Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A)

5/9/2023 CRCOG Workshop:

Description: The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced availability of over $1 billion in funding for Fiscal Year 2023 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. View SS4AMemotoTC_04192023 for information about the recommended approach for this funding round.

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
  • Implementation Grants to implement strategies or projects consistent with an existing Action Plan.

Applicants may only apply for a single grant type, but both grant types include the option to include Planning and Demonstration projects.

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, in place by June 2023, 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 $250 million for 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
  • 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 Additional Safety Context (for supplemental planning and/or demonstration activities only)
    • Consideration: Project Readiness
    • Additional Considerations may also be considered, such as:
      • the percentage of funds spent in, and provide safety benefits to, designated underserved communities 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 under $10 million

 

Link to Program Website:

Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program Website

Visit Grants.gov to access the latest Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Here is a link to the NOFO that was published on March 30, 2023, which may not be the latest: SS4A-NOFO-FY23.pdf

Eligible Applicants: 

CRCOG, Municipalities, Others

 

Due Date:

Applications are due July 10, 2023 (electronically through Valid Eval)

Link to Implementation Grant application submission portal: https://usg.valideval.com/teams/usdot_ss4a_2023_implementation/signup

Link to Planning and Demonstration Grant application submission portal: https://usg.valideval.com/teams/usdot_ss4a_2023_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: Below is a list of upcoming webinars about SS4A. Visit the U.S. DOT Webinar Series Webpage for more information.

Office Hours with U.S. DOT:

  • Planning and Demonstration Grants
    • How to fill out the SF-424A and SF-LLL forms: Monday, May 22, 2023, 2:30 - 3:30 pm (EDT) Register
  • Implementation Grants
    • How to fill out the SF-424C and SF-LLL forms: Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 1:00 - 2:00 pm (EDT) Register
    • Example Estimated Supplemental Budget: Thursday, May 25, 2023, 2:00 - 3:00 pm (EDT) Register
    • Self-Certification Eligibility Worksheet: Tuesday, May 30, 2023, 2:30 - 3:30 pm (EDT) Register
    • Project Area Fatalities and Serious Injuries: Friday, June 2, 2023, 1:30 - 2:30 pm (EDT) Register
  • All Grant Applications
    • Calculating Percentage of Population in Underserved Communities, Determining Fatality Rate per 100,000 Persons: Monday, June 5, 2023, 2:30 - 3:30 pm (EDT) Register

 

Additional Resources: The U.S. DOT SS4A Resources Webpage contains valuable information to help applicants, including but not limited to the following:

 

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 issued on March 30, 2023.

Please contact Elizabeth Sanderson, BIL Coordinator at CRCOG, with questions or if you would like additional information about this program.

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