Transportation Enhancement Project
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) and the Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) both included a requirement that 10% of federal Surface Transportation Program funding be dedicated to a Transportation Enhancements (TE) Program. TE projects add community or environmental value to planned or completed transportation projects. The three general categories of enhancement projects include bicycle/ pedestrian, historic/archaeological, and scenic/environmental.
OKI became involved in the ISTEA transportation enhancement programs of Ohio and Kentucky in 1993. Between 1994 and 1998, OKI staff ranked enhancement applications in collaboration with knowledgeable local people who agreed to serve on Transportation Enhancement Resource Groups. Project applications were prioritized and endorsed by the OKI Executive committee and forwarded to the respective states, which made the final project selections.
Of the 60 enhancement project applications submitted during that time from Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren Counties, nine were selected for federal funds totaling more than $5 million. Local matching funds added nearly $2 million more, bringing enhancement funding in OKI’s four Ohio counties during 1993-1998 to a sum of more than $7 million.
Of the 51 enhancement project applications submitted during the same time period from Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties, 13 were selected for federal funds totaling nearly $2.9 million. Local matching funds add another $761,000, bringing enhancement funding in OKI’s three Kentucky counties during 1993-1998 to a sum of more than $3.6 million.
Under TEA-21, two significant changes were made by the states which affected OKI’s involvement in the TE Program. First, KYTC and OKI agreed that project selection for the three Northern Kentucky counties would be made solely by the Cabinet. Second, ODOT divided their program into three distinct components, including: 1) a statewide bicycle/pedestrian program, to be administered by ODOT; 2) a rural areas TE component, to be administered by ODOT; and 3) an urban areas TE component, to be administered by the various Metropolitan Planning Organizations throughout the state. OKI became responsible for the urban area program for its four Ohio counties.
During 1998-2000, ODOT awarded federal funding for five bicycle projects and four pedestrian projects, totaling $2.79 million, to sponsors in the four Ohio counties. The local share for these nine projects totaled $699,000. KYTC awarded a total of $1.3 million for four historic projects and one pedestrian project. These funds were matched by $345,000 of local funds. OKI reviewed 28 applications representing all three project categories, and awarded a total of $3.1 million in federal funds for eleven bicycle/pedestrian projects, two scenic/environmental projects, and two historic/ archaeological projects. Local match for these fifteen projects totaled $1.95 million (several sponsors contributed more than the required 20% local match).
In summary, a total of 51 Transportation Enhancement projects have been funded in the OKI Region during the last seven years under the ISTEA and TEA-21 programs. Federal funds have totaled over $15 million, and local sponsors have contributed over $3.9 million. An estimated one-third of these projects have been completed, and the others are in various stages of development.
>>Download the 2000-2009 Transportation Improvement Projects List |
