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| News and Events:
Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities:
Upcoming Events and Activities:
Resources and Guides:
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| Two Tennessee Interstates Designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recently completed a fourth round of designations under its Alternative Fuel Corridors program, which aims to establish a national network of infrastructure for alternative fuels (e.g., compressed natural gas, electricity, propane, etc.) along national highway system corridors. Under this round of designations, FHWA has designated I-26 and I-81 in Tennessee as alternative fuel corridors for both compressed natural gas and electricity. These two corridors join Tennessee’s previously designated alternative fuel corridors (I-40, I-25, I-65, and I-75); every mile of Tennessee’s major interstate roadway is now designated as either “corridor-ready” or “corridor-pending” for both electricity and compressed natural gas. To view all current corridor designations in Tennessee and across the country, see FHWA’s interactive GIS maps here.
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| New Electric Vehicle Charging Station Fills Corridor Gap in East Tennessee
A new electric vehicle Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) station was recently unveiled in Baileyton along I-81, filling an important charging infrastructure gap along one of the state’s FHWA-designated alternative fuel corridors. The new ChargePoint DCFC station was supported by a partnership between the Greeneville Light & Power System, the Davy Crockett Travel Center, and Seven States Power Corporation. The charging station is capable of charging a vehicle at up to 62.5 kW and can be expanded to enable up to four simultaneous vehicle charging sessions in the future as demand increases. Learn more about this story here.
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| Nominations Open for 2020 100 Best Fleets Award
The 100 Best Fleets award recognizes organizations in North America that have achieved success in “greening” their fleets through the use of alternative fuel vehicles, emissions reductions, long-range planning, and staff education and involvement. The award includes two separate categories: Government, which is open to all federal, State, and local government fleets in North America; and Commercial, which is open to all commercial fleets.
Evaluation standards are divided into several key categories, including fleet composition, fuel use and emissions, policy and planning, fleet utilization, education, executive and employee involvement, and supporting programs. 2020 winners will be announced on September 9 and will receive recognition in the National Association of Fleet Administrator’s bi-monthly FLEETSolutions magazine. Applications for the award are due by July 27. To apply, complete the Government application here or the Commercial application here; completed applications should be submitted to GreenFleetAwards@yahoo.com.
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| Tennessee Green Fleets Certification Program Open for 2020
The Tennessee Green Fleets (TGF) program offers an opportunity for Tennessee fleets to receive certification for their transportation efficiency efforts. Organized by Tennessee Clean Fuels, TGF certification is based on an applicant’s vehicle data and fleet fuel use. The TGF program recognizes fleets based on actions taken to reduce petroleum consumption, lessen greenhouse gas emissions, and deploy alternative fuel vehicles. Applications for 2020 TGF certification are due by July 29. For more information about the program, visit http://www.tncleanfuels.org.
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| FUNDING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES
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| Grants for Transit Planning and Mobility-on-Demand Projects
The Administration for Community Living, the Community Transportation Association of America, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are soliciting projects under the Transit Planning for All Mobility-on-Demand Projects program. This program provides funding for inclusive transportation planning, development, and implementation projects with grassroots-driven mobility-on-demand solutions. Selected grantees will engage people with disabilities, older adults, and caregivers in partnership with transportation, planning, and human services organizations; projects should identify, develop, and implement mobility-on-demand solutions that respond to local transportation barriers and test a standard way of sharing trip data to support coordination and implementation of mobility-on-demand services. Eligible applicants include nonprofit or governmental agencies that are involved in the administration, delivery, or coordination of transportation, aging, and/or disability services.
The program anticipates awarding grants to three projects, and applicants may request up to $300,000 in project funding. Full proposals are due by July 31. Click here to visit the application portal.
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| TDOT's Multimodal Access Grant
TDOT’s Multimodal Access Grant is a State-funded program created to support the transportation needs of transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists through infrastructure projects that address existing gaps along State routes. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:
- Pedestrian crossing improvements, including signage, signalization, median pedestrian refuge islands and crosswalks;
- Shoulders and sidewalks;
- Bicycle lanes;
- Improvements that address requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act;
- Shared-use paths (pedestrian and bicycle traffic) located within the transportation corridor;
- Transit stop amenities;
- Road diets or traffic calming measures that enhance bicycle and/or pedestrian safety;
- Separated bicycle facilities; and
- Park and ride facilities for carpooling or access to transit.
Eligible applicants include Tennessee cities and counties. Multimodal Access Grants can provide up to 95% of a project’s total cost, requiring a 5% local match. Total project costs must not exceed $1 million. Applicants must submit a Notice of Intent to Apply to tdot.multimodalplanning@tn.gov by July 31 at 11:59 PM Central. For questions, contact Matthew Cushing at Matthew.Cushing@tn.gov or 615-741-7586. Click here to read more. Click here to see a list of last year’s award recipients.
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| USDA Announces Funding for Ethanol and Biodiesel
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced up to $100 million in funding as part of its 2020 Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). The HBIIP aims to increase the sales and use of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel by expanding infrastructure for renewable fuels derived from U.S. agricultural products. The program is also intended to encourage a more comprehensive approach to marketing higher blends of biofuels by sharing transparent costs related to building out biofuel-related infrastructure. Eligible applicants include 1) those operating transportation fueling facilities, including fueling stations, convenience stores, hypermarket fueling stations, fleet facilities, and similar entities with capital investments; and 2) those operating fuel distribution facilities, including terminal operations, depots, midstream partners, and similarly equivalent operations.
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| 2020 Autogas Answers Virtual Events
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is now supporting virtual Autogas Answers events for 2020. These events aim to educate organizations on how they can reduce expenses over a vehicle’s lifetime by utilizing propane autogas as a transportation fuel. These virtual events provide an opportunity for fleet professionals to hear directly from other key influencers about propane autogas; the events also promote the commercialization of propane powered products for on-road applications (e.g., school buses, shuttles, delivery vehicles, and law enforcement vehicles) and off-road applications (e.g., forklifts, ground service equipment, and irrigation). Events will include an overview of available funding opportunities, such as the VW Settlement, that may assist in the purchase of autogas vehicles.
Hosts may include, but are not limited to, State or local government entities, environmental or sustainability organizations, and utilities. Virtual events will be held via 90-minute Zoom webinars and will be facilitated by a PERC representative; host organizations will receive $500 for their participation in the virtual event. For information on Autogas Answers events, see the event guidelines for local hosts here. Organizations interested in hosting a virtual Autogas Answers event should contact Greg Zilberfarb at greg@tsncommunications.com.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
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| Pedaling Through Pandemic: How (E-)Cycling Can Keep Post-COVID Cities Moving
The Smart Growth Network and Maryland Department of Transportation will co-host a webinar on July 16 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Eastern titled, “Pedaling Through Pandemic: How (E-Cycling) Can Keep Post-COVID Cities Moving.” Presenters will discuss how the coronavirus crisis has forced communities worldwide to reevaluate their mobility networks, especially as public transportation faces reduced capacity for the foreseeable future, and how bicycles—in combination with an electric pedal assist—are filling a portion of this gap. The webinar will discuss how cities are adapting their streets to this new reality and are working to ensure this ‘bike boom’ can both be sustainable and provide long-term community benefits. Click here to register.
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| TennSMART Virtual Member Meeting
On July 23 from 1:00 PM to 2:15 PM Central, TennSMART will hold its third virtual member meeting, during which participants will share project and research updates and will engage on the following intelligent mobility topics:
- Jibonananda Sanyal, Group Leader for Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Computational Urban Sciences research group, will provide updates on the Chattanooga Twin project, a DOE-funded Regional Mobility Project for Smart Cities which provides situational awareness, simulation, and data-driven control for regional scale mobility and energy improvements for the city.
- Rod Schebesch, Senior Vice President and Sector Leader of Transportation for Stantec, and Yeatland Wong, Senior ITS Engineer for Stantec, will provide a glimpse into Stantec's leading edge innovations. These include the Connected Vehicle Testbed Network at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, which will test and develop future-focused solutions to optimize vehicles and infrastructure for connected technology, and the company’s in-house autonomous vehicle planning and safety tools.
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| Webinar: Emerging Mobility and Transportation Demand Management
The FHWA Office of Operations is offering a webinar on July 23 from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM Eastern titled “Advancing Demand Management in Resort Towns and Communities.” As resort towns and communities face unique circumstances in managing transportation systems among fluctuating demands during peak seasons, emerging mobility and transportation demand management (TDM) strategies can help these communities meet the needs of their travelers, positively impacting local businesses, employers, residents, and commuters. Presenters will discuss the integration of emerging mobility and TDM and how resort towns and communities have implemented strategies to advance TDM, meet visitor travel expectations, and reduce single-occupant vehicle travel. Click here to register.
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| Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report is a quarterly report designed to keep Clean Cities Coalitions and other interested parties up to date on the price of alternative and conventional vehicle fuels in the United States. The report presents current fuel cost data as well as price comparisons among fuel types and geographic regions. The most recent report summarizes fuel prices submitted by Clean Cities Coordinators, fuel providers, and other Clean Cities stakeholders between April 1 and April 15, 2020. Click here to view the report.
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| Case Study: Transit-Oriented Development in Hamilton Springs
Connected to Nashville by I-40 as well as the Music City Star, Tennessee’s only operating commuter train, Lebanon is a city with a large commuter population. One of the city’s goals is to develop a more diverse array of housing and transportation options to appeal to creative professionals and younger residents. By designing their comprehensive plan and zoning code to encourage and guide growth in their community, leaders in the Lebanon community were able to attract the Hamilton Springs Transit Oriented Development (TOD) project.
Building off the Music City Star commuter rail, Lebanon’s Hamilton Springs development is a model for development that is oriented around transit. Local officials have ensured policies to promote multiple transportation and housing options, all within walking distance of the development’s commercial and retail core. These policies and planning priorities can lead to widespread community benefits including enhanced economic growth and competitiveness, expanded community redevelopment options, increased mobility and transportation choices, and an overall improved quality of life for residents. Read more about the Hamilton Springs TOD project here.
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