7B Motion to Direct Staff to Apply for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Transportation Enhancements Funding

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Project Linkage(from federal guidance) To comply with Federal guidelines for eligibility there are two basic considerations: Is the proposed action one of the listed activities in the TE definition in SAFETEA-LU? How does the proposed action relate to surface transportation? The applicant must provide a clear statement describing this linkage. The definition of TE activities includes the phrase, "transportation enhancement activities means, with respect to any project or the area to be served by the project, any of the following activities, if such activity relates to surface transportation:..." The nature of a proposed TE project's relationship to surface transportation should be discussed in the project proposal that you submit. For example, where runoff from an existing highway contaminates an adjacent water resource and a transportation enhancement activity is proposed to mitigate the pollution caused by the run off a clear highway or transportation relationship exists. Another example might involve the acquisition of a scenic easement. The acquisition would be in connection with the preservation of a scenic vista related to travel along a specific route. Where a TE activity is for acquisition for scenic preservation purposes, and proposes to contribute to the visual experience of the traveler, but is a substantial distance away with respect to a highway or transportation project, the TE activity must be determined to make a substantial contribution to the scenic viewshed. Given the nature of the list of eligible activities, it is not necessary that each TE activity be associated with a specific surface transportation project to be eligible for funding. Examples which illustrate this include: the rehabilitation of a historic train structure, the provision of a bike or pedestrian path, or the establishment of a transportation museum. Proximity to a highway or transportation facility alone is not sufficient to establish a relationship to surface transportation. Additional discussion, beyond proximity, is needed in the TE project proposal to establish the relationship to transportation. For example, an historic barn that happened to be adjacent to a particular highway facility would not automatically be considered eligible for TE funds simply because of its location; visibility to the traveler in a way that substantially enhances the traveling experience could qualify. Specific documentation of the enhanced experience is required; conversely, a historic structure, such as the barn in the above example, could not be disqualified from consideration because it was not adjacent to a particular Federal-aid facility, as long as some other relationship to surface transportation could be established. It is not necessary to have a TE activity function as an active transportation facility, either past or current, to qualify as an eligible TE activity. For example, a scenic or historic site may have a relationship to transportation but not function as a transportation facility. Once a relationship to surface transportation is established, TE activities can be implemented in a number of ways. For example, they can be developed as parts of larger joint development projects, or as stand-alone projects. 4. The project must be included in, be part of, or relate to a problem, need or direction discussed in: 1) a local or county comprehensive plan found to be consistent with Metropolitan Council plans; 2) a locally approved capital improvement program; 3) an officially adopted corridor study reflected in the local plan; or 4) the official plan or program of the applicant agency.