This program provides federal funds for community based “non-traditional” surface transportation projects designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation’s intermodal system. Funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Federal Aid Program, this program is administered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), in partnership with the NJTPA. Since 2014, 136 projects totaling $132 million in grants for design and construction have been awarded in the NJTPA region.

A picture of a paved trail in Passaic County with a bench alongside and trees with leaves changing color for fall.

Passaic County received TA Set-Aside funding to install a new pedestrian bridge over the Peckman River in Little Falls to connect to the Morris Canal Greenway.

Program Objectives

  • Strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the intermodal system.
  • Encourage walking, bicycling, and rolling as an alternative mode of transportation.
  • Make active transportation a more attractive option to get around.
  • Provide benefits to vulnerable members of your community, including low-income residents, minorities, those with limited English proficiency, persons with disabilities, children and older adults.

Program Eligibility

Projects must support non-motorized transportation or community improvements.

Any municipality, county, regional transportation authority, transit agency, natural resource or public land agency, and tribal government is eligible to apply for funding after a solicitation is announced. Non-profit organizations are not eligible as direct grant recipients for the solicitation. However, non-profit organizations may partner with a local public agency that will assume responsibility and administration for the grant.

Project Selection Criteria

  1. Multimodal Facilities – Design and construction of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized forms of transportation.
  2. Rails to Trails – Conversion of abandoned railroad corridors to trails for use by pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized transportation users.
  3. Scenic Views- Construction of scenic turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas.
  4. Historic Preservation – Preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities for both land and water such as building structures and canals.
  5. Community Improvement – Activities related to community improvements. Specifically, streetscaping and corridor landscaping.
  6. Stormwater Management – Environmental mitigation to address stormwater management, control, and water pollution prevention, or abatement related to highway construction or due to highway runoff.
  7. Wildlife Safety – Reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality or to restore and maintain connectivity among terrestrial or aquatic habitats.
  8. User Mode Choice – Affects the user’s mode choice and encourages active transportation over vehicular travel.
  9. Safety and Health Benefits – Improvements address a safety need and enhances public health benefits.

Project Profile: Patriots’ Path, Township of Washington

The Patriots’ Path is a multi-use trail system in Morris County open to cyclists, hikers, and horseback riders, that extends more than 70 miles, following the corridors of the Whippany and Black Rivers and the South Branch of the Raritan River. It links federal, state, county and municipal parks and trails, as well as watershed lands, historic sites and many other points of interest throughout Morris County and neighboring Essex, Hunterdon, Sussex and Warren counties.

The project consists of the construction and reconstruction of about 4.1 miles of non-motorized trails and pathways in the Township of Washington, including a spur to a scenic overlook at Cataract Park. The project also includes sidewalk and safety improvements at Flocktown Road Elementary School that spur off Patriot’s Path and connect to nearby neighborhoods with curb bump-outs and new crosswalks. At the intersection of Mission Road and Spring Lane there is a small parking facility. Off County Route 517 along Mission Road a boardwalk system is proposed with educational signage to connect the Hasting’s Square community to the trail system.