Active Transportation Program

The Active Transportation Program (ATP), established by California legislation signed by Governor Brown in 2013 under Senate Bill 99 and Assembly Bill 101, consolidates prior federal and state active transportation funding programs into a unified initiative managed by the California Department of Transportation's Division of Local Assistance. The program aims to promote active transportation modes such as walking, biking, and rolling statewide, with the strategic goals of improving safety, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing public health, and ensuring equitable access—particularly mandating that at least 25% of funds support projects benefitting disadvantaged communities. Funded through a mix of federal and state sources, including the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account, the ATP supports a variety of project types encompassing infrastructure (e.g., bike lanes, sidewalks), non-infrastructure efforts (e.g., education and encouragement programs), planning activities, quick-build projects using semi-permanent materials, and combined initiatives. The solicitation for ATP funding, posted on July 29, 2025, under solicitation number 92a2b and managed by California Transportation Grants, invites eligible applicants including local agencies, transit authorities, nonprofits, and tribal governments to submit proposals for projects located exclusively within California. Although the program outlines funding splits across statewide, metropolitan, and rural areas and provides contact information for district ATP coordinators across the state, detailed contract terms such as federal acquisition regulation clauses, specific evaluation factors, invoicing methods, and performance periods are not presented in the available documentation. Similarly, no formal instructions on proposal format, page limits, or submission deadlines are specified, nor are there special contract requirements or traditional acquisition certifications and representations. The ATP functions primarily as a competitive grant program intended to drive measurable increases in active transportation usage and safety throughout California, emphasizing environmentally and socially responsible investments aligned with state legislative mandates.