Caltrans Reconnecting Communities Program

**Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program FY24 NOFO is now live.**

Overview

Caltrans' Reconnecting Communities Program centers on equitable community engagement and relationship building to facilitate a way for affected communities to express how they are burdened by highway facilities, identify their need for reconnection and improved access, and develop transformational strategies and connectivity solutions.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) released a joint Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) on July 3rd, 2024.

Apply Now

Requests for Letters of Support (LOS) and Partnerships can be submitted through the Smartsheet intake form. The word document version of the intake form can be found here.

All requests are due by Close of Business on August 2, 2024.  Visit our Caltrans Office of Strategic Investment Planning (OSIP) to access the template.

Background

 In 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) established the Federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) grant program, a $1 billion discretionary grant program to reconnect communities divided by transportation infrastructure. In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) established the $3.2 billion Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant (NAE) Program to provide funds for projects that improve walkability, safety, and affordable transportation access and address existing transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity in disadvantaged or underserved communities.

More detailed information on the Federal RCN grant program can be found on USDOT’s website for Reconnecting Communities, which is listed in the Related Links section.

Caltrans Reconnecting Communities Handbook

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) developed a Caltrans Reconnecting Communities Handbook to serve as a resource for Caltrans districts, government agencies, and community organizations statewide to navigate the opportunities and strategies for developing projects that restore community connectivity. This handbook, at the highest level, aligns with Department’s core mission to provide a safe and reliable transportation network that serves all the people of California.

A draft of the handbook was made available for public comment in March 2023. Based upon comments received, Caltrans edited for process clarifications and noted topic areas to address in future updates of the handbook, which is considered a living document.

Reconnecting Communities Handbook (PDF) (TXT)