Parks to People Active Transportation Act

Greenway grants for communities

If enacted, the bill would create a competitive National and Regional Greenways Grant Program at the Department of Transportation. It would authorize $300 million each year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, with at least $5 million each year for planning grants and up to $3.5 million per year for administration, research, and technical assistance. Grants would pay to build or improve hard-surfaced, wheelchair-accessible greenway paths and to buy needed land; most construction projects must have total project costs of at least $15 million, and planning grants must have at least $100,000 in planning or design costs. The federal share would normally pay up to 80% of project costs, but rural projects could get 90% and projects serving communities where most census tracts have over 40% poverty could get up to 100% federal share. Applicants would follow rules the Secretary sets, projects partly on Federal land would need a cooperative agreement, and the Secretary would publish a request for applications within 60 days and select recipients within 180 days. The Secretary would establish a national greenway network and must report to Congress (interim report due by September 30, 2028 and final report due by September 30, 2030).