On September 5, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) Steering Committee approved three District of Columbia projects and four Maryland projects to receive funding through the Federal Highway Administration’s Carbon Reduction Program (CRP).

CRP projects nationwide support a wide range of strategies to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, including mode shift from auto-centric travel to transit, micromobility (for example, bikeshare), travel demand management such as carpooling, electrification including charging infrastructure and fleet changes, and low-carbon materials or LED streetlights.

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia’s FY 2026 federal CRP funding totals $5,031,396 for the following projects:

• Capital Bikeshare Capacity Expansion Project ($3,376,164)
• District DOT Construction EV Equipment (Bucket Truck, Loader, and Telehandler) ($1,233,309)
• Technical Assistance for Delivery Microhubs ($421,923)

DC's funding will be used to purchase over 1,000 Capital Bikeshare e-bikes, bringing DC’s total Capital Bikeshare e-bike fleet to over 4,000 e-bikes. Each e-bike supports an average of three trips per day, leading to an estimated 25 percent car trip reduction rate and emissions reductions, according to District DOT (DDOT).

The second DC project will purchase electric construction vehicles including bucket truck(s), loader(s), and telehandler(s). This will transition diesel-based equipment to new electric equipment for air quality, noise reduction, and safety improvements. According to DDOT, replacing these machines with electric alternatives will reduce harmful tailpipe emissions like CO₂, NO_x, and particulate matter.

The third project will provide technical assistance to delivery companies to site and permit surface lots and/or parking lane right-of-way for the use of microhubs, allowing “last-mile” deliveries to be completed by e-cargo bikes. This move will reduce traffic congestion and reduce mobile-source CO₂ emissions.

Delivery bike at U and 14^th Streets NW, Washington, DC (Elvert Barnes/Flickr)

Maryland

Maryland’s new projects total $2,021,700 in federal CRP funds:

• Research Boulevard Shared Use Path Feasibility and Design ($240,000)
• Zero Emission Mt. Rainier Vehicles ($1,255,000)
• North Market Street Protected Bicycle Lane – 100% Design ($288,000)
• Waterford Park Intelligent Lighting Pilot ($238,700)

Maryland’s CRP recipient projects were selected based on their readiness, alignment with Maryland’s climate action initiatives, and emissions reduction potential.

City of Rockville’s Research Boulevard Shared Use Path Feasibility and Design will evaluate the feasibility of constructing a shared use path along Research Boulevard with preparation of a 65-percent engineering design for its construction. The project will evaluate using the existing right-of-way for a safe and separated facility for alternative transportation.

Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD (thisisbossi/Flickr)

The City of Mount Rainier, in Prince George’s County near the District line, will receive CRP funds to purchase two electric refuse trucks and two chargers.

In the City of Frederick, a 100-percent design is planned for a North Market Street Protected Bicycle Lane. The design is for a two-way protected bicycle lane or functional equivalent along North Market Street (7th St to North East Street and Schifferstadt Boulevard to Routzahn Way) along with related connections. The result will be an all-ages-friendly bicycle route connecting downtown, schools, and services to northern Frederick neighborhoods.

Frederick will also receive funding for a Waterford Park Intelligent Lighting Pilot to replace existing park lighting with DarkSky-compliant, sensor-controlled lighting that dims or turns off when no users are present. This pilot project will reduce energy use, lower light pollution, and serve as a model for future city lighting upgrades. The pilot project will also enable the installation of new lighting along trails where there currently is none due to light trespass concerns. This will significantly improve the ability of bicyclists and pedestrians to navigate the system for utility trips, such as to school or work in the winter, and other trips that might be taken in the early morning or late evening.

Carbon Reduction Program Background

The federal Carbon Reduction Program was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and provides a total of $6.4 billion in formula funding nationally for FY 2022 through FY 2026. CRP projects are defined as those that are “designed to reduce transportation emissions, defined as carbon dioxide emissions from on-road transportation sources.”  Sixty-five percent of each state’s apportionment is to be obligated to areas based on the proportion of the state’s population residing in that area, and 35 percent of the apportionment can be spent anywhere in the state.

The CRP requires that state agencies coordinate with their respective metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). The TPB, as MPO for the metropolitan Washington region, has been a coordinating partner with DC and Maryland during project selection. In addition, the funded projects must be in the TPB’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) as well as be consistent with the TPB’s Visualize metropolitan transportation plan.

To learn more about CRP projects and initiatives in the National Capital Region, contact Erin Morrow, TPB Transportation Engineer, emorrow@mwcog.org.