FTA waives local match for Complete Streets planning activities

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has waived the local match for Complete Streets planning activities required of the Metropolitan Planning Program (MPP) and the State Planning and Research Program (SPRP). The waiver will remain through the end of Fiscal Year 2026, which is when the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is set to end.

FTA says it and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will provide more support to transit agencies working on Complete Streets planning projects, which reflects a priority included in the IIJA to increase safe and accessible transportation options nationwide.

In a Dear Colleague letter from March 13, FTA Administrator wrote:

“The waiver will support the full consideration of public transportation in the development and implementation of Complete Street policies that require or encourage a safe, comfortable, integrated transportation network for all users, regardless of age, ability, income, ethnicity or mode of transportation.”

FTA and FHWA jointly administer the MPP and SPRP. The FTA’s waiver follows FHWA’s decision on Jan. 5, 2023, to waive the non-federal match requirement in the MPP and SPRP.

Complete Streets focuses on safety for everyone: Pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users, in addition to motorists. FTA recognizes transportation planning is not only fundamental in a station, region or community’s vision for its future, but is a cooperative process designed to involve multiple stakeholders.

Planning activities within the scope of the waiver include active transportation, such as bikeways, sidewalks or trails that connect activity centers, improving access to transit through integrated active transportation, boosting transit ridership and improving bicyclist and pedestrian safety, among other activities.

The Dear Colleague is available online at the FTA’s website.