Active Transportation infrastructure is good for Ohio because it moves traffic by taking cars off the road. Active transportation provides more choices for how Ohioans get around in their daily lives without relying on a car; supports in-demand vibrant neighborhoods; and offers cost-effective mobility options, for both individuals and the state, all while helping to promote active lifestyles, improved health, and decreased congestion on roadways.

Active Transportation: Planning & Development for Ohio Communities

Active Transportation in Ohio: Sign-Up and Read our AT Newsletter

Active Transportation Funding: State & Federal Grant Information

Additional Resources: Planning Resources, Workshops, and More

How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers

In summer 2024, GOPC published our first volume of How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers. It provided tips for implementing an active transportation project, funding sources, and technical assistance programs at the state and federal level that can help plan and fund projects. We are proud that the guide has been downloaded nearly 350 times, and hope it is inspiring more innovative approaches to creating calmer, safer streets, and revitalized neighborhoods in Ohio and beyond!

We are excited to share How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers, Volume 2. Volume 2 builds on the case studies presented in the first edition by featuring additional examples of outstanding improvements local leaders and communities have undertaken. These improvements are making roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and creating more vibrant and welcoming neighborhoods. Volume 2 also includes case studies on active transportation planning efforts, describing the work communities have taken to prepare for actual infrastructure investments.

How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers, Volume 2 features two case studies that are focused on process. Our first case study examines three different ways Ohio communities developed their active transportation plans. The second case study looks at how different communities have implemented demonstration projects to test, educate, showcase, and seek public feedback before the infrastructure change was made permanent and are widely adopted.

Volume 2 also features infrastructure projects in Cincinnati and Dayton.  All case studies highlight the roles local governments, quasi-governmental entities, the business community, philanthropy, and local advocates played in developing and implementing projects.


Originally published in July 2024, How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers, Volume 1 describes innovative approaches to making neighborhoods and streets calmer, safer, and more welcoming to people of all ages and abilities.

At the heart of the guide are six case studies that feature active transportation projects in communities throughout Ohio. The projects, which range from modest in scale to complete overhauls of a district streetscape, show how cities in Ohio are working collaboratively to address local needs. Volume 1’s case studies include:

  • Xenia’s buffered bike lane that connects regional trails

  • Columbus’ protected, bi-directional bike lane in the University District 

  • Mansfield’s downtown redevelopment strategy

  • Youngstown’s right-sizing of downtown streets 

  • Bexley’s work implementing a long-term vision for a walkable, bikeable city 

  • Lorain’s efforts to make streets safer and more beautiful  

Along with How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers, GOPC has also created these resource documents, Active Transportation Funding Opportunities and Resources in Ohio and Tips for Implementing Active Transportation Projects in Your Community.

These excerpts are summaries of the suggestions for getting started on active transportation projects in your own city, and the resources GOPC has identified which communities can utilize to support the development of active transportation projects.

To aid in new project development, these separate guides include a list of federal and state funding sources and technical assistance programs that support planning and implementation.

Active Transportation Newsletter

GOPC began an email series in early 2023 to help promote, develop, and implement more Active Transportation (AT) infrastructure throughout Ohio.

GOPC’s goal with these emails is to amplify high-quality AT work happening around the state, ensure widespread awareness of existing funding programs for AT, and support policies and programs that will lead to even more AT and transit investment in Ohio.


Active Transportation Funding Opportunities

State Grant Opportunities

  • The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) provides funding for projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities, and environmental mitigation; recreational trail program projects; and safe routes to school projects.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • The Ohio Department of Transportation is accepting applications for the Safe Routes to Schools Program.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • ODOT’s Highway Safety Program is a a new systemic safety improvement program with a focus on preventing injuries related to pedestrian and roadway departure crashes. Systemic improvements are meant to be proactive and widely implemented based on roadway features that have been associated with specific crash types. FHWA has identified a range of proven countermeasures that prevent pedestrian and roadway departure crashes, and ODOT wants to encourage project applications that focus on the implementation of these improvements.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • Local governments and political subdivisions can utilize ODOT’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements Purchasing Contract to acquire bicycle and pedestrian safety countermeasures included in the contract including roadway markers, signage, flex posts, and more. Agencies can participate if they’re a part of the Cooperative Purchasing Program through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

    The purpose of this contract is to help local governments to implement various infrastructure improvements dealing with bicycle and pedestrian safety countermeasures. The contract is for maintenance of and additions to existing infrastructure. Each item is priced for standard (90 days), rush (60 days), and expedited (30 days) completion. Once the work order is processed, the contractor will have that much time to complete the work.

    The new 149-24 purchasing contract covers many items related to quick-build pedestrian and bicycle improvements. Not all items were bid on, so not everything listed is available, but some of the materials available to agencies include: crosswalk and advance yield markings and signage, bike lane and bike box striping, RRFB installation, no turn on red signs, speed cushions, and flex post and parking curb installations for protected bike lanes.

    This purchasing contract opportunity is now available through November 30, 2025.

Federal Grant Opportunities

Federal Funding Questions

If you have questions about current or pending federal grant applications, click below.

  • The U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact. The eligibility requirements of BUILD allow project sponsors, including state and local governments, counties, Tribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities, to pursue multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to fund through other grant programs.

    The BUILD program, previously known as the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grants, was established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and operated under annual appropriations acts until authorized in November 2021.

    A Notice of Funding Opportunity and webinar about the program should be available in the fall of 2025.

  • The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) established the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program with $5 billion in appropriated funds over 5 years, 2022-2026. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • ATIIP is a new competitive grant program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. ATIIP will award two types of grants: Planning and Design grants and Construction grants. FHWA will award Planning and Design grants for eligible applicants to develop plans for active transportation networks and active transportation spines. Projects seeking Planning and Design grants must have planning and design costs of at least $100,000 to be eligible.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • Three programs, the National Infrastructure Project Assistance Grant (MEGA), the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects Grants (INFRA) and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant (RURAL) have been combined to form the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG).

    These grants are awarded on a competitive basis for surface transportation infrastructure projects – including highway and bridge, intercity passenger rail, railway-highway grade crossing or separation, wildlife crossing, public transportation, marine highway, and freight projects, or groups of such projects – with significant national or regional impact, or to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • The Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program (RCP) is the first-ever Federal program dedicated to reconnecting communities that were previously cut off from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure. Funding supports planning grants and capital construction grants, as well as technical assistance, to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation, or replacement of eligible transportation infrastructure facilities.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program is an existing competitive program that will see a more than 50 percent increase in this year’s funding due to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These grants advance the USDOT priorities of rebuilding America’s infrastructure and creating jobs by funding highway, multimodal freight and rail projects that position America to win the 21st century. Projects will improve safety, generate economic benefits, reduce congestion, enhance resiliency, and hold the greatest promise to eliminate supply chain bottlenecks and improve critical freight movements. Last year, DOT received over $27 billion in application requests, but could only fund around $1.5 billion of projects. $3.1 billion in grants are available in 2023, with a minimum of $5 million and a max of $1.29 billion.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program was created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund major projects that are too large or complex for traditional funding programs. The program will provide grants on a competitive basis to support multijurisdictional or regional projects of significance that may also cut across multiple modes of transportation. Eligible projects could include highway, bridge, freight, port, passenger rail, and related public transportation projects of national and regional significance. DOT will award approximately 50 percent of funding to projects greater than $500 million in cost, and approximately 50 percent to projects greater than $100 million but less than $500 million in cost. A total of $1.8 billion is available in 2023 through the MEGA program, with no award minimum and a maximum of $1 billion.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • The Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program provides a total of $3.4 million in grants to provide financial, technical, and legal assistance to states and rural and tribal communities. The grants are intended to increase organizational capacity in communities that may not have resources available to evaluate and develop projects that qualify for federal funding and financing programs. Grants reimburse expenses incurred to hire third-party advisory firms to assist with project development. The floor for grants is $10,000 and the maximum grant allowed is $360,000.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) established the Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) discretionary grant program with $100 million appropriated annually for fiscal years (FY) 2022-2026.

    The SMART program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety.

    A Notice of Funding Opportunity and webinar about the program should be available in the fall of 2025.

  • Funded with an initial $25 million through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) new Thriving Communities Program (TCP) aims to ensure that disadvantaged communities adversely or disproportionately affected by environmental, climate, and human health policy outcomes have the technical tools and organizational capacity to compete for federal aid and deliver quality infrastructure projects that enable their communities and neighborhoods to thrive. Recognizing the importance of this transformative new program, Congress appropriated an additional $25 million to USDOT through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.

    TCP facilitates the planning and development of transportation and community revitalization activities and provides tools to ensure that under-resourced communities can access the historic funding provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

    Grant applications are currently closed.

  • Approximately $13 million is available to fund local comprehensive or site-specific planning to support housing and other investments near transit hubs to promote sustainable, livable, and equitable communities through the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Special consideration will be given to applications that improve air quality, advance environmental justice, support unhousing populations, and promote housing affordability.

    Grant applications are currently closed.

Additional Resources

Walk.Bike.Ohio Statewide Bike and Pedestrian Plan

As a policy plan, Walk.Bike.Ohio will guide policies, programs, and investments in infrastructure to improve walking and biking, but does not recommend specific infrastructure projects.

Ohio Department of Transportation AT Academy

The Active Transportation Academy (ATA) is a resource for building capacity and expertise on active transportation topics, educating practitioners, decision makers, and partners, and helping your community reach its active transportation goals. The ATA provides trainings, workshops, e-Learning courses, and online resources on a variety of topics related to walking and biking.

The Devou Good Foundation Bike & Pedestrian Workshop Scholarship

The Devou Good Foundation is providing scholarships for the 2024 Bike and Pedestrian Workshop hosted by the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) located at Portland State University and the NACTO Designing Cities Conference in Miami.


About the Greater Ohio Policy Center

GOPC is a statewide, non-partisan advocacy organization with a vision of a revitalized Ohio. We work with communities throughout Ohio to share and promote best practices that support sustainable development. We have a reputation at the Ohio statehouse for being pragmatic and data-driven.

Transportation policy is of particular interest to us because roads and highways shape the places where Ohioans live. We have recently served on the Access Ohio 2045 and Walk.Bike.Ohio Advisory Committees and are working to support efforts to build more AT and transit infrastructure around the state.

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