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Safe Streets and Roads for all Grant 2023

The Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant (SS4A) was established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL provides $5 billion in funding for the grant over a five-year period. Over $1 billion is available for fiscal year 2023. The goal of the program is to fund planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets for all users. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, personal conveyance, micromobility users, motorists and commercial vehicle operators.

The program includes two types of grants: Planning and Demonstration Grants and Implementation Grants. Planning and Demonstration Grants are used to develop or supplement a comprehensive safety action plan and to carry out demonstration activities to inform the development of an Action Plan. Implementation grants are used to fund projects that are consistent with an existing Action Plan.

The SS4A grant is an excellent opportunity to fund pedestrian, bike, transit, and auto-oriented transportation infrastructure improvements.

Eligible applicants

Any of the following entities are considered eligible applicants:

  • Metropolitan planning organizations
  • Counties, cities, towns, and transit agencies or other special districts that are subdivisions of a state
  • Federally recognized tribal governments
  • Multijurisdictional groups comprised of the above entities

Eligible project examples

Planning and demonstration grants-action plan required components:

  • Leadership commitment and goal setting that includes a goal timeline for eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries
  • Planning structure through a committee, task force, implementation group, or similar body charged with oversight of the action plan development, implementation and monitoring
  • Safety analysis of the existing conditions and historical trends that provides a baseline level of crashes involving fatalities and serious injuries across a jurisdiction, locality, tribe or region
  • Engagement and collaboration with the public and relevant stakeholders, including the private sector and community groups, that allows for both community representation and feedback
  • Equity considerations developed through a plan using inclusive and representative processes
  • Policy and process changes that assess the current policies, plans, guidelines, and/or standards to identify opportunities to improve how processes prioritize transportation safety
  • Strategy and project selections that identify a comprehensive set of projects and strategies, shaped by data, the best available evidence and noteworthy practices, as well as stakeholder input and equity considerations, that will address the safety problems described in the action plan
  • Progress and transparency methods that measure progress over time after an action plan is developed or updated, including outcome data

Implementation Grant Examples

  • Applying low-cost roadway safety treatments system-wide, such as left- and right-turn lanes at intersections, centerline and shoulder rumble strips, wider edge lines, high-friction surface treatments, road diets and better signage along high-crash urban and rural corridors.
  • Identifying and correcting common risks across a network, such as improving pedestrian crosswalks by adding high-visibility pavement markings, lighting, and signage at transit stops, in a designated neighborhood, or along a busy public transportation route
  • Transforming a roadway corridor on a High-Injury Network into a Complete Street with safety improvements to control speed, separate users, and improve visibility, along with other measures that improve safety for all users.
  • Installing pedestrian safety enhancements and closing network gaps with sidewalks, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, signal improvements, and audible pedestrian signals for people walking, rolling or using mobility-assisted devices
  • Working with community members in an identified problem area to carry out quick-build street design changes informed by outreach and user input
  • Supporting the development of bikeway networks with bicycle lanes for different roadway volumes and speeds that are safe for people of all ages and abilities
  • Carrying out speed management strategies such as implementing traffic calming road design changes, addressing speed along key corridors through infrastructure, conducting education and outreach, setting appropriate speed limits and making strategic use of speed safety cameras
  • Creating safe routes to school and public transit services through multiple activities that lead to people safely walking, biking and rolling in underserved communities
  • Promoting the adoption of innovative technologies or strategies to promote safety and protect vulnerable road users in high-traffic areas where commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, etc. interact

Submission Deadline

Due July 10, 2023 at 5:00PM EST via the new Valid Eval grant portal. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make submissions in advance of the deadline.

Timing of Projects

DOT expects to obligate funds within 12 months after awards have been announced. All SS4A funds must be expended within five years after the grant agreement is executed and DOT obligates the funds.

Funding Availability

The SS4A program has an appropriation of $1 billion for FY23. An additional $177 million in carryover funds from the FY22 application cycle is set aside for Planning and Demonstration Grants.

Award Size

Planning and Demonstration Grants have an expected minimum amount of $100,000 and an expected maximum of $10,000,000. The expected award maximum would likely only be available for metropolitan planning organizations and multijurisdictional applicants applying as a group.

Implementation Grants have an expected minimum amount of $2,500,000 and an expected maximum of $25,000,000. The expected award maximum increases to $50,000,000 for metropolitan planning organizations and multijurisdictional applicants applying as a group. Rural areas with a population of 200,000 or fewer will have a minimum award size of $3,000,000.

Funding Match

SS4A grants require a minimum 20% local match. In-kind contributions may be included as part of the local match.

Reimbursement

SS4A is a reimbursement-based program; applicants do not receive a lump sum. Applicants should plan for local financing to cover costs while awaiting reimbursement.

Getting Started

Initial Consultation

If you are interested in pursuing a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, the first step is to schedule an initial consultation with the Baker Tilly economic development team. This meeting will include a review of your community’s eligibility and an evaluation of potential projects to determine if your projects are competitive.

Engagement and Application Development

Once the initial consultation is complete and a project has been identified, Baker Tilly can begin work immediately with developing a highly competitive grant application. Our team will work with your team to develop a submission timeline, collected required documentation and will utilize a range of data sources to craft a compelling grant narrative to highlight the benefits of your project. For more information on how to take the first step, please contact us!

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