Guidance and Information

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued Transportation Alternatives guidance on May 13, 2016. The information below will help States and project sponsors meet TA requirements and provide practices for accessibility, design, construction, and maintenance.

Transportation Alternatives Guidance

• Transportation Alternatives Guidance 2016 [FAST Act]
  • Guidance Memorandum
• Youth Service and Conservation Corps Q&A [MAP-21 Section 1524: remains in effect]

TAP Competitive Process

There are examples of TAP Competitive Processes available for States and MPOs to use:

• The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Performance Management Guidebook provides sample performance objectives and measures that States, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and project sponsors may consider as they administer, implement, and evaluate TAP projects and program outcomes.
• The Transportation Alternatives Data Exchange (TrADE) produced a Transportation Alternatives Program Manual Development Guide and a Quantitative Selection Brief. See http://www.ta-clearinghouse.info/publications.
• Advocacy Advance (a partnership of the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the League of American Bicyclists) lists many resources for Navigating MAP-21. The resources also include a Sample Transportation Alternatives Program Competitive Grant Application focused for MPOs, with Project Scoring Criteria and a Project Scoring Sheet.

Youth Service and Conservation Corps

MAP-21 Section 1524 requires the US Department of Transportation to encourage States and regional transportation planning agencies to use qualified youth service and conservation corps to perform appropriate transportation-related projects. See the Creating Access to Opportunity: Strengthening Transportation Career Pathways & Youth Workforce Development Partnerships Through Service Fact Sheet (HTML / PDF), the related Creating Access to Opportunity Webinar and the Webinar Slides (HTML / PDF), and Youth Workforce Development Resources.

Vegetation Management Practices

• Presidential Memorandum - Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators directs U.S. government agencies to take steps to protect and restore domestic populations of pollinators, including honey bees, native bees, birds, bats, and butterflies - critical contributors to our nation's economy, food system, and environmental health.
• FHWA's Plants and Invasive Species webpage

Boulevards from Divided Highways

Several communities have created boulevards from divided highways, or have plans under consideration.

Related Guidance and Information

• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's (ACHP) Guidance on Section 106 Agreement Documents
• Other Related FHWA Guidance and Information
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Guidance
  Promotes bicycle and pedestrian transportation accessibility, use, and safety. Also provides additional links to Bicycle and Pedestrian Publications and Resources.
• Bicycle Facilities and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
  Responses to inquiries about bicycle facilities permitted by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
• Equestrian and Other Nonmotorized Use on Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities
• FHWA Order 6640.1A: FHWA Policy on Permissible Project Related Activities During the NEPA Process (October 1, 2010)
• Framework for Considering Motorized Use on Nonmotorized Trails and Pedestrian Walkways
• Manuals and Guides for Trail Design, Construction, Maintenance, and Operation, and for Signs
  • Bollards, Gates, and Other Barriers
• Presentation: Bicycle Path Entry Control. (Ed Cox, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, City of Sacramento, CA and Maggie O'Mara, Senior Transportation Engineer, California Department of Transportation)
  This presentation discusses methods to control entry to shared use paths. It considers issues related to bollards, gates, and other barriers. It looks at examples and discusses what works well and what doesn't.
  Disclaimer: This presentation is provided in the interest of information exchange, and reflects the views of the authors. Providing this resource does not necessarily represent endorsement by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Presentation: Designing for Nonmotorists. Presented at the FHWA Field Engineers Learning & Development Seminar, April 20, 2010, Dallas TX.
  • Part 1: Policy, Planning, Programs, and Provisions for Pedal-Power, Pedestrians, and Paths
  • Part 2: Highway and Street Facilities
  • Part 3: Shared Use Paths
  • Part 4: Recreational Trails
  • Part 5: Resources
• Presentation: Federal Transportation Funds Benefit Recreation
• Preventive Maintenance Eligibility
• Shared Use Paths Along or Near Freeways and Bicycles on Freeways
• Snow Removal on Sidewalks Constructed with Federal Funding
• Statewide Transportation Planning; Metropolitan Transportation Planning; Final Rule (effective March 16, 2007)
  • HTML: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2007-02-14/html/07-493.htm
  • PDF (395 KB): http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2007-02-14/pdf/07-493.pdf
• Youth Service and Conservation Corps: MAP-21 Section 1524 requires the US Department of Transportation to encourage States and regional transportation planning agencies to use qualified youth service and conservation corps to perform appropriate transportation-related projects.
  • Youth Service and Conservation Corps Q&A
  • Youth Workforce Development Resources
  • Fact Sheet: Creating Access to Opportunity: Strengthening Transportation Career Pathways & Youth Workforce Development Partnerships Through Service
  • Creating Access to Opportunity Webinar
  • Webinar Slides (HTML / PDF)

Archived Guidance

• Transportation Alternatives Program Guidance [Effective under MAP-21]
• Transportation Alternatives Program Q&A [Effective under MAP-21]
  • Cancellation of Flexible Excess TAP Funds Authority (August 1, 2015 - July 31, 2016)
  • Flexible Excess TAP Funds Authority (August 1, 2015 - July 31, 2016) [CANCELED]
  • Flexible Excess TAP Funds Authority (August 1, 2014 - July 31, 2015) [CANCELED]