Bicycle, Pedestrian Plan Grants Available

North Carolina communities interested in developing a comprehensive bicycle or pedestrian plan can apply for the 2021 Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative.

Through the state Department of Transportation, all North Carolina municipalities are eligible to apply for a standard bike or pedestrian plan, which can address facilities, programs, policies and design guidelines that encourage safe walking and bicycling.​

Additionally, the following options are available:

• Counties with populations of less than 50,000 may apply for a bicycle or pedestrian plan.
• Smaller municipalities with populations of less than 10,000 can also apply to develop combined bicycle and pedestrian plans.
• Municipalities with a population of less than 5,000 may apply for a Project Acceleration Plan – an abbreviated plan primarily focusing on priority project identification and implementation.
• Municipalities (and counties with populations of less than 50,000) with a bicycle or pedestrian plan may also apply to update their plan if it is at least five years old.

A  webinar is at 10 a.m. May 12 about the grant program. Applications must be submitted electronically by the 5 p.m. June 30 deadline. The project website includes a list of frequently asked questions. Award recipients will be notified by September.

Proposals are divided and judged in geographical groups to help establish equitable distribution of funding across the state. Selected awardees commonly include a diverse mix of municipalities from large cities to small towns.

Plans funded are not for one specific project but represent a comprehensive strategy for expanding bicycle and pedestrian opportunities within a given municipality. The plans may address facilities, programs, policies and design guidelines that encourage safe walking and bicycling.

The program, sponsored by the department’s Integrated Mobility Division and the Transportation Planning Division, has awarded since 2004 about $7 million to 226 municipalities and six counties statewide.

For more information on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative, contact Bryan Lopez at 919-707-2606 or balopez@ncdot.gov.