Description

Please refer to the "Related Attachments" tab for the full text of the NOFO, as well as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FHWA RECOMMENDS INTERESTED APPLICANTS HIT THE "SUBSCRIBE" BUTTON FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE RELATED NOTIFICATIONS ARE SENT TO THE APPLICANT'S AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE (AOR).

NOFO Amendment 4 (3/14/2024): The purpose of this amendment is to provide a revised version of the full text of the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) originally posted on 2/21/2024. The purpose of the revisions made to the original version is to clarify the technical evaluation criteria in Section E. The changes made to the original document can be found on the following sections and pages listed below.

• Page 29: Section E.1.a.i, Merit Criterion 1;
• Page 31: Section E.1.a.ii, Merit Criterion 2; and
• Page 36: Section E.1.a.v, Merit Criterion 5.

[END OF AMENDMENT 4]

NOFO Amendment 3 (3/13/2024): The purpose of this amendment is to provide a revised version of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). In this version, Numbers 11, 13, & 14 of the FAQs have been updated from the version posted on 2/21/2024 with the original NOFO. Please refer to the "Related Documents" tab to access the revised document.

[END OF AMENDMENT 3]

NOFO Amendment 2 (3/11/2024): The purpose of this amendment is to provide the link and passcode for the recording of the Informational Webinar conducted for this NOFO on March 7, 2024. The recording can be accessed via the link and passcode provided below.

Webinar Recording Link: https://usdot.zoomgov.com/rec/share/p-0uGh_mJlX0pPcCjzjEGUIdmwohR9oA44mQ1YzZsmAdiXfIdKxJKYWCpnDUTJj9.KerC10Hu8TVXkrBq

Webinar Recording Passcode: d+Vhet=1

[END OF AMENDMENT 2]

NOFO Amendment 1 (2/22/2024): The purpose of this amendment is to provide the date, time, and registration information for this NOFO's Informational Webinar.

The Congestion Relief NOFO Informational Webinar will be held via Zoom on March 7, 2024 at 11:30AM - 1:00PM (Eastern). Interested parties can register at: https://usdot.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_ZgAibEx4T8qHY7-97audNg

[END OF AMENDMENT 1]

NOFO Overview

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO or notice) is to solicit applications for FHWA’s Congestion Relief Program (the “Program”) and will result in the distribution of up to $150 million. The actual amount available to be awarded under this NOFO will be subject to the availability of funds.

Funds made available for Federal Fiscal Years (FY) 2022, 2023 and 2024 for the Program are to be awarded on a competitive basis to advance innovative, integrated, and multimodal solutions to congestion relief in the most congested metropolitan areas of the United States under 23 United States Code (U.S.C.) 129(d). Specifically, the Program supports projects in urbanized areas having a population greater than 1,000,000. This notice describes the application requirements, selection and evaluation criteria, applicable program and Federal requirements, and available assistance during the grant solicitation period.

Section 11404(a) of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58, Nov. 15, 2021), established the Congestion Relief Program (the “Program”), which is codified at 23 U.S.C. 129(d). The purpose of the Program is to provide discretionary grants to States, metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), cities, and municipalities to advance innovative, integrated, and multimodal solutions to congestion relief in the most congested metropolitan areas of the United States. Under the Program, projects must be located in urbanized areas with a population greater than 1,000,000. (23 U.S.C. 129(d)(1)).

The goals of the Program are to reduce highway congestion, reduce economic and environmental costs associated with that congestion, including transportation emissions, and optimize existing highway capacity and usage of highway and transit systems through:

(1) improving intermodal integration with highways, highway operations, and highway performance;

(2) reducing or shifting highway users to off- peak travel times or to nonhighway travel modes during peak travel times; and

(3) pricing of, or based on, as applicable,

• parking;
• use of roadways, including in designated geographic zones; or
• congestion. (23 U.S.C. 129(d)(3)).

The vision for the Program is to fund operational improvement projects3 that increase the effectiveness of existing transportation system capacity; improve and integrate travel modes other than single-occupant vehicles; and give travelers sufficient motivation to use those modes or to avoid peak-period travel; and to do so in a manner that:

• is equitable to the traveling public and affected communities;
• considers and mitigates any safety impacts;
• reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fine particulate matter; and
• considers and mitigates any potential adverse financial impacts to low-income drivers.