Can a combination of CMAQ, TAP-L, and STP Shared funding be requested?
Yes. Applicants should indicate the requested fund source(s) by selecting each in the “Major Imp Group” field of the eTIP application. See the eTIP User Guide for more detailed instructions. Keep in mind that all federal funds must be matched with non-federal fund sources.

Will my project be considered for all fund sources (CMAQ, TAP-L, and STP Shared)?
No. Projects will not automatically be evaluated for all fund sources. In the past, bicycle facility applications were evaluated for both CMAQ and TAP. An applicant now will need to indicate the requested fund source(s) by selecting the choice(s) in the “Major Imp Group” field in the eTIP application. STP Shared fund applicants also will need to indicate the specific project type in the application workbook.

Can CMAQ, TAP-L, and STP Shared funds be combined with other federal funds, like the Highway Safety Improvement Program, on the same project?
Yes. But you still need to have the full amount of local match for all the federal funds. Federal funds, such as CMAQ, cannot be matched with another federal fund source. Always check state programmed funds to make sure they are not federal sources, such as Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) and Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS).

Can MFT and Rebuild Illinois bond funds be used for local match?
Yes.

Can private funds be used for local match?
Yes. Applicants should provide evidence of the commitment of private funds.

Is there a maximum award (dollars) for a single project, project phase, and/or sponsor?
The only limitation on the maximum award is the estimated total funding available in each federal fiscal year. While it is not the intent of CMAP or its selection committees to direct all available funds to a single project, there is no “per project” or “per sponsor” limit.

Will my project rank better if only construction funds are requested?
The total project cost, which includes all phases of the project, will be used for CMAQ and TAP-L cost/benefit analyses and for calculating the cost effectiveness for the “Improvement” portion of the score for STP Shared projects. 

CMAQ and TAP-L projects, where the sponsor has shown commitment to the project by funding phases independently, will be noted for the Project Selection Committee's consideration.  

STP Shared projects may receive more points in the "Financial Commitment" category when requesting only a portion of funds. See the STP Shared Fund application booklet for additional information. 

Can one agency submit multiple applications?
Yes; however, an applicant should make sure that sufficient financial and staff resources are available to follow through on all selected projects.

My project has not received Design Approval because federal action is needed to approve NEPA documents and funds are not committed for subsequent phases. Does my project qualify as having phase 1 engineering “complete”?
No.  You must have Design Approval (projects processed through IDOT) or a ROD, FONSI, or qualify as a "C-List" or "D-List" CE (for projects processed through FTA) to meet the definition of "Complete".  However, the project may be considered "Nearly Complete" or "Substantially Complete".  See the application booklets for additional details. 

My project (being processed through IDOT) is scheduled for a federal coordination meeting on March 14, may I attach the meeting minutes to my application after the call for projects closes?
Yes.  Meeting minutes from the March federal coordination meeting may be attached through Friday, March 17, 2023.  This is the only exception to the acceptance of document attachments after the deadline.

If I forget to include some information, can I submit it after the deadline?
Significant effort is being made to ensure that applicants submit all of their information on time. The review by your Council/Conference Planning Liaison will help you identify any missing pieces. See the CMAQ/TAP application booklet and the STP Shared Fund application booklet for policies specific to these fund sources.

Who is the lead agency if my community works together with several neighboring jurisdictions to implement a joint corridor project?
It is up to those jurisdictions to develop some type of intergovernmental agreement or memorandum of understanding to ensure the respective commitment to the project, assign a lead agency, and clarify the funding shares and payment mechanism for the local match. For the engineering phases, IDOT will work with the identified lead agency on the agreements, project processing, and local match. You can decide whether it is best to bid the project in municipal segments or jointly for the whole corridor.

What if a sponsor is interested in a project, but is not in a position to apply during this call for projects; what is the next opportunity to apply?
CMAP intends to maintain a two-year cycle for program development, but that is dependent on congressional approval of new authorizing legislation and healthy budget appropriations. This timing is not as discouraging as it sounds because of "first ready, first funded" practices, i.e., once a project is programmed, it likely can be moved up when it is ready.

Should I include letters of support with my application and/or are letters of support required?
General letters of support are discouraged as they have no bearing on scoring or programming decisions.  However, for projects with multiple partners (participating financially), a letter, resolution, or other document should be provided to document the financial participation.  Likewise, if a sponsor is applying for a project on a facility over which they don’t have jurisdiction or won’t be the final implementing agency (such as a municipality applying for a project on a state road), evidence from the implementing agency (IDOT in the prior example) that verifies they are committed to implementing the project on the schedule proposed and in accordance with active program management requirements (for the STP Shared Fund), should also be provided.

My project is currently active in CMAP’s TIP - should I use the active TIP ID or the TIP ID assigned by eTIP when naming file attachments and completing my application workbook?
Please use the new TIP ID assigned to your eTIP application in all application materials and remember to add the existing TIP ID in the “Project is related to another project(s).” field in eTIP.

Where can I find more detailed information and application materials?
Visit the Regional Call for Projects web page: cmap.is/2023callforprojects.
 

What Projects are eligible for STP-Shared funding?
While STP has very broad eligibility in comparison to other funding sources (CMAQ, TAP, HSIP), the STP shared fund is targeted toward the following priority project types:

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Barrier Elimination
  Projects that address gaps in regional greenways and trails network due to physical barriers (such as a waterway, highway, or railroad) to bicycle and pedestrian movement
• Bridge rehabilitation/reconstructions
  Projects that address condition deficiencies on the region’s bridges
• Bus speed improvements
  Projects that improve the speed and reliability of bus travel in the region
• Highway/rail grade crossing improvements
  Projects that reduce delay at highway/rail crossings, through grade separation or other improvements
• Road reconstructions 
  Projects that address condition deficiencies on the road network and do not add roadway capacity
• Road expansions
  Projects that add capacity to an existing road or involve construction of a new road 
• Corridor-level or small area safety improvements
  Projects that address high or critical safety issues with countermeasures appropriate for the crash type(s) in the project corridor/area
• Transit station, yard, or terminal improvements
  Projects that enhance the existing transit system by improving, reconstructing, and/or relocating commuter transit stations, yards, or terminals and/or that address gaps in bicycle or pedestrian access to stations and/or improve compliance or storage deficiencies at yards or terminals
• Truck route improvements
  Projects that improve truck movement through a corridor or area by addressing inadequate roadway geometry and/or physical or operational barriers to truck movement

These project types were chosen because of demonstrated demand in the form of unfunded or partially funded local projects, stakeholder input, ON TO 2050 implementation priorities, and an assessment of opportunities to leverage or fill gaps between other available fund sources. See the STP Shared Fund application booklet for details.

My project is currently included in the STP Shared Fund Active Program, do I need to reapply in this call cycle?
No. Active program projects do not need to reapply. However, sponsors may reapply in order to request additional funding. Reapplying for additional funding does not effect a project’s current status in the active program.

My project is currently included in the STP Shared Fund Active Program, but I want to request a revised schedule, do I need to reapply?
No. CMAP staff utilize quarterly status updates to determine if active program projects should be reprogrammed in different years. Project sponsors may request a schedule change at any time when completing and submitting status updates. Schedule changes will be accommodated as long as fiscal constraint can be maintained in all program years. A schedule change request form is also available on the STP webpage.

My project is currently included in the STP Shared Fund Contingency Program, do I need to reapply in this call cycle?
Yes, per the region’s Active Program Management policies, the current contingency program will expire on September 30, 2023. In order to be considered for either the active program or future contingency programs, a new application must be submitted.

My project is currently included in a local council’s STP active program.  Can I also apply for STP shared funds?
Yes, and the programmed STP-Local funds will be considered as “committed” funds. Keep in mind that all federal funds must be matched with non-federal fund sources.

My project is currently included in a local council’s STP contingency program. Can I also apply for STP shared funds?
Yes. 

Are non-municipal sponsors eligible to apply without partners for projects over $5 million?
Yes, however non-municipal sponsors are strongly encouraged to seek partnerships with affected municipalities. Private entities must partner with an eligible government or transportation agency.

How are projects evaluated and ranked for STP-Shared funding?
The program of projects selected by the STP Project Selection Committee will consider the results of the project evaluation in four categories: project readiness, transportation impact, planning factors, and subregional priority. Individual scoring criteria are based on the project type. See the STP Shared Fund application booklet for details.

Will projects automatically be evaluated in multiple categories to determine the highest possible score?
No. Project sponsors must select the appropriate category for their project on the All STP Projects worksheet in the application workbook.  A separate application must be completed for each project category.

If our county DOT included consideration of complete streets improvements for all projects as a part of a long-range transportation improvement plan that is still active, is that considered to be a complete streets policy?
Yes, if the county DOT is the project sponsor or the project is located on a county highway. For municipal-sponsored projects, the municipality must have an adopted complete streets policy in order to receive points for the policy in the Complete Streets Planning Factor category.

Can a council work together to propose a “program” of lower-scale projects, such as bridge rehab vs. reconstruct, to meet the cost eligibility requirements and the spirit of regional significance?
Comprehensive programs that involve regional/sub-regional collaboration and coordination to meet the federal performance targets are a desired outcome of the STP-Shared program.

What plans will be considered to meet the “inclusion in plans” eligibility requirement?  
Acceptable plans are those that are subject to public review and have received local government or implementing agency approval. A project’s inclusion in IDOT’s Multi-Year Program, a local agency Capital Improvement Program, or identification as an ON TO 2050 Regionally Significant Project (RSP) is also acceptable. However, selection for funding in a competitive grant or discretionary funding program or being listed in IDOT’s Local Roads status sheets or Management Monitoring Schedule does not qualify as inclusion in a plan.  The STP Shared Fund application booklet provides guidance for determining what planning documents or programs are acceptable. Applicants may also contact CMAP planning staff listed in the application booklet for additional guidance.  

Will the total cost and cost-effectiveness of a project be considered in project ranking or selection?
Cost effectiveness is included in the “improvement” component of the Transportation Impact category. The total project cost for all phases, regardless of fund source, is used for this scoring.

Will partial funding be programmed for high ranking projects if full funding isn’t available due to fiscal constraint?
One of the goals of the shared fund is to complete projects. Therefore, if a project cannot be fully funded through construction with available funds, no partial funding will be awarded. However, there are two options available to applicants that would facilitate partial funding.

Applicants may request consideration of “staged construction” when segments of the project have independent utility and logical termini. Applicants should submit one eTIP application for the project, breaking costs down by the individual stages and must submit separate individual application workbooks for the full project and each individual stage.

Applicants may also indicate if they are willing to accept less than full funding for a project or project phase by providing a “minimum acceptable funding” amount. Applicants must accept certain conditions detailed in the application workbook and are expected to fully complete the project using the minimum acceptable funding amount.

If full funding isn’t available, but more than the “minimum acceptable funding” amount is, can a project be programmed for an amount in between?
Yes.

Is there a maximum award (dollars) for a single project, project phase, and/or sponsor?
The only limitation on the maximum award is the estimated total funding available in each federal fiscal year. While it is not the intent of CMAP or its selection committees to direct all available funds to a single project, there is no “per project” or “per sponsor” limit.  The estimated funding available will be determined prior to the close of the call for projects.  

What projects are eligible for TAP-L funding?
Bike facility projects that implement the Regional Greenways and Trails Plan are eligible.

How are projects evaluated and ranked?
The Application Booklet provides specific details on the evaluations.

How are projects evaluated and ranked?
The primary consideration for CMAQ projects is the cost-effectiveness of their air emissions reductions, measured as either the cost per kilogram of volatile organic compounds (VOC) reduced or the cost per kilogram of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduced. Projects will be ranked by their air quality cost-effectiveness within their project type category.

Additional criteria will be measured for projects as secondary to the air quality cost-effectiveness and will be taken into consideration when evaluating projects for potential funding. These are referred to as Transportation Impact Criteria and are specific to a project type. The CMAQ application booklet provides specific details on the evaluations for these criteria.

What Projects are eligible for CMAQ funding?
Many projects are eligible for CMAQ funding. The program description document contains more information on the program and the types of projects it funds. If your project type is not on the list, contact your council's Planning Liaison. For projects in gray areas, the Federal Highway Administration makes the final determination of project eligibility following MPO Policy Committee approval of a program of projects.

Is my community eligible to receive CMAQ funding?
CMAQ funding is only available for use in non-attainment areas for the 8-hour ozone and annual fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) emission standards. Contact your council's Planning Liaison if you are unsure if your community is in the non-attainment area.

Can I change my project's scope and/or budget?
When your project moves forward towards implementation you may find that scope changes are necessary and/or that the budget has changed. Project change requests may be made according to the procedures detailed on the Program Management and Resources page.

What is the process for processing deferrals?
When a project phase fails to meet accomplishment goals it is subject to deferral and having funding removed from the CMAP TIP. An overview of CMAQ Programming and Management Policies related to deferrals is available here.

If a project is programmed in an out year, but is ready to go to letting ahead of that time, will it be able to advance ahead of schedule?
Projects that are ready to go ahead of the year they were programmed in can submit a request to change the project schedule. If sufficient funds are available due to other projects being delayed or due to the current unobligated balance of the CMAQ program, the project can be moved forward. 

Can I change the year of my project?
You can move your project forward per the question above. However delays are not well tolerated. The CMAQ Programming and Management Policies provide for Active Program Management and are making it much more critical to move your project along on your original schedule. Each phase of a project is assigned a sunset year by which the phase must be accomplished.  Failure to accomplish a phase by September 30 of the sunset year will cause all remaining funds for the project to be removed and the project will be considered to be deferred.  See processing deferrals above for more information.