Carbon Reduction Program

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) requires the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), in consultation with Arizona’s 6 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and 2 Transportation Management Areas (TMAs), to develop a Carbon Reduction Strategy to reduce transportation emissions from surface transportation. This Strategy will support the IIJA’s Carbon Reduction Program, which provides $114 million to Arizona over the next five years by doing the following:

•   Support the reduction of transportation emission in the State,
•   Identify safe, reliable, and cost-effective options and strategies for projects, and
•   Consider the population density and context of the State

Arizona’s Strategy will support Federal goals to reduce transportation emissions from on-road highway sources by:

•   Reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips,
•   Facilitating the use of vehicles or modes of travel that result in lower emissions, and
•   Facilitating approaches to construction that result in lower emissions.

Several goals & objectives within the ADOT Long Range Transportation Plan currently support statewide carbon reduction goals, and the Carbon Reduction Strategy will provide ADOT and our partners with a targeted approach to further reduce transportation emissions while delivering solutions to make our roads safer, more efficient, and more resilient.

Performance Measures and Targets

A proposed rule by FHWA will require the Department and MPOs to establish performance measures and targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Once these targets are established, ADOT and MPOs must show progress toward achieving the targets.

Both the Strategy and performance targets require coordination between ADOT and Arizona’s MPOs.

Funding

The IIJA established a new formula funding program for Carbon Reduction. Formula funds are distributed to state DOTs and are not a competitive grant program.
As under the FAST Act, the IIJA directs FHWA to apportion funding as a lump sum for each State then divide that total among apportioned programs. The IIJA allocates 65 percent specifically based on population of MPO/TMA areas. These funds have been distributed to the Arizona MPOs/TMAs, who will prioritize CRP needs for their respective regions. The remaining 35 percent is available for use anywhere in the State (goes to ADOT).

Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Implementation Guidance and Eligible Projects List

The Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Implementation Guidance is designed to assist MPOs in developing goals and objectives to support the reduction of transportation emissions and to identify projects that align with those goals and objectives. The Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Implementation Guidance also contains a list of resources so MPOs can easily access answers to questions regarding the implementation of the IIJA program. The CRP Eligible Projects List is a list of projects that support the reduction of transportation emissions (where CRP funding can be utilized).

Consultation with MPOs

ADOT MPD staff has met with all of the MPOs/TMAs regarding the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) update and priority projects. ADOT MPD staff will continue to coordinate with the MPOs/TMAs in the future development of the ADOT CRP Strategy Update.

ADOT Carbon Reduction Program (CRP) Strategy

References

For questions or comments, please email the ADOT CRP Manager (Jason James) at [email protected].