Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
Forecasted
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) supports Kentucky communities with pedestrian, bicycle, and non-driver access projects to improve mobility, safe routes to school, and transportation environments.
Funder: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2027 (State TAP application cycle)
Funding Amounts: Federal-aid project funding with a required 20% local match
Summary: TAP funds Kentucky surface transportation projects supporting walking, bicycling, non-driver access, safe routes to school, and community and environmental improvements.
Key Information: The entire funded project must follow federal guidelines, including portions paid with state or local funds.
Description
The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), administered in Kentucky by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), provides federal funding for surface transportation alternatives. It supports on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure improving non-driver access to public transportation and daily needs, enhanced mobility, safe routes to school, community improvements, and environmental mitigation. The federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside is part of the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and generally supports smaller-scale transportation projects.
KYTC’s Office of Local Programs oversees state TAP funding. Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) conduct their own competitive selection processes for suballocated funds, with selected eligible projects subsequently administered through KYTC. Federal legislation requires competitive selection to prioritize project location and impact in high-need areas, as defined by the state, such as low-income, transit-dependent, and rural areas.
