Transportation Alternatives Program

About

TAP is a competitive grant program with funds managed and monitored through the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Grant funds are passed through CDOT from the Federal government, which are awarded to transportation projects that expand travel choice beyond the single occupancy vehicle, strengthen the local economy, improve quality of life, and protect the environment. TAP funds were authorized in 2012 by federal transportation legislation, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), and continued under the current federal transportation legislation, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

CDOT awarded TAP projects include a variety of generally smaller-scale active transportation encouraging projects or environmental mitigation work, such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management; environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; safe routes to school projects; and vulnerable road user safety assessments.

Apply

Based on availability of funds, CDOT conducts a call for grant applications every three years. CDOT will conduct the next call for Colorado based grant funded project applications in early 2026. A detailed timeline will be updated on this website in the fall of 2025.

Eligibility

Projects

CDOT awarded TAP funds are selected based on a set of scoring criteria, which are released prior to the individual call for grant applications. Programs and projects must fit under the category of transportation alternatives, and often are pedestrian and bicycle facilities such as sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, ADA improvements, and crossing improvements. To learn more about past awarded projects:

  • The Colorado awarded grants list from the most recent 2023 call for projects is available here. 
  • The National spending report shares examples of projects throughout the country

Grantees

Eligible applicants to receive TAP funds include:

  • Local governments: any unit of local government below a State government agency, such as a city, town, or county agency
  • Regional transportation authorities
  • Transit agencies: any agency responsible for public transportation that is eligible for funds under the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
  • Natural resource or public land agencies: any Federal, Tribal, State, or local agency responsible for natural resources or public land administration. Examples include state or local park or forest agencies; state or local fish and game or wildlife agencies; Department of the Interior Land Management Agencies; U.S. Forest Service.
  • School districts, local education agencies, or schools. 
  • Tribal governments
  • Metropolitan Planning Organizations that represent an area with a population of 200,000 or under.
  • Any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for oversight of transportation or recreational trails that the State determines to be eligible, consistent with the goals of subsection (c) of section 213 of title 23 or at the request of another eligible entity.
  • Nonprofit organizations, otherwise known as organizations that qualify under the 501(c)(3) section of the US Internal Revenue Code that have been granted federal income tax exemption.
  • Partners: eligible applications may also partner with the following agencies to execute a project’s deliverables:
    • A State Department, examples include: CDOT, DOLA, etc.

Guidelines & Expectations

TAP projects are selected via a competitive scoring process found in the TAP guidelines, which will be released in the winter of 2025/2026. Projects are implemented following all Federal requirements and guidelines. Information relevant to the 2023 awarded applications is available in the TAP Guidelines.