BACKGROUND

Transportation Enhancements (TE) activities are broadly defined as federally funded, community-based projects that expand travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historic, aesthetic and environmental aspects of our transportation infrastructure. These types of projects expand our travel options in ways other than through construction of traditional transportation projects such as roadway widenings.

A focus on such projects occurred with the federal passage of The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. With the Act’s passage, the federal government required each state to set aside 10 percent of its Surface Transportation Program funds for Transportation Enhancement (TE) activities.

As the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, the CRTPA coordinates the region’s solicitation, ranking and submittal of eligible TE projects to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for annual funding consideration.  Applications are solicited every two years.

WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS ARE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENTS?

Twelve (12) TE activities have been designated by the federal government as eligible for TE funding. These activities are meant to improve non-motorized transportation, enhance the public’s traveling experience, revitalize communities, and improve the quality of life. Specifically, the following are considered eligible:

• Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles.
• Provision of safety and educational activities for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites (including historic battlefields).
• Scenic or historic highway programs (including the provision of tourist and welcome center facilities).
• Landscaping and other scenic beautification.
• Historic preservation.
• Rehabilitation and operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities (including historic railroad facilities and canals).
• Preservation of abandoned railway corridors (including the conversion and use of the corridors for pedestrian or bicycle trails).
• Inventory, control, and removal of outdoor advertising.
• Archaeological planning and research.
• Environmental mitigation of highway runoff pollution, reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality, maintain habitat connectivity.
• Establishment of transportation museums. 

WHO CAN APPLY?

Local governments, non-profit agencies and community groups (such as neighborhood associations) are encouraged to submit TE applications. Because there is a requirement that the applications be sponsored by municipal, county, state or federal agencies (or tribal councils), non-profits and community groups that wish to submit an application will need to coordinate with sponsoring agencies in order to receive project sponsorship (Note: The CRTPA can advise such groups on how this has been accomplished in the past).

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

If you are interested in submitting a TE application, click here for a Transportation Enhancement application. The three page application identifies the information that is required for each project submittal.  The CRTPA is accepting applications from March 1 to May 13, 2011.

CRTPA 2011 ENHANCEMENTS PROCESS/SCHEDULE

• FEBRUARY 24, 2011 – CRTPA technical assistance workshop  to provide citizens, local government agencies and organizations information regarding the process as well as answer questions. Newspaper advertisements will be placed informing the region of the upcoming workshop.  Click here to learn more about the TE Workshop.  To see the workshop PowerPoint presentation, please click here.
• MARCH 1 TO MAY 13, 2011 – Open submittal period to submit applications to the CRTPA.
• MAY 3, 2011 – CRTPA committees (Citizens, Multimodal and Technical Advisory Committees) select two (2) members from each committee to serve on the TE Subcommittee to recommend TE ranking to CRTPA Board.
• MAY 13, 2011 – TE application deadline
• MAY 17, 2011 - TE Subcommittee meets to receive submitted applications and discuss review criteria (11:30 AM, Gemini Building, 4th Floor Conference Room (CRTPA offices))
• MAY 23 & 24, 2011 - TE Subcommittee meets to hear applicant presentations and preliminarily rank projects (11 AM, Gemini Building, 2nd Floor Conference Room)
• MID May 2011 – Submitted applications are provided to the Florida Department of Transportation for eligibility review.
• June 20, 2011 – CRTPA Board meeting; Board approves agency’s FY 2013 – FY 2017 priority project lists (PPLs) including the Transportation Enhancement PPL for submittal to FDOT for funding consideration.

APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DETAILS

Please submit 3 hard copies and 1 PDF copy of each completed application to the following address:

CRTPA
300 S. Adams Street, A-19
Tallahassee, FL  32301
Attn: Greg Burke

 WANT TO LEARN MORE?

• The Florida Department of Transportation provides more detail on Florida's TE process including detailed project eligibility criteria.  This information can be found by clicking here.
• More detailed information regarding Transportation Enhancements is available at the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse (NTEC) website (a site sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy). The NTEC site is a good source to learn more about TE basics, eligible projects and examples of TE projects that have received funding across our country.
• For more information, contact Greg Burke at the CRTPA (891-6802) (greg.burke@talgov.com).

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED IN 2011

Lloyd Railroad Depot          Lafayette Paseo