Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program

Overview

The Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) was created by Senate Bill (SB) 862 (Chapter 36, Statutes of 2014) and modified by Senate Bill 9 (Chapter 710, Statutes of 2015), to provide grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to fund transformative capital improvements that will modernize California’s intercity, commuter, and urban rail systems, and bus and ferry transit systems, to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, vehicle miles traveled, and congestion. There have been four prior cycles of TIRCP funding, in which the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) has awarded $5.8 billion in funding to 73 projects throughout the state. The legislation of these bills is established in Sections 75220 through 75225 of the Public Resources Code (PRC). Assembly Bill 398 (Chapter 135) extended the Cap and Trade Program that supports the TIRCP from 2020 through 2030. SB 1 (Chapter 5) continues to provide a historic funding increase for transportation with funds directed to the TIRCP from the Public Transportation Account for new programming.

Objectives

The TIRCP was created to fund transformative capital improvements that modernize California’s intercity rail, bus (including feeder buses to intercity rail services, as well as vanpool services that are eligible to report as public transit to the Federal Transit Administration), ferry, and rail transit systems (collectively referred to as transit services or systems inclusive of all aforementioned modes unless otherwise specified) to achieve all of the following policy objectives, as established in Section 75220(a) of the PRC:

Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
Expand and improve transit service to increase ridership
Integrate the rail service of the state’s various rail operations, including integration with the high‐speed rail system
Improve transit safety

Additionally, Section 75221(c) of the PRC establishes a programmatic goal to provide at least 25 percent of available funding to projects that provide a direct, meaningful, and assured benefit to disadvantaged communities,

For information on the Transit, Affordable Housing, and Sustainable Communities Program (and associated programs generated by SB 862) please visit www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.

2022 Programming Cycle

The 2022 TIRCP grant cycle will program projects starting with the 2022‐23 fiscal year and ending with the 2026‐27 fiscal year. The new program cycle will include previously awarded and active Cycle 3 and 4 projects that have not been fully allocated by the end of the 2021-22 fiscal year, and projects selected with the 2022 planning cycle.

2022 Guidelines Development Process

CalSTA would like to invite public review and comments on the draft guidelines for the next round of TIRCP awards. The 2022 Guidelines describe the policy, standards, criteria, and procedures that will be used for the development, evaluation, adoption and management of the TIRCP Program.

CalSTA welcomes all stakeholders to provide input on TIRCP, including interaction through public workshops and written comments. Please send your comments to: tircpcomments@dot.ca.gov

2022 TIRCP Schedule

Item	Date
Discussion Draft Workshop (YouTube link) Discussion Draft Guidelines (PDF) Discussion Draft Workshop Presentation (PDF)	August 12, 2021
Release Draft 2022 Cycle 5 Guidelines Formal Guidelines (PDF) Formal and Discussion Draft Comparison Document (PDF)	September 30, 2021
Guidelines Workshops (virtual) Workshop 1 (focused on large applicants) Workshop 2 (focused on rural and small applicants)	November 2, 2021 November 3, 2021 8:30-9:30 a.m. both days
Closing Date for Comments on Draft Guidelines	November 10, 2021
CalSTA Publishes 2022 Cycle 5 Guidelines	November 19, 2021
Call for Projects	November 19, 2021
Optional, time-limited, focused meetings for applicants to discuss project concepts and quantifications* Second round of optional, time-limited, focused meetings* *Scheduled by request; may be in person in various locations, or virtual	December 9-15, 2021 January 20-26, 2022
Project Applications Due	March 3, 2022
CalSTA Award Announcement	June 2022
Dates are subject to change.

Reference Material, Cycles 1-4

TIRCP Program Administration

The Secretary of the Transportation Agency has delegated the authority for the administration of TIRCP to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The Caltrans Division of Rail and Mass Transportation (DRMT) is administering the program pursuant to the TIRCP Guidelines and all applicable policies and procedures for program administration. Project administration information can be found at the Caltrans Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) webpage:

https://dot.ca.gov/programs/rail-and-mass-transportation/transit-and-intercity-rail-capital-program