Transportation Alternatives Program
Forecasted
Transportation Alternatives Program supports Montana communities with walking, cycling, trail, and environmental mitigation projects to improve transportation safety, connectivity, and accessibility.
Funder: Montana Department of Transportation
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1,500,000 for Capital Improvement or $500,000 for Pavement Preservation
Summary: Supports smaller-scale transportation projects in Montana, including walking and cycling facilities, trails, safe routes to school, and environmental mitigation.
Key Information: Nonprofits must partner with another eligible entity, which must serve as the project sponsor.
Description
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) administers Transportation Alternatives (TA) funding through a set-aside of the federal Surface Transportation Block Grant program. Competitive funding supports smaller-scale transportation projects, including pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, recreational trails, safe routes to school, historic transportation preservation, vegetation management, and environmental mitigation addressing highway runoff and habitat connectivity.
The program accepts Capital Improvement and Pavement Preservation projects, including improvements to paths and sidewalks. Eligible work also encompasses accessibility improvements, abandoned railroad corridor conversions, turnouts and overlooks, vulnerable road user safety assessments, shared micromobility, and certain transportation-demand reduction activities. MDT administers the statewide competition, while metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) administer separate competitions for their areas.
