The US Department of Transportation has announced the FY24 round of funding for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) program. Deadline to apply is Monday, September 30, 2024. The RCP program focuses on improving access to daily needs such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, nature, and recreation, and foster equitable development and restoration, and provide technical assistance to further these goals, and aims to advance and support reconnection of communities divided by transportation infrastructure.
Priority will be emphasized on assisting underserved communities, and projects should aim to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation or replacement of highways, roadways, or other infrastructure facilities that create barriers to mobility, access or economic development. There is a total of $607 million available nationally for projects, including community planning and capital construction, and technical assistance.
Community Planning – Projects may address: Community engagement activities, Planning studies to assess the feasibility of removing, retrofitting, or mitigating an existing eligible facility to reconnect communities, Conceptual or preliminary engineering or design, and more.
Capital Construction – Projects may address: Removal of a dividing facility, Enhanced community connectivity, Improved access by building or improving Complete Streets.
Technical Assistance – Applicants can submit a request for technical assistance through the Reconnecting Communities Institute.
DOT will host a series of webinars to go over pertinent components of this program.
If you are interested in pursuing this grant, contact Cassandre Torres, our Community Engagement Liaison, at ctorres@vacleancities.org.