RDO/MPO Letter of Intent Review Sheet - Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Funding Questions

Sep 16, 2026

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RDO/MPO Letter of Intent Review sheet provides a structured set of questions for reviewing parties to discuss with applicants before recommending projects for full Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) application consideration. It covers federal funding eligibility, project concept clarity and cost understanding, written support from sponsoring agencies and responsible engineers, financial match strategy and match commitment status, and the need for right-of-way or temporary easements with associated timelines and certainty levels.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time2 min

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RDO/MPO Letter of Intent Review sheet

Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) eligibility

Project concept, costs, and readiness

Written support from sponsoring agencies

Financial strategy and funding match

Right of Way and temporary easement needs

RDO/MPO Letter of Intent Review sheet (Applicants do not need to complete this check-list, but should be prepared to answer these questions during a follow-up conversation with their respective Regional Development Organization or MAPO) . Proposed project name: Applicant/Sponsor interviewed: Date of LOI interview: Interviewer: The following is a list of questions that the reviewing party should discuss with the applicant prior to recommending the project to continue to the full application. 1. Is the project eligible to receive federal funding through the Transportation Alternatives Program? Does the project meet one of the qualifying criteria below? ☐ Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized forms of transportation, including sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, traffic calming techniques, lighting and other safety-related infrastructure, and transportation projects to achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) . ☐ Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure-related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers, including children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities to access daily needs. ☐ Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails for pedestrians, bicyclists, or other non-motorized transportation users. ☐ Construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas. ☐ Community improvement activities, including— a. inventory, control, or removal of outdoor advertising; b. historic preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities; c. vegetation management practices in transportation rights-of-way to improve roadway safety, prevent against invasive species, and provide erosion control; and d. archaeological activities relating to impacts from implementation of a transportation project eligible under this title. ☐ Any environmental mitigation activity, including pollution prevention and pollution abatement activities and mitigation to: a. address storm water management, control, and water pollution prevention or abatement related to highway construction or due to highway runoff, including activities described in sections 133 (b)(11), 328 (a), and 329 ; or b. reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality or to restore and maintain connectivity among terrestrial or aquatic habitats. 2. Does the applicant have a clear concept of the project for which they are applying for TAP funding as well as a clear understanding of the costs associated with the project? Have the applicant tell you about their project. You should be able to gauge their level of knowledge and project readiness by the depth of clarity about the project details. RDO/MPO Letter of Intent Review sheet (Applicants do not need to complete this check-list, but should be prepared to answer these questions during a follow-up conversation with their respective Regional Development Organization or MAPO) . ☐ Are they clear about what they want to do? ☐ Are they searching for funds and creating a project to fit the funds? ☐ Is it more than a concept? ☐ Has there been good communication with an engineer who can identify costs involved with the various stages ofthe project? 3. Has the project received written support or equivalent from the sponsoring agency including elected officials and engineers responsible for project delivery? ☐ Do they have written support/resolution from their local unit of government? ☐ Do they have written support/resolution from their sponsoring agency, if required? ☐ Does the sponsoring agency’s Engineer support the project? ☐ Does the project involve partnering with and / or crossing private, railroad, other local, state or federal agency controlled land / rights of way? If so, the full application should include a Letter of Support from the

FAQs

What TAP eligibility criteria must the project meet?

The project must qualify for federal funding under listed Transportation Alternatives Program categories such as trail facilities for non-motorized users, safe routes for non-drivers, abandoned railroad corridor conversions, turnouts and viewing areas, community improvement activities, environmental mitigation, and related eligible items.

How should the reviewer assess the applicant’s project concept and costs?

The applicant should explain the project in detail so reviewers can gauge knowledge and readiness, including whether the applicant understands what they want to do, how the project fits the available funds, and whether they communicated with an engineer who can identify costs across project stages.

What financial match planning does the sheet require?

The applicant and/or sponsoring agency must develop a financial strategy to match federal TAP funding and additional required funding. Reviewers check whether match is verbally committed or budgeted, whether funds are encumbered and designated, whether additional funds can be obtained if needed, and whether other funding sources and schedule requirements can work with the TAP timeline.

Sep 16, 2026

Upload by Rizky