Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) Program – United States

The program is intended to provide financial assistance to municipalities, councils of governments, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies and rail and freight ports in order to improve public transportation assets that enhance communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization. The program is administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (“DCED”) under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority (“CFA”).

Funding

• Grants are available for projects with a total cost of $100,000 or more. Grants shall not exceed $3,000,000 for any project.

Eligible Projects

• A project which coordinates local land use with transportation assets to enhance existing communities, including but not limited to: intercity bus and rail service improvement, bus stops, transportation centers, park and ride facilities, rail freight sidings, land acquisition for eligible airport development, land interests required for air approach and clear zone purpose, sidewalk/crosswalk safety improvements, bicycle lanes/route designation, in-fill development by assisting with traffic impact mitigation, develop local highways, highway noise and sound barriers, and bridges which will benefit state system and local economic development, greenways, etc.
• A project related to streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement and pedestrian safety, including but not limited to: sidewalk connections, crosswalks, pedestrian and traffic signals, pedestrian signs, and lighting. Streetscape amenities, such as permanently affixed benches, planters or trashcans and trees, shrubs, or mulch, may not exceed 10% of the total project cost.
• A project improving connectivity or utilization of existing transportation assets, including but not limited to: coordinated transit services; bicycle/shared lane markings or bicycle parking at transit stops; improved signage; rail freight sidings; track rehabilitation or upgrades; obstruction removal to protect airport critical airspace; airport perimeter fencing; airport wildlife hazard assessments; development and improvement to airport facilities, such as runways, taxiways, aprons, lighting, public areas of terminal buildings, other building structures for airport operational use, access roads, and airport navigational facilities; development or improvement to an integrated transportation corridor in order to improve the productivity, efficiency and security of goods movement to and from PA ports; improvement to facilities and operations of ports, which may include maintenance dredging berths, last mile access, rail-on dock, pipelines to a port, vessel conversions or repowering from fossil fuels to natural gas; etc.
• A project related to transportation aspects of transit-oriented development, which consists of development concentrated around and oriented to transit stations in a manner that promotes transit riding or passenger rail use. The term does not refer to a single real estate project, but represents a collection of projects, usually mixed use, at a neighborhood scale that are oriented to a transit node. Projects may include, but are not limited to: relocation of transit routes to serve densely populated areas, transit shelters, pedestrian improvements to/from transit stops, rail station development, etc.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible Multimodal Transportation Fund projects, which commence construction after the approval date, must be owned and maintained by an eligible applicant, except in the case of a state-owned highway.

• Municipality – Any county, city, borough, school district, incorporated town, township or home rule municipality or an authority of a municipality.
• Councils of Governments – An entity organized by units of local government under an intergovernmental agreement, which provides cooperative planning, coordination, and technical assistance to its member governments on issues of mutual concern that cross jurisdictional lines, and which does not act under the direction and control of any single member government.
• Business – A corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company, business trust, privately owned airports (must be open to the public), or other commercial entity approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The term shall also include not-for-profit entities.
• An Economic Development Organization – A nonprofit corporation or association whose purpose is the enhancement of economic conditions in their community.
• Public Transportation Agency – A public transit agency, including but not limited to an airport authority, public airport, port authority, or similar public entity, created through the laws of this commonwealth, charged with the provision of transportation services to the traveling public, that owns and maintains or is authorized to own and maintain a physical plant, including rolling stock, stations, shelters, hangars, runways, maintenance, and support facilities.
• Ports – Rail / Freight – Railroad owner, railroad lessee/operator, railroad user and port terminal operators.

For more information, visit Department of Community and Economic Development.