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City wins $47.8 million EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant to reduce regional vehicle miles traveled
Summary
Austin Transportation and Public Works described the federally funded Moving Central Texas program (Climate Pollution Reduction Grant) awarded to the city. The five‑year grant aims to reduce vehicle miles traveled by 39 million miles through improved transit service, expanded mobility hubs and a new regional demand‑management platform.
Kristen Pipkin of Austin Transportation and Public Works briefed the Mobility Committee on March 20 about Austin’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program, which the city calls “Moving Central Texas.” The Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city a $47,800,000 implementation grant to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) across the region and to support multimodal options.
Purpose, partners and goals
Pipkin said the grant is administered by EPA and stems from a planning grant the city received in February 2023. The Moving Central Texas award is a five‑year program that sets a goal of reducing VMT by 39,000,000 miles over five years, which Pipkin described as approximately 820 people per day choosing different travel modes. The coalition of partners includes TxDOT, CAPCOG, CARTS, CapMetro, Moveability and the city’s Transportation & Public Works department.
Planned measures and budgets
Pipkin outlined three measures and associated budget allocations in the grant: - Measure 1 (improving existing transit service): approximately $17,500,000; - Measure 2 (transportation demand management infrastructure): approximately $7,100,000; and - Measure 3 (introducing travel options and mobility hubs): approximately $22,600,000.
Planned tools include strategic transit service investment, expansion of bike‑share, buildout of about 48 mobility hubs in public spaces and at transit facilities, a new transportation demand management platform in partnership with CAMPO and TxDOT, and marketing and incentives coordinated with Moveability.
Timeline and next steps
Pipkin said the grant agreement was executed on Jan. 1, 2025. The first year is focused on planning; implementation begins in 2026 and continues through the grant term, which ends Dec. 31, 2029. The committee was told staff will bring interlocal agreements with CapMetro, CARTS and CAPCOG to council in April and will advance required contracts for platform and monitoring vendors.
Ending
Council members welcomed the regional coordination approach and urged staff to avoid duplication with CAMPO planning efforts. Pipkin said the coalition structure includes representation from partner agencies to align actions and stretch public funding.
