OregonTransportation & Growth Management (TGM) Grants:
An Overview
The mission of the Oregon Transportation and Growth Management Program (TGM) is to support community efforts to expand transportation choices for people. By linking land use and transportation planning, TGM works in partnership with local governments to create vibrant, livable places in which people can walk, bike, take transit or drive where they want to go.
TGM’s Grant Program supports this mission by providing grants to local governments to prepare transportation and land use plans. The program is primarily funded by SAFETEA-LU -- the Federal "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users -- with additional support and funding provided by the State of Oregon.
In May 2007, TGM awarded new grants to cities and counties throughout Oregon. Local governments are using these grants during the 2007-09 Biennium to make their communities more livable, economically vibrant, transportation-efficient, and pedestrian-friendly. TGM projects typically integrate land use and transportation planning so that land-use patterns and transportation investments support each other. TGM supports planning but not construction projects. That said, planning projects often enhance a community’s prospects for obtaining construction funds from another source.
TGM grants are awarded on a biennial basis. Funds are awarded on a competitive basis within grant categories and Oregon Department of Transportation regions. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, Councils of Government on behalf of cities or counties, transportation districts, tribal governments, Metro, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Future grants will depend on the approval of more funds by the Oregon legislature and the Federal Highway Administration. For communities that are thinking about applying for TGM grants during future rounds, the 2007-09 application form illustrates the kinds of questions asked of an applicant.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Transportation and Land-Use Planning Projects Does TGM Support?
TGM supports local government planning that:
- Facilitates integrated transportation and land use planning,
- Encourages compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-friendly development,
- Promotes transportation choices for people,
- Enhances mobility for all segments of the population,
- Provides for the efficient use of public resources,
- Protects existing transportation facilities, and
- Aids in promoting livability and economic vitality within the community.
Are Matching Funds Required for TGM Grants?
TGM generally requires a local match of approximately 12% in the form of direct expenditures for eligible project costs. Local governments typically provide match in the form of either cash or local expenditures directly related to the project.
What Are the TGM Grant Categories?
Category 1 – Transportation System Planning (TSP)
Purpose: To help local governments develop transportation system plans and ordinances that implement the Transportation Planning Rule and the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan.
Eligible Uses: Projects in this category address planning for transportation facilities inside Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs), in rural communities and along rural highway corridors. These projects typically include:
- TSP preparation and adoption, including such plan elements as: modeling to determine transportation needs; planning for arterial, collector, and local streets; bike and pedestrian plans; transit plans;
- TSP implementing measures such as streetscape design plans, capital improvement plans, and ordinance amendments required by OAR 660-012-0045 (a section of the Transportation Planning Rule);
- TSP refinements such as plans for highway segment designations, access management plans, or other ways to implement the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan.
Category 2 – Integrated Land Use and Transportation Planning
Purpose: To help local governments develop integrated land use and transportation system plans that:
- promote compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly development
- increase opportunities for transit, walking, and cycling, and/or
- reduce reliance on the state highway for local travel needs.
Eligible Uses: Projects in this category combine land use planning with transportation facility planning to meet transportation needs inside Urban Growth Boundaries, urban unincorporated communities, and urban reserve areas. Category 2 projects may include:
- transportation-efficient land use plans for an entire urban area;
- land use and transportation concept plans for areas brought into an Urban Growth Boundary;
- Interchange Area Management Plans;
- specific development and refinement plans for a downtown, other commercial or mixed use area, residential neighborhood, etc.; and/or
- implementing measures, such as code amendments, infill and redevelopment strategies, and intergovernmental agreements.
What Are the Key Requirements for TGM Projects?
- Local support. Projects must have clear support from local elected officials and other appropriate entities.
- Planning work. TGM grants are for planning work. Most projects should result in the development of an adoption-ready plan or land use regulation amendment. Projects that primarily conduct research or outreach, compile data, or inventory information are generally not eligible for grant funding.
- Clear transportation relationship. Projects must involve transportation planning or clearly and directly address transportation needs. Preparation, refinement and update of Transportation System Plans (TSPs) high priority for grant funding.
- Meeting state mandates. A major purpose of TGM grants is to help local governments prepare and update local plans to implement related state requirements, including the Transportation Planning Rule and the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan. Progress in meeting mandates is an important consideration in TGM grant decisions.
What Criteria Does TGM Apply to Grant Requests?
- Timeliness: Will the project enable the jurisdiction to make progress in complying with Oregon’s Transportation Planning Rule (TPR) and in implementing the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan (OHP). Will the project result in buildable or ready-to-implement solutions to an existing transportation problem or need? Does the project coordinate and/or leverage other local, regional, and state planning efforts – e.g., the State’s Economical Revitalization Team?
- Clear Goals and Outcomes: Does the project address the problem or issues described in the problem statement? Does the application provide a clear statement of expected outcomes? Are the project goals achievable?
- Relationship to TGM Objectives: Does the project advance one of more of the following TGM objectives?
- A transportation system or development pattern that results in a balanced, multi-modal transportation system and that enhances opportunities for biking, walking, and using transit (in areas planned for transit services);
- Preservation or enhancement of the “through movement” function of state highways;
- Increased convenience or availability of alternative transportation modes;
- Alternatives to, or delay in the need for, major transportation improvements and/or Urban Growth Boundary expansions; and
- Increased efficiency in the use of land, including areas planned for future urban development.
- Focus Areas: Each biennium, TGM awards additional points based on how well proposed projects address identified Focus Areas for that biennium. For the 2005-07 biennium, these included an emphasis on: (1) projects that would move needed construction projects forward toward implementation; (2) projects that would contribute to economic revitalization; (3) preparation of detailed access and circulation plans; and (4) local planning to implement the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan.
- Feasibility: Is the proposed work likely to achieve the project objectives? Are the proposed project approach, budget and products reasonable? Applicants must detail the proposed project work, including the major tasks, general methods and analyses needed, key stakeholders, proposed public involvement process, expected plan products, and project budget. In addition, applicants are asked to anticipate conflicts that may arise in the planning process and describe an approach to resolving the conflicts.
- Local Commitment and Capability: Is there an adequate local commitment and capacity to successfully manage the project given its complexity and the size of the jurisdiction? How well has the applicant managed TGM projects in the past (where applicable)?
For more information about TGM grants, call 503.986.4349 or contact Cindy Lesmeister at Cindy.L.Lesmeister@odot.state.or.us.
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Direct Community Assistance Program
Besides providing grants, TGM offers Direct Community Assistance services to help local governments in Oregon with land use and transportation planning issues. These services are generally available for eligible projects on a first-come, first-served basis. The three Direct Community Assistance services – Code Assistance, Outreach, and Quick Response – are available to localities at no cost to the local government. In contrast to TGM grants, Direct Community Assistance services are not subject to deadlines. Communities may request such services at any time during the biennium. Funds are currently available to support activities in all three categories. For more information about Direct Community Assistance, call 503.373.0050 (extension 277 for Outreach, extension 259 for Code Assistance, and extension 272 for Quick Response).
TGM: Better Ways to Better Places
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