The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program and Carbon Reduction Program (CRP), administered by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWG), aim to improve air quality and reduce transportation-related emissions in the St. Louis region. These programs are part of a broader suite of federally funded transportation initiatives integrated into EWG’s Transportation Improvement Program. CMAQ, authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), supports projects that reduce congestion and improve air quality in both nonattainment and maintenance areas as defined by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. CRP similarly funds efforts that reduce carbon dioxide emissions from on-road transportation sources.
CMAQ and CRP funding can be applied to a variety of transportation and environmental projects including traffic flow improvements, demand management strategies, shared ride services, transit-related capital investments, and bicycle or pedestrian infrastructure. Notably, CRP alone covers energy-efficient construction equipment and traffic control devices, while only CMAQ supports rideshare and transit operation projects. Routine maintenance and capacity-increasing projects for single-occupant vehicles are explicitly excluded from funding eligibility.
Eligible applicants include a wide array of public entities across both Illinois and Missouri within the EWG jurisdiction. These include municipalities, counties, states, transit authorities such as Bi-State Development and Madison County Transit District, and special districts like Great Rivers Greenway. Nonprofit organizations are eligible when partnering with an approved public entity.
The federal share of project costs can reach up to 80%, with the remaining 20% to be provided locally. This applies to all stages including preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and construction engineering. Application materials and detailed guidance are provided through the CMAQ Project Development Workbook, and additional federal guidance is available from FHWA.
EWG will open a call for applications on November 7, 2025, for the CMAQ, CRP, STP-S, and TAP programs. Applications are due by February 6, 2026. Interested parties can contact EWG staff via phone or email for inquiries and submission support. There are no intermediate gating requirements prior to submission. The programs operate on an annual cycle, suggesting that future calls for proposals can be anticipated around similar dates each year.
Projects must align with emissions reduction and Clean Air Act compliance to be competitive.
