CMPDD Announces Funding for 4 Metro-Area Transportation Alternative Projects

On May 11^th, $1.6 million in Transportation Alternatives (TA) funding was awarded to four projects in the Jackson Metro Area by the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District (CMPDD) through its Jackson Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The TA program is a federal-aid transportation program that provides funding through the MPO to local municipalities and counties within the MPO Planning Area for transportation alternative improvements. Transportation alternatives funding is made available for projects which promote accessibility and mobility for non-drivers through the development of on- and off-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.  

In total, CMPDD received 14 applications requesting $6.7 million in TA funding.  Due to the limited amount of funding available, the MPO was able to fully fund the four highest rated projects. Combined, jurisdictions receiving the $1.6 million in transportation funding have committed to provide over $1.2 million in local matching funds.

The deadline for local jurisdictions to submit project applications to CMPDD was March 31^st.  Once received, the applications were graded and evaluated based on multiple scoring criteria approved by the MPO’s Planning Policy Committee including:

• Does the project provide more than the minimum required local matching funds?
• What percentage of the total funds available did the project request? Projects requesting the least amount of Federal funding received priority.
• Is the project ready to go to construction?  Projects ready to proceed to construction were given priority over projects that may still have design work and/or utility and right-of-way factors to address.
• Does the project improve connectivity to schools, transit stop locations, or other bicycle and/or pedestrian facilities?

For more information regarding the MPO transportation planning process or Transportation Alternatives program visit the MPO website at www.cmpdd.org.