2019 Preliminary Estimates for Municipalities

General Transportation Aids (GTA)

The 2017-2019 state budget significantly increased funding for the general transportation aids program by $27 million over the prior budget. The total calendar year distribution was set at $348,639,300 for 2018 and thereafter. The budget increased the mileage aid rate by $187 from $2,202 per mile to $2,389 per mile for 2018 and thereafter. All cities and most villages receive their GTA payments under the share of cost formula. Almost all towns are paid GTA on the rate per highway mile basis. The Department of Transportation is statutorily required to distribute GTA funds first to towns under the rate per mile component of the program. Then, the remainder is distributed to cities and most villages on a share of cost basis.

The state budget left intact a change made in the 2011-2013 state budget making 10% the maximum cut a community can experience in GTA payments from 1 year to the next.

GTA Payments

An individual community's actual 2019 GTA payments will depend on application of the share of cost distribution formula. Municipalities on Share of Cost will receive a minimum 90% and maximum 115% of their 2018 GTA payment. 

The Department of Transportation mailed to municipalities the estimate of their 2019 GTA payments on October 4th. The estimated GTA payments for each municipality is posted above.

DOT will post notice of final 2019 payment amounts to municipalities in December .

Mass Transit Aids

The 2017-2019 state budget retained the same funding levels as the prior budget for the mass transit operating assistance program.  

Connecting Highways Program

The 2017-2019 state budget did not change funding levels for the connecting highways program, which assists municipalities with costs associated with increased traffic and maintenance on roads that connect segments of the State Trunk Highway System. Under the program, 122 municipalities receive quarterly payments on a per lane mile basis, with rates varying according to population and appropriations set in the state budget. Since no funding changes were made to the program, 2019 payments to municipalities should be similar in amount to 2018 payments.