Transportation Rural Improvement Program (TRIP)

The Transportation Rural Improvement Program (TRIP) is a State of Connecticut transportation infrastructure grant program administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT). The program was established in 2022 to provide state-funded transportation capital improvements for rural and small-town municipalities throughout Connecticut. According to the program guidelines, two rounds of funding had already been awarded prior to the current solicitation, with approximately $19.4 million awarded to 18 Connecticut municipalities. The program is intended to support transportation infrastructure modernization, construction, rehabilitation, and major repair projects that improve mobility, accessibility, and safety within eligible rural areas. CTDOT administers the program through municipal governments working in coordination with Connecticut Councils of Government (COGs). The program funds transportation capital construction activities only. Eligible activities include roadway resurfacing, roadway rehabilitation, structure rehabilitation, sidewalk replacement, curb replacement, stand-alone sidewalk projects, and multi-use transportation trails that provide mobility functions such as walking, bicycling, or wheelchair access. Recreational-only trails are not eligible. Projects located on rural roadways within eligible municipalities are generally eligible, while urban roadway projects are not eligible under the program. Complex projects such as bridge improvements and major roadway construction are permitted, although CTDOT notes that such projects may require substantial permitting and additional design review. TRIP funds may only be used for construction-related costs. Engineering, project design, right-of-way acquisition, environmental permitting, public involvement, and related preconstruction activities are specifically excluded from reimbursement eligibility and remain the responsibility of the municipality. Eligibility for the program is limited to Connecticut municipalities where at least 50 percent of the population resides in rural areas. Municipalities may submit one application per solicitation through their respective Council of Government. Municipalities that previously received TRIP awards must demonstrate advancement of earlier TRIP-funded projects beyond final design submission and must have obtained written CTDOT authorization to proceed or advertise construction before applying again. Eligible applicants must also maintain a fully executed Master Municipal Agreement for Construction Activities (MMAC) with CTDOT. Other entities may participate only through sponsorship by an eligible municipality. Applications are submitted electronically by the Council of Government to CTDOT through the designated TRIP email mailbox. The 2026 solicitation establishes a minimum grant request amount of $300,000 and a maximum grant amount of $2,000,000. The program requires a minimum municipal match contribution of 20 percent for most municipalities. However, municipalities classified as Public Investment Communities (PICs) or Distressed Municipalities are exempt from the match requirement and may receive funding covering up to 100 percent of project costs. Match contributions must consist of municipal funds rather than state or federal grant sources. Municipal salaries and operating expenses cannot be used toward the match. Eligible matching expenditures may include planning, engineering, land acquisition, and project-related contract services. Municipalities must secure all non-TRIP funding commitments at the time of application submission. The municipality remains responsible for all project costs exceeding the awarded grant amount. Applications are evaluated competitively using a 100-point scoring system administered by CTDOT. Evaluation categories include budget quality, public benefit, rural demographics, transportation network impact, and readiness to proceed. Public benefit receives the highest weighting and considers factors such as service to disadvantaged communities, safety improvements, public support, housing growth impacts, and transportation accessibility improvements. Readiness criteria evaluate the status of studies, design work, permitting, rights-of-way coordination, and project scheduling. Projects are first screened for eligibility, including confirmation that the project cost falls between $300,000 and $2,000,000, that the project relates directly to the surface transportation system, and that proposed facilities comply with ADA and ABA accessibility standards. Awards are issued beginning with the highest-scoring applications until available program funds are exhausted. The 2026 solicitation announced by CTDOT states that applications for the third solicitation round are currently being accepted. Municipal applications must be submitted by the Connecticut Councils of Government to CTDOT no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2026. Following award, municipalities must execute a Commitment to Fund Letter and subsequently complete project design, permitting, and final submission activities. Municipalities are required to submit quarterly progress reports throughout project development and construction. The municipality must execute and comply with a Project Authorization Letter within 1,095 calendar days, or three years, from execution of the Commitment to Fund Letter. Construction is expected to begin shortly thereafter. CTDOT distributes grant funds on a grant basis rather than reimbursement basis once required agreements and certifications are completed. Program administration requirements are extensive and include compliance with ADA accessibility standards, environmental permitting, public involvement processes, utility coordination, prevailing wage requirements, construction inspection standards, and audit reporting obligations. Municipalities must coordinate with CTDOT for projects affecting state rights-of-way and may need encroachment permits, floodplain certifications, natural resource reviews, and historical preservation reviews depending on project scope. Public outreach is required for all projects, and municipalities must maintain documentation of public comments and responses. General program questions and application submissions are directed to CTDOT.TRIP@ct.gov. The official TRIP Program Administration Guidelines document serves as the governing program manual for both application preparation and post-award project administration.

Projects demonstrating strong public benefit documented community support safety improvements transportation connectivity and readiness to proceed are likely to score more competitively. Municipalities should clearly document permitting status project schedules ADA compliance and funding commitments before submission.