Grant opportunity announced

The Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG) issued a call for project applications for the 2018-2019 Surface Transportation Block Grant Program Set-Aside (Transportation Alternatives) on October 19, 2018 inviting eligible applicants in Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, and Wahkiakum Counties to apply.

Transportation Alternatives is a federal-aid transportation program which provides funding for pedestrian and bicycle facilities; recreational trails; safe routes for non-drivers; conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails; and traffic calming, lighting, and other infrastructure to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety. The Transportation Alternatives program is a federal cost reimbursement program with a local match of 13.5 percent required for all projects. All projects must follow federal regulations, including environmental, right-of-away, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Transportation Alternatives guidance document and application form will be available online at http://www.cwcog.org or by request at: CWCOG at Administration Annex / 207 North 4th Ave, Kelso, WA 98626 (360) 577-3041. Questions may be directed to Robert Stevens at CWCOG by regular mail at the address above, via email to rstevens@cwcog.org, or by FAX at (360) 214-3425. The deadline to submit an application is January 4, 2019.

Those needing special accommodations to participate in this process need to call 360-577-3041 by 5:00 p.m. on December 21, 2018. Ask for the ADA Coordinator. For TDD users, use the state's toll-free relay service, (800) 833-6388, and ask the operator to dial 360-956-7575.