The cities of Owensville and Belle have been awarded Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grants through the Missouri Department of Transportation for upgrades to pedestrian walkways in their respective communities.

City Administrator Randy Blaske said the city of Owensville is scheduled to receive a TAP grant worth $363,369.00 to extend the Rock Island Trail State Park biking and walking path from Route Y west to the western city limits and to build a trailhead kiosk structure with separate his and her restrooms. The grant award includes $290,695 in federal funding and a local 20-percent match of $72,674.

The city of Belle was awarded a grant worth $139,993 for a sidewalk connections project to connect existing paths to extend the network and improve pedestrian safety. The city’s portion of the 20-percent match is expected to total $34,999 for a total project cost estimated at $174,992. Grant projects in both communities are being planned with assistance and oversight from the Meramec Regional Planning Commission.

The TAP replaces the funding from pre-MAP-21 programs including Transportation Enhancements, Recreational Trails, Safe Routes to School, and Scenic Byways, wrapping them into a single funding source, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation awards notification sent to the city of Owensville on Friday. The FAST Act has continued authorization of this funding for transportation alternatives projects.

Federal TAP funds are provided through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Projects using TAP funds are eligible for reimbursement of up to 80 percent of allowable costs. The respective recipients —the Local Public Agency (LPA) — is required to match the project with a minimum of 20 percent.

Compensation for expenditures will be authorized on a cost reimbursement basis. Expenditures incurred prior to receiving a formal notice to proceed will not be eligible for reimbursement.

MoDOT distributes TAP funds outside Transportation Management Areas (TMA) boundaries every two years (even years) through a competitive selection process. The FAST Act provides for TMAs to receive a separate allocation of TAP funding through Surface Transportation Block Grants (STBG). TMAs develop their own TAP guide and selection criteria while still adhering to federal rules outlined in the FAST Act.

TAP was authorized under Section 1122 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) and is reauthorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The goal of the program is to expand transportation choices and enhance the transportation experience through categories of activities related to the surface transportation system. The TAP focuses on non-motorized transportation projects with an emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Forty projects were selected totaling over $14 million in federal TAP funds with a total project cost of $19.47 million. This funding is for projects located outside of the state’s three urban Transportation Management Areas.

Blaske notified The Republican on Friday via email the city had received official project award notification from their MoDOT LPA program coordinator along with information detailing the next steps in the TAP project implementation process.