Transportation Alternatives (TA) Recipients Announced by Transportation Commission at February Meeting

For Immediate Release:
Monday, March 2, 2026

Contact:
Logan Gran, Active Transportation Engineer, 605-773-4912

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Transportation Commission awarded 16 sidewalk, trail, and shared use path Transportation Alternatives (TA) projects totaling approximately $9.5 million at the recent commission meeting held in Pierre. The TA program uses federal transportation funds, designated by Congress, for specific activities that enhance the inter-modal transportation system and provide safe alternative transportation options. TA encompasses a variety of smaller-scale non-motorized transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities, recreational trails, safe routes to school projects, community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management, and environmental mitigation related to storm water and habitat connectivity.

Grant Recipients:

• City recipients include Rapid City, Box Elder, Harrisburg, Yankton, Sturgis, Baltic, Beresford, Lake Norden, Garretson, Marty, Bison, Oacoma, and White;
• Nonprofit recipient includes the Harrisburg School District;
• Tribal Recipient includes the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe; and
• State Recipient includes South Veterans Parkway in Sioux Falls.

Approximately $8 million is available annually through a competitive selection process administered by the South Department of Transportation (SDDOT) Office of Project Development. Projects may be limited to $600,000 depending on annual funding allowance. The minimum grant given for infrastructure projects is $50,000. There is no minimum for non-infrastructure projects. All projects require a minimum local match of 18.05%.

A variety of activities are eligible for TA funding. Eligible projects must meet one or more of the following noted activities and relate to surface transportation. TA projects do not need to be located along federal-aid highways. Eligible activities under TA consist of the following:

• Construction, planning, and design of on-road and off-road trail facilities;
• Construction, planning, and design of infrastructure-related projects and systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers;
• Conversion and use of abandoned railroad corridors for trails;
• Planning and implementation of community improvement activities;
• Environmental Mitigation;
• Implementation of the Safe Routes to School Program; and
• Boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former Interstate system routes or other divided highways.

Find additional TA program information on the SDDOT website at https://dot.sd.gov/programs-services/programs/transportation-alternatives/.

About the SDDOT:
The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to provide a safe and efficient public transportation system.

Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.

For the latest on road and weather conditions, road closures, construction work zones, commercial vehicle restrictions, and traffic incidents, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511.

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