Office of Planning, Environment, & Realty (HEP)
Planning • Environment • Real Estate
The National Transportation Alternatives Clearinghouse (NTAC) is an information service sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
NTAC maintains an up-to-date directory to help you find contact information for your State TAP Manager and your State's FHWA liaison.
Program purpose
The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) authorized the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to provide funding for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation; recreational trail projects; safe routes to school projects; and projects for planning, designing, or constructing boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former divided highways. The TAP replaced the funding from pre-MAP-21 programs including the Transportation Enhancement Activities, Recreational Trails Program, Safe Routes to School Program.
MAP-21 Section 1122 codified the TAP under title 23 United States Code (U.S.C.) sections 213(b) and 101(a)(29). Section 213 of title 23 provides for the reservation of funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b) of title 23 to carry out the TAP. The national total reserved for the TAP is equal to 2 percent of the total amount authorized from the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund for Federal-aid highways each fiscal year.
| Year | 2013 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Authorization | $809 M | $820 M |
Official MAP-21 Guidance is posted on FHWA's MAP-21 website.
Links on the TAP webpages provide additional information to assist with program administration and with project planning, design, funding, construction, maintenance, and operation. The FHWA MAP-21 TAP Guidance takes precedence for program policy for funds apportioned under MAP-21.
Transportation Enhancement (TE) Activities: TE information remains in effect for TE funds apportioned prior to MAP-21. However, many TE resource webpages will redirect to the TAP webpages.
Recreational Trails Program (RTP): RTP information remains in effect except where superseded in the TAP Guidance and Q&A. If a State continues to participate in the RTP, all RTP provisions and requirements continue under section 206 of title 23.
Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS): SRTS information remains in effect for SRTS funds apportioned prior to MAP-21.
