The Regional Solicitation is a competitive process to award federal transportation funding to projects that meet regional transportation needs. The solicitation is part of the Metropolitan Council’s federally required continuing, comprehensive, and cooperative transportation planning process for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The funding program and related rules and requirements are established by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and administered locally through collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
Changes for the 2024 Funding Cycle
- Increase the number of points awarded to safety related measures in most categories by 100 points in response to the increase in fatalities on the transportation system. This makes it the highest valued criterion in most application categories.
- Allow Bridge Rehabilitation/Replacement project applications for funding on a wider range of roadway functional classifications (minor collector and above in the urban areas, or a major collector and above in the rural areas). This is to ensure that the bridges with the worst conditions in the transportation system are being funded, regardless of functional classification.
- Added language to clarify the project’s significance to the region for the Unique Projects application.
Your project might also qualify for Federal PROTECT Formula Program if it meets the criteria outlined on this MnDOT web page.
Project eligibility and evaluation
Federal funds are available for roadway, bridge, transit capital and operating, and bike and pedestrian projects. The Met Council, Minnesota Department of Transportation, transit providers, local governments, and other agencies such as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency can all submit project proposals.
The criteria and measures for evaluating project applications and the solicitation process are reviewed and updated every two years through the region’s cooperative planning process, and the revised application is adopted by the Transportation Advisory Board. Project applications are solicited, reviewed, scored, and ranked through this process.
Public review and comment
The Met Council held a public comment period on the 2024 Regional Solicitation applications and the following report summarizes those comments and changes recommended to the applications.
2024 Regional Solicitation Application Public Comment Report (PDF)
Highway Safety Improvement Program
The Transportation Advisory Board also approves the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funding. These projects promote safety by addressing design elements to reduce crashes, particularly those of a severe nature.