Applications for 1st Round of Coordinated Funds Now Available – Must Be Received by HRT by 1:00 p.m. on Friday May 16, 2008

The Hampton Roads Area Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Coordinated Plan (“Coordinated Plan”) was adopted by the Commission on April 24, 2008. That action starts the application period for the first round of JARC and New Freedom funds for the Virginia Beach Urbanized Area. Federal funds available at this time are:
• Job Access & Reverse Commute (JARC) - $555,706.00
• New Freedom - $320,054.00

One original signed, unbound application form and seven hard copies must be received by Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) not later than 1:00 p.m. EDT, on Friday, May 16, 2008, at:

•	Hampton Roads Transit
	Attn: Keisha Branch
	3400 Victoria Blvd
	Hampton, VA 23661

In addition, an electronic version of all application materials must be received by 1:00 p.m. Friday May 16, 2008. A CD-ROM included with the paper materials is preferred, but if the file size is less than 5MB, it can be emailed to: coordination@hrtransit.org

Click here for a link to the Coordinated Plan and downloadable versions of key application materials. Applicants should review the entire Coordinated Plan, and should pay particular attention to:
• Appendix G is examples of “ELIGIBLE PROJECTS by FUND SOURCE, excerpts from FTA Program Circulars” (9 pages)
• Appendix H is the “EVALUATION CRITERIA for COMPETITIVE PROJECT SELECTION” that will be used for this first round of funding (3 pages)
• Appendix I is the “PROJECT APPLICATION FORMS, INSTRUCTIONS, and FIRST CYCLE SCHEDULE” (18 pages). The last 5 pages are the actual application form.

  Questions and Answers regarding Applications for JARC and New Freedom funds for the Virginia Beach Urbanized Area- May 13, 2008

SAFETEA-LU requires that any projects funded with JARC, New Freedom, or FTA Section 5310 funds must be “derived from a locally developed, coordinated … plan.” Applicants must identify how the “key strategies” and/or “types of projects” summarized on page 7 of the locally-developed-and-approved Final Coordinated Report and Plan are addressed by their proposed project(s).

The Project Selection Committee, consisting of representatives of HRT, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC), Williamsburg Area Transport (WAT), and Stakeholders from the recent Coordinated Plan development process will meet during the week of May 19th to develop recommendations for competitive selection of the available funds.

The anticipated schedule for formal action for the remainder of the first cycle is:

• TTC Recommend Release for Public Review	Weds. June 4
• HRT O&O Committee Recommend Projects for Approval	Friday June 13
• MPO Release project list (POP & TIP) for Public Comment	Weds. June 18
• HRT Commission (TDCHR) Approval of FY 2006 Projects	Thurs. June 26
• TTC Recommend POP & TIP Approval	Weds. July 2
• MPO Approve Program of Projects (POP) & TIP Amendment	Weds. July 16

This schedule is subject to change based on administrative requirements. This schedule is necessary so that the funds under consideration can be obligated by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) by September 30, 2008.

The application cycle for additional funds attributable to Fiscal Years 2007 and 2008 will be announced later this year.