the City of Tigard update their
bike map.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Metro’s Regional Travel Options program is now accepting applications. RTO grants, which come from federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds are a popular source of funding for projects that reduce single-occupancy vehicle travel, improve air quality, and, in Metro’s words, “create more opportunities for walking and bicycling.
Past winners have included events like the City of Portland’s Sunday Parkways and the BTA’s Bike Commute Challenge as well as facilities like the bike lockers at the Beaverton Transit Center and bike racks for businesses in downtown Tigard. For this grant cycle, which will fund projects that will begin in July 2011, a total of $533,000 is available.
At a recent informational session, Metro made it clear that they’re looking for new, innovative ideas. According to Portland Afoot, Metro staffer Daniel Kaempff said, “We’re always looking for new ideas. We’re not necessarily interested in funding the same things year after year.”
If you’ve got an interesting idea or project that will encourage people to walk and bike more, check out Metro’s RTO grant information page to learn how to get your share of this money. RTO grant pre-applications are due on September 3rd and final applications are due on October 15th.