WASHINGTON, D.C. – At their July meeting, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) approved funding for 16 projects to improve pedestrian and bike access and support transit-oriented development throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

Nine projects—totaling $420,000—will be funded under the TPB’s FY 2016 Transportation/Land-Use Connections Technical Assistance Program, which supports local jurisdictions as they address challenges of integrating land-use and transportation planning at the community level. Approved projects range from providing design assistance for the first segments of the proposed Central Avenue Connector Trail in Prince George’s County to improving on-road bicycle facilities along streets that access the Vienna Metrorail Station in Fairfax County. Other projects have been approved for Arlington County, College Park, Gaithersburg, Prince William County, and Takoma Park. Over the past nine years, this regional program has provided more than $2.8 million dollars for 83 projects. View the list of approved projects.

Officials also approved funding for seven local capital improvement projects in Maryland under the federal Transportation Alternatives Program. The TPB partners with state-level transportation agencies to accept and review applications for the Program, for projects considered “alternatives” to traditional highway construction such as bicycle and pedestrian facilities, complete streets, safe routes to schools, environmental mitigation, and others. The projects, which total $3,228,958, include sidewalks and multi-use paths in College Park, Frederick County, Montgomery County, Rockville, and Takoma Park. Among the approved projects are the North Branch Hiker Biker Trail (Montgomery County) and East Lincoln Avenue Sidewalks (Frederick County). View the full list of projects.