Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

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

Timeline

Currently Closed: The next grant application period is anticipated to open in October of 2026.

Please subscribe to our Active Transportation Updates to receive the announcement when applications will be accepted.

How to Apply

Additional details will be released in summer of 2026.

You must be an eligible entity to apply. Subject to change, your organization must be one of the following entities:
  • 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. 
  • 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 a State of Colorado department the following agencies to execute a project’s deliverables.
If you are new to CDOT grants:
  1. Learn about what grants management at CDOT looks like in practice by taking our overview training.
  2. Get to know the process requirements of managing a CDOT-funded grant that includes engineering reviews found in the Local Agency Manual website.
Your project can include multiple elements or one singular element from the following areas

Pedestrian and bike improvements
  • 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
  • Pedestrian and bicycle facilities
  • Safe routes to schools
  • Vulnerable road user safety assessments
  • Conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails
Environmental Mitigation
  • Vegetation management
  • Archaeological activities
  • Stormwater mitigation
  • Wildlife management
Historic & Scenic Activities
  • Outdoor advertising management
  • Historic preservation & rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities
  • Scenic turnouts and overlooks
Boulevard Conversion
Converting a former interstate system or divided highways into low-speed boulevards
All applicants must send a letter of intent. Materials will be released in the fall for this step. Once a completed form is submitted, it will be sent to the appropriate CDOT engineer to initiate a pre-application review. Once the review is completed, a 30 minute virtual meeting will be scheduled with you for a live discussion of the project. Please note all applications must go through this step.
Materials will be released in the fall for this step.
A regionally based Scoring Review Committee composed of local CDOT experts and community transportation leaders conducts the competitive review and scoring of applications.

Past Call for Projects

TAP projects are selected via a competitive scoring process found in the TAP guidelines. Information relevant to the most recent 2023 awarded applications is available in the TAP Guidelines.