Maryland Department of Transportation

Bike | Walk Funding Programs 

The Maryland Department of Transportation administers several competitive grant and special fund programs for biking & pedestrian programs. These programs support local economies and enhance quality of life through biking and walking. In addition, the Department provides technical assistance to help local jurisdictions with feasible projects.

2020 Grant Application Due Dates

Highway Safety Office Grants March 2, 2020
Transportation Alternatives Program May 29, 2020
Safe Routes to School May 29, 2020
Recreational Trails May 14, 2020
Maryland Bikeways June 5, 2020
Statewide Transit Innovation Grant June 25, 2020

Scroll down to find further information and links to each program's website.

2020 Webinar

Maryland Department of Transportation Grants Webinar on February 25th, 2020 

A webinar recording providing an overview of the FY2021 Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) grant programs is available online . The webinar reviews information for Transportation Alternatives, Safe Routes to School, Recreational Trails, Bikeways, Highway Safety and Statewide Transit Innovation. Learn more on how your agency can benefit from these grants and how to produce a successful application.

MDOT Grant Programs

Printable Version  (Detailed)
Printable Version (One-Page Overview)

Bikeways

  • Funding: State transportation funds administered by the Maryland Department of Transportation - The Secretary’s Office (MDOT TSO)
  • Objective: Promote biking as a fun, healthy, and environmentally-friendly transportation alternative
  • Requirements: Must be one of the following:
    • Located within 3 miles of a rail transit station or major bus transit hub
    • Provides or enhances bicycle access along missing trail links, as identified in MDOT’s statewide trail network vision document, “Maryland Trails: A Greener Way to Go,”,
    • Identified as a transportation priority in a County’s most recent  annual priority letter  submitted to MDOT
  • Bikeways Flowchart
  • Grant Workshop Bikeways - Frequently Asked Questions

Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

Safe Routes to School

  • Funding: Federal TAP allocation administered by  MDOT SHA .
  • Objective: Supporting infrastructure and non-infrastructure activities that enable and encourage children to safely walk, bicycle or roll to school.
  • Requirements: 20% cash match, must benefit elementary and middle school children in grades K-8, and must be located within a 2-mile radius of a school.

Recreational Trails Program

  • Funding: Federal TAP allocation administered by MDOT SHA .
  • Objective: Developing community-based, motorized and non-motorized recreational trail projects.
  • Eligible applicants: county or municipal governments, or non-profit organizations (non-governmental agencies must secure an appropriate government agency as a co-sponsor).
  • Preferred projects: Connect communities with natural/cultural areas or tourism areas, have broad-based community support, link or complete existing trails, mitigate impacts on the natural environment, and involve youth conservation corps or service groups.
  • Recreational Trails Program Flowchart
  • Grant Workshop Recreational Trails - Frequently Asked Questions

Highway Safety Grants Program

  • Funding: Federal allocation administered by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA).
  • Objective: Reducing the number of motor vehicle-related crashes, deaths, and injuries on Maryland roadways.
  • Eligible applicants: state and local governments, law enforcement agencies, non-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education.
  • Requirements: Match one of the top safety priorities and implement the strategies identified in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan.

MDOT Planning Support

Bicycle Pedestrian Priority Areas (BPPAs)

  • Objective: facilitate the coordinated planning of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in areas with a high potential for bicycling and walking.
  • Administered by MDOT SHA .

Pedestrian Road Safety Audit (PRSA) Program

  • Objective: Reduce pedestrian crash incident rates through education, enforcement, and engineering solutions.
  • Administered by  MDOT SHA .

MDOT Additional Funding Programs

Bicycle and Pedestrian System Preservation Programs

Sidewalk Reconstruction for Pedestrian Access (Fund 33)

  • Objective: Upgrades existing pedestrian facilities along state highways to meet Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) and the MDOT SHA Accessibility Policy & Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities along State Highways.
  • Requirements: Projects may be requested by the local jurisdiction and provide access to pedestrian generators within 1/2 mile. Projects are not limited to PFAs and have no local funding requirement.
  • Administered by  MDOT SHA .

New Sidewalk Construction for Pedestrian Access (Fund 79)

  • Objective: Supports construction of new sidewalks along the state highway system where none were previously provided.
  • Requirements: Projects must be requested by the local jurisdiction. All areas are eligible. Areas outside PFAs require a 50% construction match requirement; PFAs and Sustainable Communities are subject to lower or no match requirements.
  • Administered by  MDOT SHA .

Bicycle Retrofit (Fund 88)

  • Objective: Supports on and off-road bicycle facilities along the state highway system to promote connectivity or address safety concerns.
  • Requirements: No match is required for on road facilities; off road facilities are subject to the same match requirements of the New Sidewalk Construction Program.
  • Administered by  MDOT SHA .

Urban Reconstruction Program

  • Objective: highway reconstruction and improvements that promote safety and economic development along SHA roadways within urban centers.
  • Requirements: Projects must be located within a Priority Funding Area, and Sustainable Communities are given preference.
  • Administered by  MDOT SHA .

Other Programs

Program Open Space

  • Objective: Provides financial and technical assistance to local subdivisions for the planning, acquisition, and/or development of recreational land or open space areas.
  • Administered by the  Maryland Department of Natural Resources  (DNR).

Transportation/Land Use Connections (TLC) Program

  • Objective: Provides free technical assistance for local jurisdictions in planning matters relating to coordination of transportation and land use.
  • Components:
    1. TLC Technical Assistance
    2. Federal Transportation Alternatives/Surface Transportation Program Set-Aside (TAP)
    3. Peer Exchange Network (TLC PeerX)
  • Administered by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).

Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP)

  • Objective: Improve transportation facilities that provide access to, are adjacent to, or are located within Federal lands.
  • Eligible applicants: State, county, tribal, or city government agencies that own or maintain the transportation facility.
  • Administered by Federal Highway Administration Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division

Maryland Heritage Areas Program

  • Funding: state funds governed by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) and administered by the Maryland Historical Trust .
  • Objective: provide technical and financial assistance to help protect and enhance heritage resources within certified heritage areas, to improve quality of life for residents and maximize economic development through heritage tourism.
  • Eligible applicants: county and local governments, non-profit organizations, heritage tourism organizations, and institutions of higher education.

Statewide Transit Innovation Grant (STIG)

  • Funding: State transportation funds administered by MDOT MTA
  • Objective: Supporting local efforts to improve transit reliability, improving access and connections to activity centers, and improving transit mobility options. The program seeks to fund cost-effective public transportation projects that reduce delays for people and improve connectivity between regional and economic population centers. Projects may incorporate bus, rail, or other transit modes.
  • Requirements: A local match of at least 20% of total project cost is required. Eligible applicants include Maryland local governments and locally operated transit providers.

 

Additional information about funding and technical assistance can be found via the Maryland InfoPortal :