737-025-0091 Eligible Entities, Projects, and Activities for Construction Grants (1) For the Rapid Response and Competitive Grant Programs: (a) Eligible entities include: ODOT, cities, counties, transit district, tribes and any eligible road authority as defined under ORS 810.010. (b) Eligible projects must: (A) Be within a two - mile radius of a public school. (B) Provide safety improvements that reduce barriers and hazards to children walking or bicycling to and from school, including but not limited to the safety improvement projects described in ORS 184.742(5). (C) Fit within in a plan developed pursuant to ORS 195.115. Plans may include, but are not limited to, a Safe Route to School Infrastructure Plan (OAR 737-025-0094) , a Transportation System Plan, or other locally adopted plan. (D) Be approved by the roadway authority (governing body). (E) Include, in the application materials, a letter of support from the school district or impacted school. (F) Provide a cash match as described in section (2) of this rule. (2) Cash match: (a) An eligible project must provide a cash match of at least 40 percent of the total project’s costs, except as provided in this section (2). (b) For the Competitive Program the OTC may reduce the Cash Match requirement to at least 10.27 percent of the total project’s costs when one of the following conditions apply , or may reduce the Cash Match to at least 0 percent if multiple conditions apply: (i) The school is located in a city with a population of 25,000 or fewer; (ii) The project reduces hazards within a Priority Safety Corridor; or (iii) The school site qualifies as a Title I School. (c) For the Rapid Response Program, the ODOT Director may reduce the Cash Match to at least 10.27 percent of the total project’s costs when one of the following conditions apply , or may reduce the Cash Match to at least 0 percent if multiple conditions apply: (i) The school is located in a city with a population of 25,000 or fewer; (ii) The project reduces hazards within a Priority Safety Corridor; or (iii) The school site qualifies as a Title I School. (d) A project built with funds received from a past ODOT Safe Routes to School grant may not be considered Cash Match and project expenditures can only be used as Cash Match once. The Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee may increase ability of applicants to claim project expenditures as Cash Match up to 120 months before the application is submitted when one or more of the following conditions apply: (i) The school is located in a city with a population of 25,000 or fewer; (ii) The project reduces hazards within a Priority Safety Corridor; or (iii) The school site qualifies as a Title I School. (3) For the Project Identification Grant Program: (a) Eligible entities include ODOT. (b) ODOT must provide a cash match of at least 40 percent. The OTC may reduce the match. (c) ODOT or its consultants must use the grant award to provide technical assistance to cities, counties, tribes, school districts, or any public-funded agency in support of identifying infrastructure projects that reduce barriers and hazards of children walking or bicycling to school. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 184.619, 184.740, 184.741 & 184.742 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 184.741 & 184.742 History: TSD 1-2024, amend filed 01/26/2024, effective 01/26/2024 TSD 3-2020, amend filed 10/26/2020, effective 10/26/2020 TSD 2-2018, adopt filed 06/28/2018, effective 06/28/2018