Transportation Enhancements

The Federal Transportation Act, known as the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), contains a provision for “transportation enhancement” projects.  Under the Act, 10% of all Surface Transportation Program funds are to be set aside for “transportation enhancement” activities.  These activities include:

  • Provision of facilities for pedestrians and bicycles;

  • Provision of safety and educational activities for pedestrians and bicycle;

  • Acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites;

  • 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 thereof for pedestrian or bicycle trails);

  • Control and Removal of Outdoor Advertising;

  • Archaeological Planning and Research;

  • Environmental projects to prevent water pollution due to highway runoff or reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality while maintaining habitat connectivity, and

  • Establishment of transportation museums.

Overall Process and Schedule

Each year, the Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency (CRTPA) submits a priority list of enhancement projects to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District 3, for consideration in development of the Five Year Work Program.  The process of developing this priority list takes approximately one year to complete, from application solicitation to final prioritization of the proposed projects.  Applications are solicited from the community every two (2) years. 

A meeting to discuss the upcoming enhancements process has been scheduled for April 30, 2009 at Tallahassee City Hall.  Click here for more information.

Sponsorship and Eligibility Review

Before the CRTPA can submit the project applications to the FDOT for eligibility review, each application must have a project sponsor.  Project sponsors are any municipal, state, county or federal agency willing to do the following:

  •  Provide any local funding match that may be required;

  •  Enter into a maintenance agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation; and/or

  •  Support other actions necessary to fully implement the proposed project.