Each quarter, we take a look at state progress with implementing the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). For the quarter covering April to June 2018, states obligated nearly $131 million in TAP funding, with all states except for three making forward progress. (Obligation means that the state DOT has committed funding to a local TAP project and is a key step towards actually getting the project built or implemented.)
Getting moving on obligation is particularly important as we are just three months away from the end of FY2018. The clock is ticking for states to get all of the funds received in FY15 obligated—otherwise they expire and are no longer available to use for walking, biking, and Safe Routes to School projects. The great news is that 28 states have fully obligated all funds that are at risk of lapsing, and 9 states have a manageable amount (less than 5 percent of TAP funds) to obligate in the next three months. However, there are 14 states with a concerning amount of TAP funds left to obligate. They are:
State | Funds at Risk | % of FY15 TAP funds at risk |
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | $2,376,422.59 | 17.0% |
HAWAII | $1,677,335.00 | 10.6% |
MAINE | $1,568,599.54 | 13.6% |
MISSISSIPPI | $5,067,375.00 | 9.2% |
NEW HAMPSHIRE | $2,583,673.06 | 17.0% |
NEW JERSEY | $11,824,221.88 | 12.0% |
NEW YORK | $10,307,866.00 | 6.6% |
NORTH CAROLINA | $7,443,136.00 | 5.8% |
OKLAHOMA | $5,340,165.00 | 7.1% |
PENNSYLVANIA | $13,967,907.15 | 9.2% |
RHODE ISLAND | $1,851,927.57 | 13.5% |
SOUTH CAROLINA | $4,440,420.70 | 5.1% |
TENNESSEE | $5,237,659.20 | 5.3% |
VERMONT | $1,148,536.36 | 9.1% |
If you are in any of the states listed above, we encourage you to talk with your fellow biking and walking advocates and consider reaching out to your state department of transportation (DOT) to check on their plans for getting these funds obligated before September 30, 2018. These 14 states together represent $75 million of TAP funding at risk of expiring—which could support dozens of new sidewalks, bike lanes and Safe Routes to School projects as long as it is obligated by September 30.
Unfortunately, it was also a big quarter for transfers, with 8 states transferring $54 million in TAP funding away to highway and bridge projects. Those states are: Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and South Dakota. All of them have transferred funds before, but it is still a missed opportunity to use these funds for safe and healthy transportation options.