Town Aid Road Program
Program Overview
Prepared by The Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau of Finance and Administration in cooperation with the Bureaus of Engineering and Construction; Highway Operations; and Policy and Planning - Office of Inventory & Forecasting
Under the Town Aid Road (TAR) program, grant payments are made to the 169 towns and 4 boroughs, with no requirement for a local match.
The annual allocation is split into two payments, with payments traditionally being issued in July and January. In years when the TAR program is bonded, payments cannot be processed until the bond funds are allocated by the Bond Commission.
Distribution and use of TAR grant funds is governed by Section 13a-175a through 13a-175e, and 13a-175i of the Connecticut General Statutes. The grant amount allocated to each town is based on several calculations made in accordance with the statutes. Factors include the town population, miles of improved roads, and miles of unimproved roads.
Under Section 13a-175a, towns and boroughs may use these grants for various purposes, including the construction, reconstruction, improvement or maintenance of highways, sections of highways, bridges or structures incidental to highways and bridges or the improvement thereof, including the plowing of snow, the sanding of icy pavements, the trimming and removal of trees, the installation, replacement and maintenance of traffic signs, signals and markings, and for traffic control and vehicular safety programs, traffic and parking planning and administration, and other purposes and programs related to highways, traffic and parking, and for the purposes of providing and operating essential public transportation services and related facilities. Of note, Sec. 13a-175a also provides that the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may approve the use of funds by a town for purposes other than those enumerated above.
The municipalities make all decisions regarding the improvements to be undertaken with their grant funds, with the specific projects being selected by the municipalities, not the CTDOT.
