Governor Lee announces transportation grants statewide
PRESS RELEASE FROM TDOT:
Governor Lee Announces Transportation Grants Statewide
Over $42 Million Available to Communities to Support Multimodal Transportation Options
Nashville, Tenn. – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, along with Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner Will Reid, P.E., announced the award of over $42 million in state and federal grant funds that support multimodal investments in walking, biking and transit statewide in Tennessee.
“Increasing safety, strengthening community connections, and expanding access make our cities and towns better places to live, work, and thrive,” said Gov. Lee. “I’m pleased the state can provide the support needed to move these projects forward.”
The awards announcement is for three grant programs administered by TDOT.
The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant is made possible through a federally funded program. A variety of activities, such as the restoration of historic facilities, bike and pedestrian trails, landscaping, and other non-traditional transportation projects, are eligible for grant funds under the federal program. This year, TDOT is awarding $16.4 million to six communities.
“Since 1991, through these grants, TDOT has funded over $400 million in non-traditional transportation projects,” said TDOT Commissioner Will Reid, P.E. “This program has assisted communities across Tennessee in their efforts to revitalize downtowns, highlight historic areas, provide alternative means of transportation, and increase opportunities for economic development.”
For more information and a list of this year’s TAP grantees, please visit TDOT’s website at Transportation Alternatives Program (tn.gov).
Additionally, TDOT received 14 applications from nine transit agencies through the state’s IMPROVE Transit Investment Grant competitive call for projects and is awarding $22.2 million in funding. Since 2018, TDOT has awarded over $100 million in state funding through its competitive transit grant program, providing transit agencies with critical funding to build new facilities and expand mobility options across Tennessee. Notable investments include new transit centers in Kingsport, Pigeon Forge, Martin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville. Previous awards have also provided funding for electric buses and charging infrastructure in Knoxville and Chattanooga. A complete list of this year’s grantees can be found here.
TDOT also awarded $4 million in Multimodal Access Grant (MMAG) funding for four projects that support pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users through infrastructure improvements addressing existing gaps along state routes. Two of the projects are in distressed and at-risk counties. For a list of these projects, please visit TDOT’s website at Multimodal Access Grant (tn.gov).
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