The Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study developed the Connecting Communities Initiative to encourage the integration of land use and transportation. The purpose of the Connecting Communities Planning Grant Program is to fund transportation plans that are consistent with the Connecting Communities Initiative to promote livable communities through transportation planning. The Planning Grant Program has been created to provide communities with funding to develop transportation plans that will lead to projects eligible for AMATS funds.
Connecting Communities principles:
- Increase alternative transportation options to connect people and places
- Promote Complete Street principles to create vibrant and safe places for all users
- Leverage transportation projects to develop places which support alternative transportation and complete streets through land use and design
To be eligible for a Connecting Communities Planning Grant, a project must:
- Be intended for transportation planning
- Be site specific
- Result in transportation and land use improvements that are consistent with Connecting Communities – A Guide to Integrating Land Use and Transportation
Ineligible activities include:
- Preliminary Engineering
- Final Design
- Preparation of environmental documentation
- Right-of-way acquisition
- Preparation of bid documents
- Construction
AMATS has made $80,000 available for planning grants up to $40,000 to be awarded through the Connecting Communities Planning Grant Program. Projects may be a joint venture between sponsors, but each project is eligible for a maximum of one grant. Additionally, applications for no more than 2 projects may be submitted per community. A selection committee, The Connecting Communities Task Force, will be charged with reviewing sponsors’ applications and making recommendations to the Policy Committee.
Local commitment, in the form of specific legislation, is required of sponsors and co-sponsors seeking planning grant funds. This ensures that Councils and Boards recognize that the project is being submitted for federal funding. Legislation must include the following: project name, description and cost. All projects are required to include legislation. Failure to submit legislation by the established due date may result in cancellation of project application.
Important Dates:
September 1, 2022 –Applications will be made available on the AMATS website.
September 30, 2022 – Deadline to submit applications by 4:30 pm.
December 15, 2022 – Approval of grants takes place at the Policy Committee Meeting.
For more information, please contact Heather Davis Reidl at hreidl@akronohio.gov or 330-375-2436 ext. 4434.