Transportation Alternatives: Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat Counties

General Applicant Information (Updated 2/7/2023)

Transportation Alternatives (TA) is a reimbursement grant program. Only after a Local Agency Agreement has been approved by WSDOT can project costs become eligible for reimbursement. This means project sponsors must incur the cost of the project prior to being repaid. Any work conducted prior to a signed Local Agency Agreement is not eligible for reimbursement.

A local match of 13.5% is required for all Transportation Alternatives projects. RTC Policy does allow for 100% federal funding for the design phase.

Each application request is limited to 60% of available fund:

Maximum Urban Request $1,371,000
Maximum Rural Request $663,000 (Skamania/Klickitat Counties)
Maximum Rural Request $976,000 (Clark County)

Each applicant is limited to a maximum of two applications.

All projects must follow federal and state regulations. Including environmental, right of way, ADA, and etc.

As part of the application process, local agencies will be required to include a reasonable timeline for the implementation of preliminary engineering, right-of-way, and construction. It will be essential for agencies to obligate project phases on time according to the identified timeline and RTC Project Delay Policy or grant awards may be lost.

Eligible Applicants

  • Local Governments;
  • Regional Transportation Authorities;
  • Transit Agencies;
  • Natural Resources or Public Land Agencies;
  • School Districts, Local Education Agencies, or Schools;
  • Tribal Governments; and
  • Any other local or regional governmental entity with responsibility for oversight of transportation or recreational trails (other than MPOs or State agency) that the State determines to be eligible (includes Ports if they own the facility and it is open to the public).

All projects must be administered by a certification acceptance agency. Non certification acceptance agencies can apply for TA funding but must have a certification acceptance agency sponsor the project. The sponsorship must be in place prior to applying for funds.

Eligible Activities

The following is a summary of eligible activities authorized in the MAP-21 Transportation Alternatives program. Projects will be selected by the RTC Board through a competitive process that will apply evaluation criteria to rank projects on their merit. Eligible projects must meet one or more of the eligible activities and relate to the surface transportation system (except for recreation trails). There is no requirement for equal distribution of funding among the various eligible activities. For a full explanation of eligible activities please review the Federal Highway Administration Guidance page.

  • Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized forms of transportation.
  • Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure-related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers.
  • Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails.
  • Construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas.
  • Inventory, control, or removal of outdoor advertising.
  • Historic preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities.
  • Vegetation management practices in transportation right-of-way.
  • Archaeological activities relating to impacts for implementation of transportation projects eligible under this title.
  • Any environmental mitigation activity related to highway construction due to highway runoff.

In addition, eligible Transportation Alternatives projects include any project eligible under the Recreational Trails Program, Safe Routes to School Program, and within the right-of-way of former interstate routes. Please note that Washington State is using a portion of Statewide Transportation Alternatives Program funds to conduct statewide Safe Routes to School and a Recreational Trails programs. Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trail projects are encouraged to seek funding through the statewide programs prior to seeking regional TA funding.

Project Application

The application may be downloaded here, and on the sidebar throughout this section. Applicants must complete the application in the space provided and can provide up to five pages of additional attachments. Attachments should include a vicinity map, cross-section, Plan page, and other information such as pictures and text which will assist in the evaluation of the project. All applications will be submitted electronically to RTC.