Federal Transit Administration - Grants & Financing

Congestion in and around popular national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests, and other federal lands causes traffic delays and noise and air pollution that substantially detract from the visitor’s experience and the protection of natural resources. Congress established the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in the Parks Program, formerly Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands (ATPPL) Program, to enhance the protection of national parks and federal lands and increase the enjoyment of those visiting them. Administered by the Federal Transit Administration in partnership with the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service, the program funds capital and planning expenses for alternative transportation systems¹ such as shuttle buses and bicycle trails in national parks and public lands. The goals of the program are to conserve natural, historical, and cultural resources; reduce congestion and pollution; improve visitor mobility and accessibility; enhance visitor experience; and ensure access to all, including persons with disabilities.

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Web-based Seminar (Webinar)

The Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in the Parks Program, formerly Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands (ATPPL) Program, conducted a webinar conference on January 16, 2007 and February 13, 2008. Individuals and organizations were invited to participate both in the teleconference (audio) portion or by participating and viewing the presentation in real time on the web. The webinar was intended to focus particularly on the project application procedure. Participants included federal lands management agency staff, state, local, and tribal governments, transit agencies, and professional organizations. At the conclusion of the presentation, Q&A session was conducted.

Webinar Presentation FY 2008 (PowerPoint)
Webinar Presentation FY 2007 (PowerPoint) (HTML)

Fiscal Year 2009 Solicitation

Notice: Request for Proposals. National Technical Assistance Center for Parks and Public Lands [Federal Register: October 31, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 212)] [HTML] [PDF]
This solicitation is for proposals from organizations to implement a National Technical Assistance Center for Alternative Transportation in Public Lands. The Center is to assist the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in the coordinated provision of technical assistance under the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks rogram. The Center is to develop, administer, distribute, and oversee multiple technical assistance products to support land management agencies, States, and local and tribal governments in alternative transportation projects serving federally managed parks and public lands. Organizations that submit proposals should have technical assistance expertise and experience in transportation planning, coordination and operations on parks and public lands.
FTA will award a cooperative agreement (one base year plus two option years) for an estimated amount of $4,500,000. The funding is authorized under section 3021(d)(1) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and subsequently appropriated. For the first year of the project, $1,500,000 will be made available. Funding for subsequent years will be based on available annual appropriations as well as annual performance reviews.
Use of Funds: The organization selected shall (1) provide on-demand and proactive technical assistance in alternative transportation project-level scoping, planning, and operations; (2) provide training and workshops; (3) perform outreach, communications, and coordination of services to support land management agencies in planning processes; (4) maintain a central repository of resources and disseminate resources; (5) support the project evaluation process; (6) convene and
collaborate with an interagency peer review group; and (7) perform project administration and management.
Proposals must be submitted electronically by December 30, 2008. Proposals shall be submitted electronically to http://www.grants.gov/.

Fiscal Year 2008 Solicitation for Project Proposals & Awards

Announcement of project selections: Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program, Formerly Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands Program Federal Register: October 10, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 198)] [HTML] [PDF]
Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) & Solicitation of Project Proposals (Federal Register, December 13, 2007) [HTML] [PDF]

Proposal Forms

Fiscal Year 2007 Solicitation for Projects

FY07 - FRN: Announcement of Project Selection (Federal Register Notice, October 15, 2007)[HTML] [PDF]
Solicitation for Project Proposals (Federal Register Notice, December 5, 2006) [HTML] [PDF]

Fiscal Year 2006 Projects

Guidance

Requirements for Recipients of FY 2006 Funding, July 2006
Sample Quarterly Report [PDF] for Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands Program (ATPPL) funding recipients who are Federal Land Management Agencies. Funding recipients who are State, local or tribal government entities will submit reports through FTA’s electronic grants management system. This document describes the information to be included in quarterly reports and provides an example of a quarterly report.

Links to program partners

Resources

Federal Lands Alternative Transportation Systems Study: Summary of National ATS Needs
Section 3039 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) required the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of the Interior, to “undertake a comprehensive study of alternative transportation needs in national parks and related Federal Lands.” This report study identified significant alternative transportation needs at sites managed by the National Park Service (NPS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Federal Lands Alternative Transportation Systems Study: Summary of Forest Service ATS Needs
This supplement to the Section 3039 study identified significant alternative transportation needs in National Forests.

Links to other resources

¹Alternative transportation means transportation by bus, rail, or any other publicly or privately owned conveyance that provides to the public general or special service on a regular basis, including sightseeing service. Such term also includes a nonmotorized transportation system (including the provision of facilities for pedestrians, bicycles, and nonmotorized watercraft).

Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Program (5320)