I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3092 
To establish a program to award grants to entities that provide transportation 
connectors from critically underserved communities to green spaces, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 5, 2023 
Mr. GOMEZ (for himself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BONAMICI, 
Ms. BROWN, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. CARSON, Mr. CASTEN, 
Ms. CHU, Mr. COHEN, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. 
ESPAILLAT, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. 
JACOBS, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. NADLER, 
Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Ms. PORTER, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr. SAR-
BANES, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, 
Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. TITUS, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, and Mr. PANETTA) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To establish a program to award grants to entities that 
provide transportation connectors from critically under-
served communities to green spaces, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Transit to Trails Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. TRANSIT TO TRAILS GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMUNITY OF COLOR.—The term ‘‘com-
munity of color’’ means a geographically distinct 
area in which the population of any of the following 
categories of individuals is higher than the average 
populations of such category for the State in which 
the community is located: 
(A) Black. 
(B) African American. 
(C) Asian. 
(D) Pacific Islander. 
(E) Other non-White race. 
(F) Hispanic. 
(G) Latino. 
(H) Linguistically isolated. 
(I) Middle Eastern and North African. 
(2) CRITICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.— 
The 
term 
‘‘critically 
underserved 
community’’ 
means— 
(A) a community that can demonstrate to 
the Secretary that the community has inad-
equate, insufficient, or no park space or recre-
ation facilities, including by demonstrating— 
(i) quality concerns relating to the 
available park space or recreation facilities; 
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(ii) the presence of recreational facili-
ties that do not serve the needs of the com-
munity; or 
(iii) the inequitable distribution of 
park space for high-need populations based 
on income, age, or other measures of vul-
nerability and need; 
(B) a community in which at least 50 per-
cent of the population is not located within 1⁄2 
mile of park space; 
(C) an environmental justice community; 
or 
(D) any other community that the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate. 
(3) DESIGNATED
SERVICE
AREA.—The term 
‘‘designated service area’’ means a geographical area 
recommended by a designated official planning agen-
cy that defines the community in which coordinated 
transportation services are provided to the transpor-
tation disadvantaged. 
(4) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligible enti-
ty’’ means— 
(A) a State; 
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(B) a political subdivision of a State (in-
cluding a city or a county) that represents or 
otherwise serves an urban area or a rural area; 
(C) a special purpose district (including a 
park district); 
(D) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 
4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)) that 
represents or otherwise serves an urban area or 
a rural area; or 
(E) a metropolitan planning organization 
(as defined in section 134(b) of title 23, United 
States Code). 
(5) ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE
COMMUNITY.— 
The term ‘‘environmental justice community’’ means 
a community with significant representation of com-
munities of color, low-income communities, or Tribal 
or indigenous communities that experiences, or is at 
risk of experiencing, a disproportionate burden of 
adverse human health or environmental effects. 
(6) LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘low- 
income community’’ means any census block group 
in which 30 percent or more of the population are 
individuals with an annual household income equal 
to, or less than, the greater of— 
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(A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the 
median income of the area in which the house-
hold is located, as reported by the Department 
of Housing and Urban Development; or 
(B) 200 percent of the Federal poverty 
line. 
(7) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the Transit to Trails Grant Program established 
under subsection (b)(1). 
(8) RURAL
AREA.—The term ‘‘rural area’’ 
means a community that is not an urban area. 
(9) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
(10) TRANSPORTATION CONNECTOR.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘transpor-
tation connector’’ means a system that— 
(i) connects 2 ZIP Codes or commu-
nities within a 175-mile radius of a des-
ignated service area; and 
(ii) offers rides available to the public. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘transpor-
tation connector’’ includes microtransits, bus 
lines, bus rails, light rail, rapid transits, or per-
sonal rapid transits. 
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(11) URBAN
AREA.—The term ‘‘urban area’’ 
means a community that— 
(A) is densely developed; 
(B) has residential, commercial, and other 
nonresidential areas; and 
(C) is— 
(i) an urbanized area with a popu-
lation of 50,000 or more; or 
(ii) an urban cluster with a population 
of— 
(I) not less than 2,500; and 
(II) not more than 50,000. 
(b) GRANT PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a grant program, to be known as the ‘‘Tran-
sit to Trails Grant Program’’, under which the Sec-
retary shall award grants to eligible entities for— 
(A) projects that develop transportation 
connectors or routes in or serving, and related 
culturally and linguistically appropriate edu-
cation materials for, critically underserved com-
munities to increase access and mobility to Fed-
eral or non-Federal public land, waters, park-
land, or monuments; or 
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(B) projects that facilitate transportation 
improvements to enhance access to Federal or 
non-Federal public land and recreational oppor-
tunities in critically underserved communities. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ad-
minister the program to assist eligible entities 
in the development of transportation connectors 
or routes in or serving, and related culturally 
and linguistically appropriate education mate-
rials for, critically underserved communities and 
Federal or non-Federal public land, waters, 
parkland, and monuments. 
(B) JOINT PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary 
shall encourage joint partnership projects under 
the program, if available, among multiple agen-
cies, including school districts, nonprofit organi-
zations, metropolitan planning organizations, 
regional 
transportation 
authorities, 
transit 
agencies, and State and local governmental 
agencies (including park and recreation agen-
cies and authorities) to enhance investment of 
public sources. 
(C) ANNUAL
GRANT
PROJECT
PROPOSAL 
SOLICITATION, REVIEW, AND APPROVAL.— 
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(i) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
Secretary 
shall— 
(I) annually solicit the submis-
sion of project proposals for grants 
from eligible entities under the pro-
gram; and 
(II) review each project proposal 
submitted under subclause (I) on a 
timeline established by the Secretary. 
(ii) 
REQUIRED
ELEMENTS
FOR 
PROJECT
PROPOSAL.—A project proposal 
submitted under clause (i)(I) shall in-
clude— 
(I) a statement of the purposes 
of the project; 
(II) the name of the entity or in-
dividual with overall responsibility for 
the project; 
(III) a description of the quali-
fications of the entity or individuals 
identified under subclause (II); 
(IV) a description of— 
(aa) 
staffing 
and 
stake-
holder 
engagement 
for 
the 
project; 
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(bb) the logistics of the 
project; and 
(cc) anticipated outcomes of 
the project; 
(V) a proposed budget for the 
funds and time required to complete 
the project; 
(VI) information regarding the 
source and amount of matching fund-
ing available for the project; 
(VII) 
information 
that 
dem-
onstrates the clear potential of the 
project to contribute to increased ac-
cess to parkland for critically under-
served communities; and 
(VIII) any other information that 
the Secretary considers to be nec-
essary for evaluating the eligibility of 
the project for funding under the pro-
gram. 
(D) PRIORITY.—To the extent practicable, 
in determining whether to approve project pro-
posals under the program, the Secretary shall 
prioritize projects that— 
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(i) are designed to increase access and 
mobility to local or neighborhood Federal 
or non-Federal public land, waters, park-
land, monuments, or recreational opportu-
nities; 
(ii) utilize low- or no-emission vehi-
cles; 
(iii) provide free or discounted rates 
for low-income riders; 
(iv) provide opportunities for youth 
engagement; 
(v) provide employment preference to 
individuals who reside in the community 
where the project is granted; 
(vi) are established in communities of 
color, low-income communities, Tribal or 
indigenous communities, or rural areas; 
(vii) would capitalize on existing es-
tablished public-private partnerships; and 
(viii) comply with relevant regulations 
issued under the Americans with Disabil-
ities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et 
seq.). 
(3) 
TRANSPORTATION
PLANNING
PROCE-
DURES.— 
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(A) PROCEDURES.—In consultation with 
the head of each appropriate Federal land man-
agement agency, the Secretary shall develop, by 
rule, transportation planning procedures for 
projects conducted under the program that are 
consistent with metropolitan and statewide 
planning processes. 
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the 
program, the Secretary shall ensure the fol-
lowing: 
(i) All projects carried out under the 
program shall comply with sections 5303 
and 5304 of title 49, United States Code. 
(ii) All new transportation connectors 
and routes established under a project car-
ried out under the program shall be acces-
sible in accordance with the accessibility 
specifications for transportation vehicles 
under the Americans with Disabilities Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). 
(iii) State department of transpor-
tation agencies shall engage with relevant 
stakeholders 
consistent 
with 
sections 
5304(f)(3) and 5404(g)(3) of title 49, 
United States Code, and metropolitan 
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planning organizations shall engage with 
relevant stakeholders consistent with sec-
tions 
5303(g)(3)(B), 
5303(i)(5), 
and 
5303(i)(6) of title 49, United States Code, 
in addition to faith-based and community- 
based organizations. 
(iv) Except as otherwise provided 
under this section, a grant provided under 
this section shall be subject to the require-
ments of section 5307 of title 49, United 
States Code. 
(4) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of 
the cost of a project carried out under the pro-
gram shall not exceed 80 percent. 
(B) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The non-Fed-
eral share of the cost of a project carried out 
under the program may be derived from in-kind 
contributions. 
(5) ELIGIBLE
USES.—Grant funds provided 
under the program may be used— 
(A) to develop transportation connectors or 
routes in or serving, and related culturally and 
linguistically appropriate education materials 
for, critically underserved communities to in-
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crease access and mobility to Federal and non- 
Federal public land, waters, parkland, and 
monuments; and 
(B) to create or significantly enhance ac-
cess to Federal or non-Federal public land and 
recreational opportunities in an urban area or 
a rural area. 
(6) GRANT AMOUNT.—A grant provided under 
the program shall be— 
(A) not less than $25,000; and 
(B) not more than $500,000. 
(7) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—It is the intent 
of Congress that grants provided under the program 
deliver project funds to areas of greatest need while 
offering technical assistance to all applicants and po-
tential applicants for grant preparation to encourage 
full participation in the program. 
(8) PUBLIC
INFORMATION.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that current schedules and routes for 
transportation systems developed after the receipt of 
a grant under the program are available to the pub-
lic, including on a website maintained by the recipi-
ent of a grant. 
(c) REPORTING REQUIREMENT.— 
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(1) REPORTS
BY
GRANT
RECIPIENTS.—The 
Secretary shall require a recipient of a grant under 
the program to submit to the Secretary at least 1 
performance and financial report that— 
(A) includes— 
(i) demographic data on communities 
served by the project; and 
(ii) a summary of project activities 
conducted after receiving the grant; and 
(B) describes the status of each project 
funded by the grant as of the date of the re-
port. 
(2) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.—In addition to the 
report required under paragraph (1), the Secretary 
may require additional reports from a recipient, as 
the Secretary determines to be appropriate, includ-
ing a final report. 
(3) DEADLINES.—The Secretary shall establish 
deadlines for the submission of each report required 
under paragraph (1) or (2). 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for the first and second fiscal years that 
begin after the date of enactment of this Act, $20,000,000 
for the third and fourth fiscal year beginning after such 
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