Fact Sheets on Highway Provisions

TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNITY, AND SYSTEM PRESERVATION (TCSP) PROGRAM

Program Purpose

The TCSP Program is intended to address the relationships among transportation, community, and system preservation plans and practices and identify private sector-based initiatives to improve those relationships.

Statutory References

SAFETEA-LU Section: 1117.

Funding

Funded by contract authority; funds are not transferable. Funds are subject to the overall Federal-aid highway obligation limitation. [1117, 1102]

Funds are to be allocated by the Secretary to States, metropolitan planning organizations, local and tribal governments, ensuring an equitable distribution to a diversity of populations and geographic regions.

Eligible Use of Funds

Funds may be used to carry out eligible projects to integrate transportation, community, and system preservation plans and practices that:

• Improve the efficiency of the transportation system of the United States.
• Reduce the impacts of transportation on the environment.
• Reduce the need for costly future investments in public infrastructure.
• Provide efficient access to jobs, services, and centers of trade.
• Examine community development patterns and identify strategies to encourage private sector development.

Eligibility is broadly defined as a project eligible for assistance under title 23 or chapter 53 of title 49, or any other activity the Secretary determines to be appropriate to implement transit-oriented development plans, traffic calming measures, or other coordinated TCSP practices.

Project Selection

The Secretary of Transportation will make grants based on applications from States, tribal, regional, and local governments, with priority consideration given to applicants that:

• Have instituted coordinated preservation or development plans that promote cost-effective investment and private sector strategies,
• Have instituted other TCSP polices such as those addressing high-growth areas, urban growth boundaries, "green corridors" programs that provide access to major highway corridors for controlled growth areas,
• Address environmental mitigation, and
• Encourage private sector involvement.

Federal Share

The Federal share payable on account of any TCSP project or activity shall be 80% or subject to the sliding scale rate. [23 USC 120(b)]