The Washington State Department of Transportation is launching a new program in April designed to make electrically-powered bicycles or “e-bikes” more affordable to state residents.

[Above photo by WSDOT]

WSDOT’s new program – launched with its newly-selected vendor, APTIM, LLC – will provide state residents with rebates  through point-of-sale discounts on e-bikes and associated safety equipment, with funding for the rebates from $5 million allocated by the state legislature within its 2024 supplemental transportation budget.

[Editor’s note: In early January, the Adventure Cycling Association, in partnership with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, recently announced a major expansion of the United States Bicycle Route System or USBRS, with four new routes being added in three states.]

”I am thrilled to share that following a competitive bid process in 2024, WSDOT identified APTIM to develop the technology and processes the agency needs to safely and securely manage the program,” said Adele Peers, who oversees WSDOT’s e-bike program, in a statement.

She added that APTIM has nationwide experience delivering e-bike rebate programs at the local and state levels for the cities of Boston, MA; Bentonville, AR; plus the Colorado cities of Boulder and Denver.

WSDOT noted that APTIM is currently finalizing the e-bike rebate program’s logistics – which includes training for bike shops participating in this endeavor – and is also building a secure online portal to accept rebate applications, distribute rebates, and reimburse bike shops for sales.

State departments of transportation across the country are involved in related “active transportation” efforts in support of various pedestrian and bicycling initiatives.

For example, in September 2024, the Maryland Department of Transportation began developing what it calls a “landmark action plan” to improve and expand trail connectivity statewide.

The agency said this plan will guide future investment in shared-use paths, helping to advance efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost alternatives to driving, and prioritize the safety of all road users across the transportation network.

And in May 2024, the Utah Department of Transportation issued nearly $95 million to support 19 trail projects – including the construction of new paved trails as well as funding for planning efforts to fill in existing trail gaps – as part of creating a regional “Utah Trail Network” across the state.

The agency said that it collaborated with communities statewide regarding the allocation of that funding – approved by the Utah Transportation Commission – to select the key projects for this statewide trail network.

Also, the Texas Department of Transportation is developing a Statewide Active Transportation Plan or SATP to gather recommendations for improving bicycling, walking, and rolling conditions across the Lone Star state.

TxDOT noted the SATP is being integrated with its other long-range mobility plans to help it maintain a safe, accessible, connected, and fully integrated multimodal transportation system for the future, since the population of Texas is expected to grow by 28 percent by 2050.

The Oregon Transportation Commission recently approved 28 Safe Routes to School projects, with a total investment exceeding $31 million, to help make travel safer for students within a two-mile radius of local schools.

[Above photo by Oregon DOT]

Those projects – funded through Oregon Department of Transportation’s “Safe Routes to School” competitive construction grant program – aim to address the “highest” transportation safety risks around local schools, remove barriers for students at low-income schools, and are the likeliest to be completed within five years. 

“It’s important to us to help students and their families get to school safely by foot or bike or mobility device,” said Suzanne Carlson, Oregon DOT’s Public Transportation Division administrator, in a statement.

“We are excited to support cities and counties who want to make these improvements in their communities,” she added – noting that the program has funded 104 construction projects since 2019, with nearly half of those projects completed and the other half in construction or design. “They’re making an amazing difference around the state,” Carlson noted.

Other state departments of transportation across the country support similar “Safe Routes to School” programs.

For example, in July 2024, the Ohio Department of Transportation issued more than $8 million to support 29 projects in 19 counties.

The agency noted that projects are selected by a committee made up of subject matter experts from Ohio DOT and the Ohio Department of Health based on the ability to demonstrate improved bike or pedestrian connectivity, improved safety, number of students impacted, economic need, and available funding.

And in June 2024, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation noted that 72 schools joined its “Safe Routes to School” program during the 2023-2024 academic year; boosting the total number of partner schools across Massachusetts to 1,171, facilities located in 284 communities and serving approximately 590,000 students.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is going to use federal grant funds to help the town of Wake Forest design and build a “mobility hub,” which will serve as the rail station for the S-Line passenger rail service​ starting in 2030 and provide last-mile connections to public transit and ride-sharing services, as well as walking and bicycling options. 

[Above photo by NCDOT]

The NCDOT is administering a $13.2 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity or RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help construct that “mobility hub” for Wake Forest; one of several serving towns in central North Carolina along the S-Line passenger rail corridor under development. 

That grant is one of 14 received state department of transportation projects in fiscal year 2025 round one RAISE grant funding issued by USDOT in early January.

NCDOT added that this recent funding builds on a more than $1 billion federal grant it received in December 2023 to design and construct the first segment of the S-Line from Raleigh to Wake Forest, which will create faster passenger rail service from Raleigh to Washington D.C. Using that grant, the NCDOT has already broken ground on plans to begin rail service to the town by 2030.  

NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins noted in a statement that this recent RAISE grant from USDOT will “help us provide more safe and reliable transportation options” for all state residents.

“We appreciate our federal partners for their work to prioritize transportation, which drives economic development and improves our quality of life,” he added.

“We’re grateful for this grant and the strong partnerships Wake Forest and all the towns along the S-Line have with the NCDOT,” noted Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones. “This grant secures some of the funding we need to build a mobility hub where passenger rail travelers will disembark and find ways to finish their travels through public transit, walking, biking and ride-sharing services.”   

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation added roughly 15 miles of new shared use paths in 2024; expanding multimodal connectivity and opportunities for recreation statewide while also enhancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

[Above image by MassDOT]

The 15 miles of new shared paths that opened in 2024 were the result of completed projects, either constructed by MassDOT or jointly funded through the MassTrails program, along 14 different trails statewide.

The agency added that, throughout the course of 2024, it also completed several roadway projects that added new bike lanes, sidewalks, shared use paths, and crosswalks.

“Whether they are used for recreation or commuting to work, our multimodal paths play a vital role in making our transportation network cleaner, safer, and more inclusive,” noted Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT secretary and CEO, in a statement. “We are proud of the numerous tools and funding programs that we have put in place to keep fortifying our infrastructure in ways that benefit pedestrians and bicyclists across Massachusetts.”

“With these new routes, we are transforming how people move through their communities – offering pedestrians and cyclists safe, healthy, and sustainable ways to reach their destinations while actively contributing to Massachusetts’ ambitious climate goals,” added MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.

“This progress would not be possible without the vision and collaboration of stakeholders and community leaders, whose insights have been invaluable in creating a more connected and inclusive transportation network for all,” he said.

“Shared use paths provide the kind of connectivity that can foster better human interactions and revitalize communities,” pointed out Peter Sutton, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator at MassDOT.

“By removing barriers to walking and biking and making our roadways safer for all users, we are creating a more equitable transportation network for future generations of Massachusetts residents,” he said.      

MassDOT also plans to soon launch its Next Generation Bicycle and Pedestrian Vision Map; an initiative that will play a significant role in making walking and biking a more viable option for residents.

The agency said the development of this project has helped it identify “physical and quality gaps” when it comes to statewide multimodal connectivity, and this information will provide a roadmap for targeted multimodal investments in the future – supporting the strategy articulated in MassDOT’s “Beyond Mobility 2050” plan finalized in August 2024.

The Federal Highway Administration recently issued $44.5 million in grants to 14 projects in 13 states and Puerto Rico via its Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program or ATIIP.

[Above image by FHWA]

The agency noted in a statement that ATIIP grants aim to support the planning, design, and construction of connected networks that lead to destinations and make communities safer for bicyclists and pedestrians while increasing access to public transit.

FHWA said state agencies, local and tribal governments, plus metropolitan and regional planning organizations can use ATIIP grants to plan, design, or construct safe and connected active transportation networks such as sidewalks, bikeways, and trails that connect schools, workplaces, transit, and other destinations within a community or metropolitan region.

Grants can also be used for projects to plan, design, and construct routes known as “transportation spines” that serve as backbones to connect two or more communities, metropolitan regions, or states.

Among the projects receiving grants via this round of ATIIP disbursements, the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works received $2 million for its La Vereda Planning and Design project.

That project seeks to construct an active transportation network in the Hato Rey neighborhood of San Juan, which will include pedestrian and non-motorized connections linking jobs, schools, services, and recreational facilities to each other and the Tren Urbano rail system.