Michigan Transportation Alternatives Program Profile
Michigan’s Pere Marquette Rail-Trail | Photo by Chris Collins
State DOT Program Staff
State DOT TA Coordinator
Mike Smith
Transportation Alternatives Program Manager
Department of Transportation
Office of Economic Development
425 W. Ottawa St.
Lansing, MI 48909
Tel: 517-241-3355
Email: SmithM13@michigan.gov
FHWA Division TA Coordinator
Tom Fisher
FHWA -MI Division
Federal Building 315 West Allegan Street
Lansing, MI 48933
Tel: 517-702-1825
Email: thomas.fisher@dot.gov
State DOT Website: https://www.michigan.gov/mdot
TA Program Structure, Policies, and Procedures
- Application timeline: Applications are year round. Please see website for more information.
- TA program structure: The program is administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Economic Development. The state uses a competitive selection process, and TAP funds are distributed directly by MDOT. A portion of TAP funding is available through a competitive grant process administered by Metropolitan Planning Organizations in urban areas with populations greater than 200,000.
- Application tips: Any potential TAP project should be discussed with a TAP grant coordinator by region before beginning an application. Potential applicants should be assured they have a competitive concept worth investing in significant documentation.
- Who is eligible to apply: Eligible applicants include county road commissions, cities, villages, regional transportation authorities, transit agencies, state and federal natural resource or public land agencies, and tribal governments. MDOT may partner with a local agency to apply for funding and implement the project. Other organizations such as townships or trail groups, may work with an eligible agency to apply.
- Application components: Project narrative, budget, environmental statement, design specifications, and public resolutions from each stakeholder public agency that will be affected by or contributing funds to the project. Specifically, the application asks for property information, public involvement information, maintenance plan, photos of the project area, project schedule including if the project will be constructed concurrently with or subsequent to another infrastructure project, and project contact information.
- Selection criteria: Financial factors, public input, coordinated efforts, constructability, maintenance factors, previous TE/TA funding, and alignment with current funding priorities.
- Is there an advisory committee?: Yes.
- Advisory committee members: The committee is composed of MDOT and large MPO employees, including the TAP Program Manager, MDOT Grant Coordinators, technical experts/reviewers (Historian, Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator, Landscape Architects, Engineers, and Water Quality Specialist), and the planners from each of MDOT regions who provide geographic representation. Maintenance, rail, and transit experts are also on the committee. Final decisions are made by the MDOT Office of Economic Development Administrator and MDOT Director.
- Project award minimum: $50,000
- Project award maximum: None
- Match requirement: Average 40% cash on construction; Grants typically do not cover acquisition, permits, design engineering, or construction engineering.
More information on MDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Program can be found here.
