Committed to Equity in Transportation
NJDOT is committed to ensuring that the funds allocated in its grant programs are equitably distributed across the state and meet the needs of our more vulnerable and traditionally underserved populations. NJDOT, in collaboration with the state's three Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), is working to ensure that the Federal Grant program meets the federal standards for ensuring equity in grant distribution.
Program Improvements
Starting with the 2020 Transportation Alternatives solicitation, NJDOT and the MPOs will add an equity component to the TAP program. The addition of this scoring criteria will ensure that applications provide additional benefit to a community or communities with populations defined by:
* Executive Order on Environmental Justice (EJ) 12898;
* Limited English Proficiency (LEP); and
* Individuals with disabilities.
Community Support
Community leaders and advocates are encouraged to consult your Local Government about project selection and work with them to ensure that they are selected and equitably distributed across your municipality. Each MPO has information for their sub-region to determine if a proposed project meets the equity criteria.
How We Can Support You
Proposed projects still need to fall within[ one of the seven categories](/perch/resources/Uploads/-transportation-alternatives-set-aside-handbook.pdf#page=6) for selection, be well-developed, and construction ready to first qualify for consideration.
To ensure that all LPAs get the assistance they need to develop a competitive application, the DOT is offering various pre-application support on an as-needed basis. We encourage you to take advantage. You can also find additional resources below.