Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Discretionary Grant Program

Eligible Planning Grant Activities and Costs:

Planning studies to evaluate the feasibility of removing, retrofitting, or mitigating an existing eligible facility to reconnect communities, including evaluations of:

current traffic patterns of the facility and the surrounding street network. ​

the capacity of existing transportation networks to maintain mobility needs.

an analysis of alternative roadway designs or other uses for the right-of-way. ​

the effect of the removal, retrofit, or mitigation on the mobility of freight and people​.

the effect of the removal, retrofit, or mitigation on the safety of the traveling public. ​

the cost to restore community connectivity and to convert the facility to a different roadway design or use, compared to any expected maintenance or reconstruction costs.​

the anticipated economic impact and any economic development opportunities that would be created​ from the removal, retrofit, mitigation, or proposed alternative use.

the environmental, public health, and community impacts of retaining or reconstructing the facility and the anticipated effect of the proposed alternative use or roadway design.​

Public engagement activities, including community visioning, to provide opportunities for public input into a plan to remove and convert an eligible facility.

Other transportation planning activities required in advance of a project to remove, retrofit, or mitigate an existing eligible facility to reconnect communities, such as: conceptual and preliminary engineering or design and planning studies that support the environmental review for a construction project. Planning studies may address: zoning reform, transit-oriented development, housing supply, project impact mitigation, green and open space, affordability-induced displacement, local history and culture, current barriers to access, jobs and workforce, or other necessary planning activities as put forth by the applicant that do not result in construction.

Eligible Capital Construction Grants Projects and Costs:

For Capital Construction Grants, eligible projects include those for which all necessary feasibility studies and other planning activities have been completed. This prerequisite requires the project to be included in the applicable Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and / or Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), Tribal Transportation Improvement Program (TTIP) or equivalent as applicable by the time of the obligation of the award.

Eligible construction grant activities include preconstruction and permitting activities including the completion of the NEPA process; the removal, retrofit, or mitigation of an eligible facility; and the replacement of an eligible facility with a new facility that restores community connectivity; and costs of community benefits and mitigation of impacts identified in the NEPA or other planning process for the capital construction project; and otherwise, is eligible for funding under title 23, United States Code.