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Commission approves application for nearly $2.92 million in transportation-alternatives funding
Summary
The City Commission voted unanimously to authorize staff to apply for Transportation Alternatives Program funding through the South Dakota Department of Transportation to build a shared-use path, sidewalks and curb bump-outs; staff cautioned the federal process could push construction into 2026.
The City Commission voted unanimously to authorize staff to apply for Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding through the South Dakota Department of Transportation to support a shared-use path, sidewalks and curb bump-outs.
Ryan, a city staff member, told the commission the application the city plans to submit is for $2,919,025.54. “The amount that we’re submitting for is $2,919,025.54,” he said, adding the city does not know how much of the requested total will be eligible under TAP rules.
The application must be submitted by Oct. 1, Ryan said, and awards are expected to be announced in January. He cautioned that accepting federal DOT funding typically requires the project to be processed through DOT procedures — including plan approvals and letting — which could delay the city’s planned bidding schedule. “There’s a slim chance of construction in 2025,” Ryan said, “that this funding would likely push that project another year into a 2026.”
Commissioners generally expressed support for pursuing the grant despite the uncertainty. One commissioner said the city should pursue the funding but asked whether interim repairs would be performed on Eagan if construction were pushed back; staff acknowledged the pavement there is rough and that short-term patching might be considered. Ryan also noted the city is making a large funding request — “a $2,900,000 is a huge number” — and that the largest TAP awards he had seen were about $600,000, so the city does not expect to receive the full amount requested.
A motion to approve the resolution authorizing the TAP application was made and approved by voice vote. The transcript records a unanimous voice vote in favor; all five members recorded as present during roll call were recorded as voting “aye.”
The commission asked staff to proceed with the application. Staff will submit the application by the Oct. 1 deadline and await award notifications expected in January; depending on award timing and DOT requirements, the city’s bid and construction schedule may shift into 2026. The commission’s next regular meeting is Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.
