Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a federally funded initiative administered by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWG) as part of its Competitive Transportation Programs. This program aligns with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the current federal transportation legislation, and is integrated into the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). EWG oversees TIP development for the St. Louis metropolitan area, ensuring that federally funded transportation projects like those funded through TAP meet regional planning objectives and federal guidelines. TAP is designed to support a broad spectrum of surface transportation-related projects that enhance mobility, safety, and the environment. Eligible activities include construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, development of safe routes for non-drivers including Safe Routes to School (SRTS) infrastructure, and the conversion of abandoned railway corridors into multi-use trails. Additional eligible uses involve community improvements like historic preservation, vegetation management along rights-of-way, and installation of turnouts and overlooks. Environmental mitigation projects are also supported, such as initiatives that address stormwater management or improve wildlife connectivity by reducing vehicle-related mortality. Projects may be funded at any stage including preliminary engineering, environmental studies, right-of-way acquisition, or construction. The funding structure includes up to 80% federal support with a 20% local match, applicable across both Missouri and Illinois projects in the EWG jurisdiction. This cost-share model ensures local stakeholder investment while leveraging federal transportation dollars for regional benefit. Eligible entities for the TAP program include local governments, regional transportation authorities, school districts and educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, and natural resource or public land agencies. State governments may also apply, but only at the request of an eligible sponsor. Projects must demonstrate a clear and direct relationship to surface transportation to qualify under federal statute 23 U.S.C. 213(b). For the 2025 application cycle, EWG opened the call for projects on November 4, 2024, with submissions due by February 7, 2025. This round covers applications for TAP as well as other federal programs such as the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program – Suballocated (STP-S) and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality/Carbon Reduction Program (CMAQ/CRP). Project sponsors are offered the opportunity to attend virtual 30-minute project review sessions on selected dates in January 2025: the 9th, 10th, 16th, and 17th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. For further assistance or inquiries, potential applicants are encouraged to contact EWG by phone at either (314) 421-4220 or (618) 274-2750, or by email at tap@ewgateway.org. The organization’s offices are located at 1 S. Memorial Dr., Suite 1600, St. Louis, MO 63102. TAP recipients from prior cycles, including 2023 and 2020, can be reviewed for context and benchmarking via EWG’s project listings online.