FTA Waives Local Funding Match for Complete Streets Projects

In an effort to prioritize safer streets and more accessible transportation options, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced it will waive a local funding match requirement for Complete Streets planning projects through 2026, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive. The waiver applies to projects funded by the Metropolitan Planning Program and the State Planning and Research Program.

“The waiver will support the full consideration of public transportation in the development and implementation of Complete Streets 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 Administrator Nuria Fernandez said in a letter shared on the FTA website.

Eligible activities include the development of Complete Streets standards, mobility and accessibility projects, connectivity plans, and policies to support transit-oriented development (TOD). This ties back to a rule written into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that requires states and metropolitan planning organizations to allocate 2.5 percent or more of planning funds to Complete Streets projects. In early 2022, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) launched an effort to make the design of federally funded roadways more aligned with the Complete Streets approach.