Van Hollen, Markey Applaud DOT Grant Awards for Active Transportation

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement celebrating the U. S. Department of Transportation’s awarding of grants under the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP), which the lawmakers created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

“We applaud the U.S. Department of Transportation’s announcement of grant recipients under the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program. These grants represent an important step forward in our efforts to build safer, healthier, and more sustainable communities. By supporting transformative projects across the country, these grants will enhance pedestrian and bike-friendly infrastructure, connect communities, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," the Senators stated. 

“These investments not only improve public safety and mobility, but also promote economic growth and environmental sustainability," the Senators continued. "We are proud to have championed funding for active transportation infrastructure in Congress, and we look forward to seeing the positive impacts these projects will bring to communities nationwide. Together, we can build a future where everyone has access to safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly transportation options.”

The awards include:

1. A $216,000 grant for the City of Rockville to plan and design a 10-mile trail that would run from Maryvale Park to Redgate Park, connecting three parks, an elementary school, a learning center for students with disabilities, a residential neighborhood, an industrial employment center, and two city buildings to other areas of the city; and
2. $1.2 million for the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission to plan and design improvements that would better connect Methuen, Lawrence, Haverhill, Merrimack, and Amesbury, and provide safe and comfortable active transportation options, especially in high-crash areas.

In February 2021, Senators Van Hollen and Markey, along with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), introduced the Connecting America’s Active Transportation System Act, legislation that would allocate $500 million annually for grants to states and localities to connect walking and biking infrastructure into active transportation networks. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Congress passed in November 2021, included a version of their legislation and created the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program. In May 2022, Senators Van Hollen, Markey, and Sullivan led nineteen of their colleagues in a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development requesting funding for the ATIIP in the fiscal 2023 appropriations bill. In January 2024, Senators Van Hollen and Markey celebrated their successful efforts to secure $45 million in funding for the ATIIP through the fiscal 2023 omnibus bill.