Transportation Enhancement Program

State of Connecticut
Transportation Enhancement Program

Collage of Project and Program Related Photos

The Transportation Enhancement (TE) Program is administered by the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The TE Program offers a source of funds for addressing the needs of non-motorized transportation users. A focus of the State’s program is safety, accessibility and connectivity.

The provisions of the federal transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), went into effect on October 1, 2012, for federal fiscal years 2013 and 2014. This act replaces the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Many non-motorized transportation activities that were previously eligible in some form under individual SAFETEA-LU programs, including TE-like initiatives, are now recognized under the MAP-21 Transportation Alternatives (TAs) apportionment via 23 U.S.C. 213.

KEY PLAYERS IN THE PROCESS
The Transportation Enhancement Program process is a coordinated effort between the Department, other State agencies, regional planning organizations (RPOs), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Each project must have a designated Project Sponsor, defined as a representative of a regional planning organization, transit district, tribal nation, or a government agency.

In most instances, this will be a local public agency (LPA) - i.e. municipalities. The Project Sponsor will be responsible for the project application and implementation of TE activities under this program, including entering into an agreement with the Department for receipt of project funds.
In some cases, the identification of the project will originate from a Project Advocate, an entity, either an individual or an organization, which does not qualify as a Project Sponsor. In these cases, the Project Advocate must secure a Project Sponsor.

Eligible entity within Section 213 is defined as follows:

a local government;
a regional transportation authority;
a transit agency;
a natural resource or public land agency;
a school district, local education agency, or school;
a tribal government; and
any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for or oversight of transportation or recreational trails (other than a metropolitan planning organization or a State agency) that the State determines to be eligible, consistent with the goals of this subsection.

For a listing of the most recent regional contacts, navigate to www.t2center.uconn.edu/lpa. Other pertinent contacts are listed in the State Program Guide appendices, including the transit districts, the Connecticut Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, the Connecticut Horse Council, and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

2011 Project Concept Solicitation and RPO Prioritization
In 2011, the Department solicited for project concepts through the RPOs in the State. Materials relating to this solicitation process are posted below. Please recognize that program rules have changed with the passage of MAP-21. The Department is currently working with the RPOs and Project Sponsors to implement projects prioritized by the RPOs during this process in a manner consistent with MAP-21 provisions. Projects from this solicitation are in various stages of development - contact your regional planning organization for more information on a project in your area.

Policy Statement: Administration of the Federal Transportation Enhancement Program	(P&P-08) – PDF 200kB	SELECT
Letter of Invitation to RPOs to Solicit for and Identify Candidate Projects for Consideration of RPO Allocation Funds	PDF 300kB	SELECT
Connecticut’s 2011 Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program Guide (State Program Guide)	PDF 6Mb	SELECT
Program Application Form for RPO Allocation Funds	PDF 500kB	SELECT
RPO Allocation Priority Listing Form for Identification of Candidate Projects	PDF 200kB	SELECT

NEW! MAP-21 Update - TAP - CTDOT White Paper on Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) - February 28, 2013

NEW! MAP-21 Update - TAP - Base TAP Funding per Region FY13 and FY14 - April 25, 2013

Connecticut Department of Transportation Contacts
The following is a listing of the key program contacts at the Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) for the application process and subsequent project management under the Transportation Enhancement Program.

Project Administrator

Project Manager

Mr. Hugh Hayward
Principal Engineer
Bureau of Engineering and Construction
(860) 594-3219

Mr. Scott Roberts
Project Manager
Bureau of Engineering and Construction
860 594-3232

scott.roberts@ct.gov

Recommended Reference Materials
Various useful reference materials are maintained online.

State Resources
The Department’s website (www.ct.gov/dot) offers resources that may be of interest to RPOs and Project Sponsors. A more complete listing is provided in the State Program Guide, some highlights are noted here:

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's (CT DEEP) website is www.ct.gov/dep. Navigating to Programs and Services will provide an index from which many resources are listed, including the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), which may be an alternative funding source for a project under development.

Also, the University of Connecticut's Technology Transfer Center offers a great website at www.t2center.uconn.edu/lpa for LPAs to access information related to administering transportation projects. The site provides useful links to key Department web pages and materials.

Federal Resources
Federal level information on MAP-21 is available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21 . Federal program information and guidance can be viewed and downloaded from the FHWA's transportation enhancement website at www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/te/index.htm and www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/te/guidance.htm, respectively. United States Geological Survey (USGS) mapping can be obtained online from the USGS Store website at store.usgs.gov.