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David Swearingen January 25, 2023 2 Project evaluation criteria are specific to the application categories. Among the criteria, proposals must address the project’s role in the regional transportation system and regional economy, age and cond ition of the infrastructure, safety, connections, equity, and affordable housing. Depending on the planned project timing, the Old Snelling Trail Project would best align with the Multiuse Trails and Bicycle facilities, however depending on the ultimate limits and points of connectivity, it could potentially be a candidate in the Safe Routes to School category. Latest rounds of project funding were finalized last December. With the two-year cycle program, the next round criteria and categories are being reviewed by the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB). So, the next round of applications would typically be in the spring of 2024. These would typically be funding for projects slated for the following several years. However, the Board is going to be discussing moving up the application process several months, to begin in the winter of 2023, as we begin to talk about a possible overhaul of the process. There have also been discussions of increasing the scoring weighs of safety, pedestrian/bicycle and mobility elements along all categories and reducing dependence on increasing capacity for vehicles for more of a complete streets look at the systems. The TAB has been working with staff on streamlining the application process to help make it a little easier and less cumbersome for applicants. These changes might ab applicable in the next round of applications, prior to an overhaul. The met Council has several informative meetings and videos, program criteria, applications and past projects and scoring available to help to best determine the best program to fit a project help self-sample score a project to get an idea of where it might fall in previous scoring ranges. The general timing for the process is: - Early spring – application process announced o Select a project and program that the City would like to apply for o Gather data and complete on-line application - Late spring – applications due o TAC reviews applications for qualifying for scoring - Early Summer – Scoring committees in each category scope applications - Early fall – Committees prepare funding scenarios and projects for TAB consideration - Fall – TAB selects and awards projects to receive funding - Late fall – Met Council approves projects to receive funding Again, there will be discussions to move the cycle up several months to potentially start in Fall/winter of 2023 See attachment for links to additional program information MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES –TRAIL GRANT PROGRAM The MnDNR has several federal grants programs that they administer, which range from invasive species to rural fire departments to trails and recreation. The recreation grants that seem most appropriate for the Old Snelling Trail project seem to be the Local trail connection program. This program provides grants to local units of government to promote relatively short trail connections between where people live and desirable locations, not to develop significant new trails. Grant funding reimbursement is based on 75% of the total eligible project costs