Transit to Trails Act
Bill: S.1461 | Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. (D-NJ)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Transit to Trails Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish the Transit to Trails Grant Program to award grants to certain governmental and private entities for projects that increase transportation access and mobility to public lands, inland and coastal waters, parkland, or monuments for critically underserved communities.
For example, DOT must (1) prioritize approving certain projects, such as projects that use low-or zero-emission vehicles and those that provide free or discounted rates for low-income riders; (2) develop transportation planning procedures for projects conducted under the program that are consistent with metropolitan and statewide planning processes; and (3) ensure that all new transportation connectors and routes developed under the program are accessible to people with disabilities.
The bill requires grant awards to be at least $25,000 and not more than $500,000.
Further, the bill requires publicized schedules and routes for transportation systems that are developed after the receipt of a grant under the program.

To establish a program to award grants to entities that provide 
transportation connectors from critically underserved urban communities 
                 and rural communities to green spaces.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Transit to Trails Act''.

SEC. 2. TRANSIT TO TRAILS GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Community of color.--The term ``community of color'' 
        means a geographically distinct area in which the population of 
        any of the following categories of individuals is higher than 
        the average population of that 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.
            (2) Critically underserved community.--The term 
        ``critically underserved community'' means--
                    (A) a community that can demonstrate to the 
                Secretary that the community has inadequate, 
                insufficient, or no park space or recreation 
                facilities, including by demonstrating--
                            (i) quality concerns relating to the 
                        available park space or recreation facilities;
                            (ii) the presence of recreational 
                        facilities that do not serve the needs of the 
                        community; or
                            (iii) the inequitable distribution of park 
                        space for high-need populations, based on 
                        income, age, or other measures of vulnerability 
                        and need;
                    (B) a community in which at least 50 percent of the 
                population is not located within \1/2\ mile of park 
                space;
                    (C) an environmental justice community; and
                    (D) any other community that the Secretary 
                determines to be appropriate.
            (3) Disproportionate burden of adverse human health or 
        environmental effects.--The term ``disproportionate burden of 
        adverse human health or environmental effects'' means a 
        situation where there exists higher or more adverse human 
        health or environmental effects on communities of color, low-
        income communities, and Tribal and Indigenous communities.
            (4) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a State;
                    (B) a political subdivision of a State (including 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 Education 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 communities of color, low-income 
        communities, or Tribal and Indigenous communities that 
        experience, 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--
                    (A) an amount equal to 80 percent of the median 
                income of the area in which the household is located, 
                as reported by the Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development; and
                    (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 ``transportation 
                connector'' means a system that--
                            (i) connects 2 zip codes or communities 
                        within a 175-mile radius of a designated 
                        service area; and
                            (ii) offers rides available to the public.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The term ``transportation 
                connector'' includes microtransits, bus lines, bus 
                rails, light rail, rapid transits, or personal rapid 
                transits.
            (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)(i) is an urbanized area with a population of 
                50,000 or more; or
                    (ii) is 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 establish a grant 
        program, to be known as the ``Transit to Trails Grant 
        Program'', under which the Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible entities for--
                    (A) projects that develop transportation connectors 
                or routes in or serving, and related culturally and 
                linguistically appropriate education materials for, 
                critically underserved communities to increase access 
                and mobility to Federal or non-Federal public land, 
                inland and coastal waters, parkland, or monuments; or
                    (B) projects that facilitate transportation 
                improvements to enhance access to Federal or non-
                Federal public land and recreational opportunities in 
                critically underserved communities.
            (2) Administration.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall administer the 
                program to assist eligible entities in the development 
                of transportation connectors or routes in or serving, 
                and related culturally and linguistically appropriate 
                education materials for, critically underserved 
                communities and Federal or non-Federal public land, 
                inland and coastal waters, parkland, and monuments.
                    (B) Joint partnerships.--The Secretary shall 
                encourage joint partnership projects under the program, 
                if available, among multiple agencies, including school 
                districts, nonprofit organizations, metropolitan 
                planning organizations, regional transportation 
                authorities, transit agencies, and State and local 
                governmental agencies (including park and recreation 
                agencies and authorities) to enhance investment of 
                public sources.
                    (C) Annual grant project proposal solicitation, 
                review, and approval.--
                            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                                    (I) annually solicit the submission 
                                of project proposals for grants from 
                                eligible entities under the program; 
                                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 include--
                                    (I) a statement of the purposes of 
                                the project;
                                    (II) the name of the entity or 
                                individual with overall responsibility 
                                for the project;
                                    (III) a description of the 
                                qualifications of the entity or 
                                individuals identified under subclause 
                                (II);
                                    (IV) a description of--
                                            (aa) staffing and 
                                        stakeholder engagement for the 
                                        project;
                                            (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 funding 
                                available for the project;
                                    (VII) information that demonstrates 
                                the clear potential of the project to 
                                contribute to increased access to 
                                parkland for critically underserved 
                                communities; and
                                    (VIII) any other information that 
                                the Secretary considers to be necessary 
                                for evaluating the eligibility of the 
                                project for funding under the program.
                            (iii) Consultation; approval or 
                        disapproval.--The Secretary shall, with respect 
                        to each project proposal submitted under this 
                        subparagraph, as appropriate--
                                    (I) consult with the government of 
                                each State in which the proposed 
                                project is to be conducted;
                                    (II) after taking into 
                                consideration any comments resulting 
                                from the consultation under subclause 
                                (I), approve or disapprove the 
                                proposal; and
                                    (III) provide written notification 
                                of the approval or disapproval to--
                                            (aa) the individual or 
                                        entity that submitted the 
                                        proposal; and
                                            (bb) each State consulted 
                                        under subclause (I).
                    (D) Priority.--To the extent practicable, in 
                determining whether to approve project proposals under 
                the program, the Secretary shall prioritize projects 
                that--
                            (i) are designed to increase access and 
                        mobility to local or neighborhood Federal or 
                        non-Federal public land, inland and coastal 
                        waters, parkland, monuments, or recreational 
                        opportunities;
                            (ii) use low- or zero-emission vehicles;
                            (iii) provide free or discounted rates for 
                        low-income riders of transportation connectors;
                            (iv) provide opportunities for youth 
                        engagement;
                            (v) give employment preference to 
                        individuals living in the community in which 
                        the project is carried out;
                            (vi) are carried out in--
                                    (I) a community of color;
                                    (II) a low-income community;
                                    (III) a Tribal or Indigenous 
                                community; or
                                    (IV) a rural community;
                            (vii) would capitalize on existing 
                        established public-private partnerships; and
                            (viii) comply with applicable provisions of 
                        the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
                        U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
            (3) Transportation planning procedures.--
                    (A) Procedures.--In consultation with the head of 
                each appropriate Federal land management 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.--All projects carried out under 
                the program shall be developed in cooperation with 
                States and metropolitan planning organizations.
            (4) ADA compliance.--The Secretary shall ensure that all 
        new transportation connectors and routes developed under the 
        program are accessible to people with disabilities in 
        accordance with accessibility specifications for transportation 
        vehicles under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
        U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
            (5) Stakeholder engagement.--In carrying out the program, 
        the Secretary shall--
                    (A) meaningfully engage with relevant stakeholders, 
                particularly--
                            (i) impacted community members;
                            (ii) transportation partners;
                            (iii) existing potential passengers of the 
                        transportation connectors;
                            (iv) Indian Tribes and Tribal 
                        representatives; and
                            (v) faith-based and community-based 
                        organizations; and
                    (B) ensure that the input of the stakeholders 
                described in subparagraph (A) is central to the 
                determination of new transportation connectors and 
                routes.
            (6) Non-federal contributions.--
                    (A) In general.--The Federal share of the cost of 
                an eligible project provided a grant under the program 
                shall not exceed 80 percent.
                    (B) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of 
                the cost of an eligible project provided a grant under 
                the program may be in the form of in-kind 
                contributions.
            (7) 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 increase access 
                and mobility to Federal and non-Federal public land, 
                inland and coastal waters, parkland, and monuments; and
                    (B) to create or significantly enhance access to 
                Federal or non-Federal public land and recreational 
                opportunities in an urban area or a rural area.
            (8) Grant amount.--A grant provided under the program shall 
        be--
                    (A) not less than $25,000; and
                    (B) not more than $500,000.
            (9) 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 potential applicants for grant preparation 
        to encourage full participation in the program.
            (10) 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 public, including on a website maintained by 
        the recipient of a grant.
    (c) Reporting Requirement.--
            (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 report.
            (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, including 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 are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023;
            (2) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 and 2025; and
            (3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
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