The South Dakota Transportation Commission has allocated federal dollars to 16 sidewalk, trail, and shared use path Transportation Alternatives projects, including one in Oacoma.
The total amount of grant funding assigned to projects during the recent commission meeting was approximately $9.5 million.
Grant recipients include:
- City– Rapid City, Box Elder, Harrisburg, Yankton, Sturgis, Baltic, Beresford, Lake Norden, Garretson, Marty, Bison, Oacoma and White;
- Nonprofit– the Harrisburg School District;
- Tribal– Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe; and
- State– South Veterans Parkway in Sioux Falls.
The Transportation Alternatives program uses federal transportation funds, designated by Congress, for specific activities that enhance the inter-modal transportation system and provide safe alternative transportation options. TA encompasses a variety of smaller-scale non-motorized transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities, recreational trails, safe routes to school projects, community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management, and environmental mitigation related to storm water and habitat connectivity.
Approximately $8 million is available annually through a competitive selection process administered by the South Department of Transportation (SDDOT) Office of Project Development. Projects may be limited to $600,000 depending on annual funding allowance. The minimum grant given for infrastructure projects is $50,000. There is no minimum for non-infrastructure projects. All projects require a minimum local match of 18.05%.
A variety of activities are eligible for TA funding. Eligible projects must meet one or more of the following noted activities and relate to surface transportation. TA projects do not need to be located along federal-aid highways. Eligible activities under TA consist of the following:
- Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities;
- Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure-related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers;
- Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails;
- Planning and implementation of community improvement activities;
- Environmental Mitigation;
- Implementation of the Safe Routes to School Program; and
- Boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate system routes or other divided highways.
Find additional TA program information on the SDDOT website at https://dot.sd.gov/programs-services/programs/transportation-alternatives/.
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