State Funding Sources for Bike/Ped

This blog is cross-posted from the Advocacy Advance website, and is authored by Christy Kwan.

As the federal funding landscape changes for active transportation funding, more and more states are turning to local public revenue sources to raise the local match or fully fund bicycling and walking projects.

While it is still essential to maneuver the federal funding system – and Advocacy Advance has plenty of tools, resources, and workshops to help advocates and agency staff maximize eligible funding programs – we have heard from many advocates that they’d like a state version of our funding resources.

There are over 25 public revenue sources that states are using to fund walking and biking projects, from user fees such as vehicle registration fees, to fuel taxes and tolling, to voter-approved taxes. Advocacy Advance has compiled these state funding sources into a report and an online tool. For each source, we included a description, list of states that use it, example statute(s), and in some cases an advocacy campaign plan that won funding through that program. In our online tool, you can search your state to see what sources are utilized.

Join our webinar on July 15 at 2pm ET to learn more about these programs.

As a best practice, we also included nearly 20 states that have dedicated state revenue that fund bicycling and walking projects. These state sources of funding are created via state statutes passes by legislators. Legislators can have an important role to ensure bicycling and walking projects have access to a dedicated state fund, and we recommend that advocates use this list to show state legislators how other states are creating dedicated funds.

Does this list spur some ideas? Are you working on a dedicated funding proposal while your State Legislature is in session this year? Is there a statewide transportation bill on the ballot this November? Now’s the time to act, and Advocacy Advance want to help. Apply today for a Rapid Response Grant to support your advocacy campaign to win public funding for walking and biking projects.

This list of state revenue sources that fund bicycling and walking projects came from two major sources: The League of American Bicyclists and State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI). Most of the revenue source definitions were provided by SSTI’s State and Local Transportation Revenue Sources survey, while the League’s Bicycle Friendly State programcontributes self-reported state information and examples. Where relevant, campaign plans from Advocacy Advance Rapid Response Grantees are also included.

Note: Not all funding sources have a state example. If you know of additional state revenue sources or states not listed, please contact us at [email protected].