of immediate interest to both researchers and policymakers for all aspects of rural transportation, including planning; design; construction; operations and service provision; and maintenance.
Although only 19% of the population live in rural areas, more than 70% of the U.S.’s four million miles of roadways are in rural areas. The rural transportation system also includes numerous airports; railways; inland and coastal waterways; rural and intercity buses; and bicycle, pedestrian, and multi-use paths and trails. In addition, approximately 47% of the nation’s motor vehicle fatalities occur in rural areas. Copies of this rural research roadmap may be viewed and downloaded at https://nap.nationalacademies.org/download/26343.
Rural Round-Up
Learn about TACL: The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library
The Transportation Technical Assistance Coordination Library (TACL) helps rural and tribal transit agencies access information about public transportation coordination, coordinate among federally funded transit programs, and share resources across agencies to improve transit in their communities. The library contains reports, training seminars, toolkits, and other materials developed by FTA, its technical assistance centers, and its partners.
Find out more about TACL and learn how to search this database of rural and tribal transportation coordination resources during a virtual training session on August 11 Register here.
Newly Released Estimates Show Traffic Fatalities Reached a 16-Year High in 2021
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released its early estimate of traffic fatalities for 2021. NHTSA projects that an estimated 42,915 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year, a 10.5% increase from the 38,824 fatalities in 2020. The projection is the highest number of fatalities since 2005 and the largest annual percentage increase in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s history. Behind each of these numbers is a life tragically lost, and a family left behind. This was strongly driven by the trends in the fatality rates per 100 million VMT on rural arterials, rural local/collector/street roadways, and urban arterials.
“We face a crisis on America’s roadways that we must address together,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With our National Roadway Safety Strategy and the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are taking critical steps to help reverse this devastating trend and save lives on our roadways.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law places a strong emphasis on improving safety and includes the new Safe Streets and Roads for All program, which opened its first round of applications just this week. The program, the first of its kind, invests up to $6 billion over five years to fund local efforts to reduce roadway crashes and fatalities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law now being implemented also advances Complete Streets policies and standards; requires updates to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which defines speeds, lane markings, traffic lights and more on most roads in the country; and sharply increases funding for the Highway Safety Improvement Program, which helps states adopt data-driven approaches to making roads safer.
“This crisis on our roads is urgent and preventable,” said Dr. Steven Cliff, NHTSA’s Deputy Administrator. “We will redouble our safety efforts, and we need everyone – state and local governments, safety advocates, automakers, and drivers – to join us. All of our lives depend on it.”
Later this summer NHTSA will launch a campaign to remind drivers that "Speeding Wrecks Lives". NHTSA has released marketing materials for two parts of this campaign: "Speeding Slows You Down" and "Speeding Catches Up With You", which can be found here.
Rural Road Safety Awareness Week this July!
Rural Road Safety Awareness Week (RRSAW), an annual campaign by the National Center for Rural Road Safety, has a new focus and updated theme for 2022.
The overall theme is “Taking Action, Saving Lives.” Each weekday of the campaign will have a separate, but related, topic.
“Our main job at this center is to equip rural road practitioners with information and training specific to their needs,” said Jaime Sullivan, director of the center. “We are using Rural Road Safety Awareness Week this year to introduce several crucial safety topics and customize them for our rural audiences.”
The daily topics are:
- Monday: What’s Unique About Rural Road Safety?
- Tuesday: The Safe System Approach for Rural Roads
- Wednesday: Proven Safety Countermeasures for Rural Roads
- Thursday: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Rural Road Safety
- Friday: The Intersection of Rural Road Safety and Public Health
“Each of these daily topics roll up into a holistic approach to saving lives on rural roads,” Sullivan said. “We’re excited to promote it and are working on some amazing campaign assets we will give to everyone to use.”
Campaign assets will include social media graphics, posters, articles, fact sheets, and short videos.
“We know rural practitioners don’t have a lot of extra time or money,” Sullivan said. “The least we can do is give them some encouragement, education, and freebies to help them raise awareness of the safety issues on their roads. Stay tuned to our website and social media for updates!”
For more information on the campaign, visit the center’s RRSAW campaign page.
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