Surface Transportation Program (STP)

The Surface Transportation Program (STP) / Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) provides federal dollars administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to preserve and improve the condition and performance of the federal-aid transportation system. In Michigan, STP Rural funding is distributed through the Rural Task Force Program to rural counties with a population under 400,000 to address local transportation needs and establish an interconnected, all-season road network.

Eligible applicants and participants include county road commissions, incorporated cities and villages with populations under 5,000 located within eligible rural counties, and local public transit providers. Projects in small urban areas with populations between 5,000 and 49,999 may also access Surface Transportation Program funding through the Small Urban Program.

Eligible projects include capital improvements for roads and transit systems that improve or preserve the federal-aid highway network, bridges, and public transportation facilities within the designated geographic regions.

All project selection is conducted through local Rural Task Forces, which include equal representation from the county road commission, cities and villages under 5,000 population, and the rural transit provider. Agencies submit project applications using standardized forms, such as Form 1797 (Data Sheet for Road Projects) and Form 1618 (Data Sheet for Transit Projects), for inclusion in the Regional and State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).