A bill to amend section 213 of title 23, United States Code, relating to the Transportation Alternatives Program.

To amend section 213 of title 23, United States Code, relating to the Transportation Alternatives Program. 1. Transportation alternatives program (a) Cost sharing Section 120 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ( l Transportation Alternatives Program The Federal share requirements under this section applicable to the transportation alternatives program under section 213 may be met based on— (1) an individual project or activity under that section; or (2) a program of projects or activities approved under that section. . (b) Eligible entities; annual reports Section 213 of title 23, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking each of fiscal years 2013 and 2014 each fiscal year (B) in paragraph (2), by striking 2 percent 3 percent (2) in subsection (c)— (A) in paragraph (1)— (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 50 percent 66.67 percent (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 50 percent shall be obligated 33.33 percent shall be obligated to any eligible entity (B) in paragraph (4)(B)— (i) by redesignating clauses (vi) and (vii) as clauses (viii) and (ix), respectively; (ii) by inserting after clause (v), the following: (vi) a not-for-profit entity responsible for the administration of local transportation safety programs; (vii) a metropolitan planning organization that is not developing the competitive process for funding ; and (iii) in clause (viii), as redesignated, by inserting for an urbanized population of more than 200,000 metropolitan planning organization (3) in subsection (d), by inserting available under subsection (c)(1)(B) excess funds (4) by striking subsection (e); and (5) by amending subsection (g) to read as follows: (g) Annual reports (1) In general Each State or metropolitan planning organization responsible for carrying out the requirements under this section shall submit an annual report to the Secretary that describes— (A) the number of project applications received for each fiscal year, including— (i) the aggregate cost of the projects for which applications are received; and (ii) the types of projects to be carried out (as described in subsection (b)), expressed as percentages of the State’s total apportionment under subsection (a); and (B) the number of projects selected for funding for each fiscal year, including the aggregate cost and location of projects selected. (2) Public availability The Secretary shall make available to the public, in a user-friendly format on the website of the Department, a copy of each annual report submitted under paragraph (1). .

Summary: This bill permits the federal share requirements applicable to the transportation alternatives program (TAP) to be met based on: (1) an individual project or activity, or (2) a program of projects or activities. In the allocation of funds for transportation alternatives, 66.67% (increased from 50%) of reserved funds per fiscal year shall be obligated to any eligible entity in proportion to its relative shares of the state population in: (1) urbanized areas with a population of over 200,000, (2) non-urban areas with a population greater than 5,000, and (3) other areas of the state. Certain not-for-profit entities and metropolitan planning organizations are now eligible to be TAP project sponsors. A state's authority to opt out of the recreational trails program is repealed. Each state or metropolitan planning organization responsible for carrying out TAP requirements must report annually to the Department of Transportation on the the number of TAP project applications received and the number of projects selected for funding.