On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced it would provide funding to more than 100 communities across the country to access technical assistance for transportation projects.
As $23.6 million in funding, part of the Thriving Communities Program (TCP), will help 112 communities nationwide access the funding and resources within the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to receive intensive technical assistance to help under-resourced and disadvantaged communities identify, develop and deliver transportation projects.
“President Biden’s infrastructure law has created a once-in-a-generation opportunity through which communities are reimagining and delivering safe, reliable transportation,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “Our Department is proud to help another 112 under-resourced communities with hands-on assistance to secure federal infrastructure funding, and then deliver those projects well.”
Officials said the program will entail three national TCP teams will provide support to communities across the United States selected by the DOT, and six regional TCP teams were selected to support another 60 communities in their states or regions.
TCP selected three new National TCP Capacity Builders who will each receive $4.25 to $5 million to support communities assigned by DOT into one of three “Communities of Practice” based on their common technical assistance needs. Capacity builders provide project-level technical assistance and planning support for things like preparing grant application materials, undertaking pre-development and project delivery activities, fostering small business and workforce development.
For FY 23, the Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated received awarded $4,250,000 to support 16 Main Street Communities; Abt Associates Inc., received $4,957,180 to support 20 Complete Neighborhoods Communities; and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials received $4,250,000 to support 16 Networked Communities.
The DOT also funded six pilots at $1-2 million that support 60 communities in Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities; the State of Colorado Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery; the Louisiana Division of Administration Planning Office; the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission; the New York State Department of Transportation; Fayette-Raleigh Metropolitan Planning Organization.
“Under President Biden, DOT has undertaken an unprecedented effort to help build local capacity to access federal resources that improve their quality of life and build a stronger economic future,” Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Christopher Coes said.