Eight projects will receive $2.9 million in funding aimed at supporting projects other than highway construction.

The TPB recently approved eight bicycle and pedestrian projects in Northern Virginia to receive $2.9 million in funding under the federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program. A portion of STBG funds are set aside for projects other than traditional highway construction, including bicycle, pedestrian, Safe Routes to School, and recreational trails projects.

Get details on all 8 projects selected to receive funding

Selected projects help meet regional needs

he TPB convened a selection panel to choose projects based on how well they meet key regional needs. Those needs include expanding travel options, improving non-motorized travel in Activity Centers, improving access to transit, and serving disadvantaged groups. Here are three projects that highlight the TPB’s focus on regional needs:

• Reston Bikeshare. This project will continue to expand the popular Capital Bikeshare program into Fairfax County. It will add new travel options by linking several residential, business, and retail destinations within the town, and it will improve access to transit by linking Reston with the new Wiehle-Reston East Silver Line station.
• Dumfries Road sidewalk (Prince William County). This project will add a new sidewalk to an 800-foot-long stretch of Dumfries Road between Tayloe Drive and Counselor Road. The new sidewalk will provide a safer and easier way for residents of the Forest Park Mobile Home community to walk to two nearby shopping centers.
• McKinley Elementary School Safe Routes to School. This project will make numerous improvements to help students access the school on foot or by bicycle. Improvements include a new path connecting the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) bike trail to the school, new medians and curb extensions to slow traffic and make it easier for people to cross the street, and a new protected bike lane.

Learn more about the criteria used to select projects

More projects to receive funding later this year

Additional projects in Northern Virginia may receive similar funding later this year when the state’s Commonwealth Transportation Board allocates its portion of the federal block-grant funding. The TPB will also be selecting projects in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Applications for Maryland projects are due Monday, May 16. The application timeline for projects in the District has yet to be set.

How to apply for funding for Maryland projects by Monday, May 16

Additional coverage

New Va. transportation projects support biking, walking to work (WTOP)