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Municipal and County Liquid Fuels programs fund a range of projects to support municipalities' and counties' construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of public roads or streets.
Eligible Activities
(only those relevant to bike/ped projects are listed)
- Construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of public roads/streets or bridges for which the county or municipality is legally responsible.
- Culverts and drainage structures.
- Acquisition, maintenance, repair, electrification and operation of traffic signs and traffic signal control systems at intersections and/or railroad crossings.
- Maintenance on alleys, ways and courts in counties, townships, boroughs, and cities provided the municipality can demonstrate it has a legal responsibility for the alley, way, or court.
- Street lighting in excess of taxes and bridge and interchange lighting.
- Minor equipment, equipment rentals or repair parts for road maintenance vehicles.
- Road drags and snow fence.
- Purchase of PennDOT-approved materials.
- Major road and bridge equipment (equipment costs in excess of $4,000).
- County engineer's salary and benefit costs for road or bridge work.
- Debris removal from the roadway and its gutters and shoulders.
- Erection of street name signs, traffic directing signs, and traffic signal control systems.
- Brush removal to improve sight distance.
- Lane and crosswalk painting and marking.
- Cleaning of inlets and culverts.
- Certain structures such as salt storage sheds or buildings built to house county or municipal-owned road equipment.
- Engineering fees (fees in excess of 10 percent of the total contract price must be documented and justified to the satisfaction of the Municipal Services District Office).
- Curb ramps to provide access by individuals with disabilities in accordance with the current ADA and PennDOT standards.
- Driveway grade adjustments due to construction or reconstruction.
- Liability insurance for road and bridge equipment and vehicles when the named beneficiary is the entity's Liquid Fuels Tax Fund.
- Administrative costs to a maximum of 10 percent of that year's total allocation, including benefits, overhead and other administrative charges for county employees directly involved in activities covered by the act.
- Indirect engineering and transportation planning costs.
- Ferry boat operations, where applicable.
- Appraisal fees for infrastructure assets (as required by GASB 34).
- Curbs that are part of the drainage system.
- Payables for year-end county expenses (should be satisfied within 60 days of year-end).
- Inspection costs associated with roadway and bridge structures such as signs, signals, culverts, drainage structures and bridges.
For more information:
Since the funds are administered to local governments, questions should be directed to your municipal and county offices. Your PennDOT District Municipal Services Section will also have more information about liquid fuels funding.
The CMAQ Program provides funding for projects and programs in air quality nonattainment and maintenance areas for ozone, carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) that reduce transportation related emissions.
Pennsylvania's Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) administer programs using CMAQ funds within their regions. Most TMAs are in the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas. To find your TMA, visit Ridesharing.
Examples of eligible projects can be found in
The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program Final Program Guidance: CMAQ Improvement Program (PDF).
Eligibility
Although the TMA decides the most appropriate use of funds, examples (from the CMAQ Program Guidance) of what CMAQ funds may be used for are included below:
Chapter VII – Project Eligibility Provisions
Section A – Project Eligibility: General Conditions
4. Planning and Project Development
- Studies that are part of the project development pipeline (e.g., preliminary engineering) under NEPA
- Planning and design for bike and pedestrian projects
Section D – Eligible Projects and Programs
1. Transportation Control Measure (TCMs)
- ix. Programs to limit areas… to the use of nonmotorized vehicles or pedestrians
- x. Programs for secure bicycle storage facilities, other bike facilities
- xi. Programs to control extended idling of vehicles (cars, buses)
6. Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities and Program
- Constructing bicycles and pedestrian facilities (for transportation)
- Non-construction outreach related to safe bicycle use (education)
The State Highway Safety Program, commonly referred to as Section 402, supports state and community programs aimed at reducing crashes, deaths, injuries, and property damage.
FHWA National Program Overview
Eligible Programs (funded with Sections 402 funds)
- Alcohol countermeasures
- Occupant protection
- Police traffic services (e.g. enforcement)
- Emergency medical services
- Traffic records
- Motorcycle safety
- Pedestrian and bicycle safety
- Nonconstruction aspects of roadway safety
- Speed control
Examples from Other States
Section 402 funds have been used to fund several bike and pedestrian safety programs across the country, including the following activities and programs:
- Comprehensive school-based pedestrian and bike safety education programs
- Helmet-distribution programs
- Pedestrian safety programs for older adults
- Training in use of ped/bike design guidelines
- Community information and education programs
- Public information in May (Bike Safety Month) and in September (Back to School Safety Month).
- Public information for school zone and crosswalk safety
- Public information about older adults and impaired pedestrian
CDBG funding can be used for housing rehabilitation, public services, community facilities, infrastructure improvement, development, and planning. There are both formula grants and competitive funding cycles.
Eligible Projects
- Acquisition of property for public purposes;
- Construction or reconstruction of streets, water and sewer facilities, neighborhood centers, recreation facilities, and other public works;
- Demolition;
- Rehabilitation of public and private buildings;
- Public services;
- Planning activities;
- Assistance to nonprofit entities for community development activities; and
- Assistance to private, for-profit entities to carry out economic development activities (including assistance to microenterprises).
For more information:
Go to PA Department of Community and Economic Development and email your question in the "Contact Us" page.
DCNR offers grants that help develop and maintain recreational facilities.
General DCNR grant opportunities: Environmental eGrants System
Recreational Trails Funding
Provides funds to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail related facilities for motorized and nonmotorized recreational trail use. Recreational Trails Program Overview: Bureau of Recreation and Conservation
Revenue from fines collected at automated red light enforcement cameras is used to fund activities that positively affect highway safety or mobility. Learn more about this program on our Traffic Signals page.
When grants or other sources of funding are unavailable, local sources of funding or donations from private businesses may help to start or continue SRTS efforts in your community.
Local funding or donations for SRTS activities may be available from the following organizations in your community:
- AAA club
- YMCA
- Businesses or nonprofit organizations
- Fundraisers, such as a 5k walk or race
- County or municipal maintenance funds for smaller improvements, including the following:
- Crosswalks
- Speed bump/table/hump
- Bike racks
- Yield to pedestrian channelizing devices (free)
- Awareness campaigns
- Walking school buses at the local level
The Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the state.
The program is intended to provide financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, rail/freight, and ports to improve transportation assets that enhance communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization.
Read more from PennDOT.
The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Multimodal Transportation Fund provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the commonwealth.
Funds may be used for the development, rehabilitation, and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets and transit-oriented development.
Grants are available for projects with a total cost of $100,000 or more. Grants shall not exceed $3,000,000 for any project.
Read more from the
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.