Description: The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced availability of over $1.2 billion in funding for Fiscal Year 2024 for the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. The purpose of SS4A is to improve roadway safety by significantly reducing or eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries through developing safety action plans and implementation projects focused on all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, commercial vehicle operators, and more. Read this Memorandum that highlights key points and next steps.
The program provides funding for two main types of grants:
- Planning and Demonstration Grants for developing comprehensive safety action plans (Action Plans), supplemental safety planning, and/or safety demonstration activities; and
- Multiple Application Deadlines: April 4, May 16, August 29
- Implementation Grants to implement strategies or projects consistent with an existing Action Plan.
- Single Application Deadline: August 29
Applicants may only apply for a single grant type, but both grant types include the option to include Planning and Demonstration projects.
IMPORTANT:
CRCOG and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are collaborating on next steps. If your proposed project involves state roads and/or right-of-way, or you are interested in receiving a letter of support from CTDOT, then please complete this Request for Letter of Support Form and email it to Elizabeth Sanderson before Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in advance of your April 4 application submission. More details to follow on the preferred process for future application deadlines.
CRCOG was awarded a grant for SS4A Round 1, FY 2022, to update and supplement the existing Action Plan for the region. Applications that include duplicative efforts to the activities planned as part of this update may not be competitive. U.S. DOT encourages complementary but distinctive activities, such as demonstration activities, that will help inform the development of an Action Plan.
To be eligible to apply for an Implementation Grant, applicants must have a qualifying Action Plan. Applicants can self-certify that one or more plans are substantially similar to and meet requirements for an Action Plan, as defined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, including components defined in Table 1.
U.S. DOT anticipates awarding at least $656 million for planning and demonstration activities that will inform the development of an Action Plan. Award amounts for Planning and Demonstration Grants are expected to be a minimum of $100,000 and maximum of $10 million for all applicants. Award amounts for Implementation Grants are expected to be a minimum of $2.5 million and maximum of $25 million.
Grant Priorities (See Section D of the NOFO for more information):
- Planning and Demonstration Grants: safety impact, equity, and other safety considerations.
- Implementation Grants: projects and strategies that save lives and reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries; are executed while incorporating equity, engagement, and collaboration; are effective; consider climate change, sustainability, and economic competitiveness; will be completed within 5 years of the grant agreement. Additional considerations will be made for applications that have a high percentage of funds that benefit underserved communities, are in rural areas, request less than $10 million in Federal funds, and/or support geographic diversity amongst recipients.
Selection Criteria (See Section E of the NOFO for more information):
- Planning and Demonstration Grants:
- #1 Safety Impact
- #2 Equity
- #3 Additional Safety Context
- Additional Consideration: Budget Costs
- Award Consideration: High Fatality Rates
- Implementation Grants:
- #1 Safety Impact
- #2 Equity, Engagement, and Collaboration
- #3 Effective Practices and Strategies
- #4 Other DOT Strategic Goals (such as climate and sustainability considerations, workforce development, and economic competitiveness)
- #5 Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Activities
- Consideration: Project Readiness
- Award Considerations:
- the percentage of Implementation Grant funds spent in, and provide safety benefits to, locations in Census tracts designated as underserved communities as defined by the NOFO.
- application's location in a rural area.
- applicant's status as a "priority community" within the Federal Thriving Communities Network
- if the applicant would enhance the geographic diversity of recipients
- federal funding requests for project and strategy activities totaling $10 million or less.
- whether the applicant has a finalized comprehensive safety action plan that includes all required components by April 2024.
- whether the applicant has a Killed and Serious Injuries per $1 million in Federal funding rate that is high compared to other Highly Rated applications.
Link to Program Website:
Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program Website
Here is a link to the FY2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Eligible Applicants:
CRCOG, Municipalities, Others
Apply Online:
Link to Implementation Grant application submission portal: https://usg.valideval.com/teams/usdot_ss4a_2024_implementation/signup
Link to Planning and Demonstration Grant application submission portal: https://usg.valideval.com/teams/usdot_ss4a_2024_planning_demo/signup
Local Match Requirement: Federal share is limited to 80% of the total eligible activity costs; grant recipients must provide at least 20% of eligible activity costs as a matching share
Webinars: Visit the U.S. DOT Webinar Series Webpage for more information.
Additional Resources: The U.S. DOT SS4A Resources Webpage contains valuable information to help applicants, including but not limited to the following:
- Action Plan Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet
- Mapping Tool to determine location of Historically Disadvantaged Communities
- Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Proven Safety Countermeasures
- U.S. DOT National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS)
- CRCOG Regional Transportation Safety Plan (RTSP)
Additional Information about Grant Activities by Type:
- Planning and Demonstration Grants:
- Develop an Action Plan;
- Conduct Supplemental Safety Planning, such as:
- Speed Management
- ADA Transition Plans
- Intelligent Transportation System implementation
- Lighting
- Road Safety Audits
- Demonstration Activities (must have finite trial periods intended to gauge effectiveness to determine if systemic changes will be implemented)
- Feasibility Studies using quick-build strategies to experiment prior to implementing permanent changes (paint, plastic delineator posts, removable barriers, etc.)
- MUTCD Engineering Studies to evaluate warrants for traffic signal installation, high-visibility crosswalk markings, bike lane treatments, etc.)
- Pilot programs for behavioral or operational activities (e.g., test out a new educational campaign, trial changes to Emergency Medical Service responses to crashes)
- Pilot programs for technological advancements (e.g., variable speed limits, adaptive signal timing, adaptive lighting, Intelligent Transportation Systems, etc.)
- Implementation Grants:
- Projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan that address roadway safety problems.
- Supplemental Planning and Demonstration Activities, as described above, are encouraged.
- Planning, design, and development activities for projects and strategies identified in an Action Plan.
This summary is based on a review of the Notice of Funding Opportunity last updated March 1, 2024.
Please contact Elizabeth Sanderson, BIL Coordinator at CRCOG, with questions or if you would like additional information about this program.
