Transportation Development Act
The Transportation Development Act funds research, planning, and operations for public transit and active transportation projects across California, supporting evidence-based improvements through Caltrans oversight.
Funder: California Department of Transportation
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2026 | August 2026 | September 2026 | December 2026 | April 2027
Funding Amounts: No fixed limit; allocations based on county population and operator revenue; LTF and STA funding typically totals over $1.9B statewide annually.
Summary: Supports public transportation, planning, and related projects in California through Local Transportation Fund and State Transit Assistance fund allocations.
Key Information: This is a forecasted grant; all dates are projected and subject to confirmation by Caltrans.
Description
The Transportation Development Act (TDA) provides a major source of funding for public transportation and related projects across California. Established in 1971, the TDA supports transit operations, planning, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and certain non-transit purposes in line with regional transportation plans. Funding is distributed primarily through two mechanisms: the Local Transportation Fund (LTF), sourced from a portion of statewide sales tax, and the State Transit Assistance (STA) fund, which is derived from statewide diesel sales tax revenues. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) oversees statutory compliance, audit reviews, and approval of essential documentation, ensuring the effective and transparent allocation of resources.
