FHWA will accept applications to participate in the Transportation Access Pilot Program in rounds. This first round seeks to identify transportation agencies that are currently working on or are soon planning to start transportation accessibility analysis studies. Additional rounds may be announced in future years as needed to satisfy the scope of the pilot program.
Please fill out the Letter of Interest form with the information below. The form may also be used as a cover page for a longer letter of interest provided as an attachment. Please email the completed form with any attachments to [email protected] on or before June 7, 2024 to be considered for participation in the first round of the pilot program.
Requested Information
Submissions may not exceed five pages in length (excluding cover pages).
For assistance or questions, please contact [email protected].
States, MPOs, and RTPOs may submit to FHWA a Letter of Interest (LOI), to indicate their interest to participate in the pilot program. FHWA encourages eligible agencies to share information about their recent experiences and near-term interests in accessibility analyses. This could include their agency's past experiences measuring transportation access, the location and scope of a study they would like to engage in, specialized datasets available to the agency, and analysis approaches they are interested in pursuing.
FHWA will review the LOIs in the context of agency eligibility and stated interests and follow up for further discussion of potential partnering opportunities. The Review Team will consider expressions of interest and subsequent discussions informed by the criteria listed below. Eligible agencies may be invited to develop a more detailed pilot project application to inform the finalist stage of the of the evaluation process.
Please submit a letter of interest on or before June 7, 2024 to be considered for the first round of the pilot program.
A Review Team will review all LOIs to confirm eligibility. For this round, FHWA will not consider LOIs that:
Agencies providing eligible LOIs will be contacted by FHWA to confirm information and provide an opportunity for clarifications as needed.
Section 13010(f)(1) of the BIL requires FHWA to select a diverse range of pilot program participants and participation from different agency types and sizes. Eligible agencies include State DOTs, MPOs that serve an area with a population of 200,000 people or fewer, MPOs that serve an area with a population of over 200,000 people, and RTPOs.
Section 13010(f)(2) of the BIL also requires FHWA to ensure that pilot program participants have a range of capacity and previous experience with measuring transportation access; and that participants propose a variety of methodologies and focus areas for measuring level of access.
For the first round of APP, priority consideration will be given to agencies with demonstrated work relevant to 13010(c)(1) and a commitment to future work in accessibility analysis. The purpose of doing so is to help inform future rounds of the pilot program through demonstrated practices established by experienced pilot program participants. To address the requirements of Section 13010(f)(2), future rounds will prioritize less experienced applicants.
For the first round of APP, FHWA will evaluate each LOI and rate applications as highly qualified, qualified, and not qualified based on the applicant's demonstrated experience and commitment to future work in accessibility analysis.
FHWA will also give priority consideration to agencies seeking to address Administration priorities and USDOT Strategic Plan Goals in their access pilot program studies:
DOT is committed to advancing safe, efficient transportation, including in FHWA's Transportation Access pilot program. FHWA will give priority consideration to partnering with eligible agencies in the Transportation Access Pilot Program who are interested in developing and demonstrating access measures that incorporate safety concerns, including both vehicle occupants and vulnerable road users. A vulnerable road user may include people walking, biking, or rolling, including a highway worker on foot in a work zone.
DOT is committed to fighting Climate Change and improving the sustainability of our transportation systems. FHWA will give priority consideration to partnering with eligible agencies in the Transportation Access Pilot Program who are interested in developing and demonstrating access measures and evaluating options that improve access to opportunities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other emissions resulting from vehicular travel.
DOT is committed to pursuing a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including by addressing decades of underinvestment in disadvantaged communities. FHWA will give priority consideration to partnering with eligible agencies in the Transportation Access Pilot Program who demonstrate interest in working to identify current inequities in access to important destinations and evaluating options to improve access to opportunities for underserved communities consistent with Executive Orders 13985 (86 FR 7009) and 14091 (88 FR 10825) on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
FHWA will consider information provided in the LOI and identify prospective finalists. FHWA may select finalists with applications rated as highly qualified or qualified. FHWA may select applications rated as qualified over applications rated highly qualified if the qualified applications better address the identified priority considerations. Agencies not advancing for further consideration will be notified when selections are made.
Prospective finalists will be contacted by FHWA to confirm interest in continuing as a finalist. FHWA will work with the lead agency to develop a more detailed pilot project application to assist in the evaluation process. This could include information such as:
The Review Team will review and evaluate all finalist pilot project proposals based on the selection process and evaluation criteria described below.
FHWA intends to selection recommendations for pilot participants within 90 days of the submittal deadline. The exact number of pilot program participants selected will be dependent upon the number of finalists and pilot project applications received and available program resources.
In future rounds, priority will be given to proposals that seek to satisfy aspects of the scope of BIL Section 13010 which have not yet been addressed by past pilot participants.
