Surface Transportation Block Grant & Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Programs

Overview

The Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program is a federal transportation funding source for projects that preserve and improve the conditions and performance of highways, bridges, and public roads; pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure; and transit capital projects.

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program is a federal transportation funding source for projects and programs that reduce traffic and improve air quality for areas that do not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone, carbon monoxide or particulate matter (nonattainment areas) and for former nonattainment areas that are now in compliance (maintenance areas).  

SCAG is responsible for the project selection process for STBG and CMAQ funds in the region. The SCAG STBG/CMAQ Program Guidelines outline the process and procedures for the calls for project nominations and project selection.  

Eligible applicants for SCAG-administered STBG/CMAQ calls for project nominations include SCAG cities, counties, transit agencies, federally recognized Tribal governments, and county transportation commissions. 

Contact

Questions regarding STBG and CMAQ funding should be directed to:

Heidi Busslinger
Principal Planner, Integrated Planning and Programming
busslinger@scag.ca.gov

Denise Sifford
Senior Regional Planner, Integrated Planning and Programming
sifford@scag.ca.gov

Federal Fiscal Years 2026-2027 & 2027-2028 Call for Project Nominations 

On March 6, 2025, the SCAG Regional Council approved the Federal Fiscal Year 2026-2027 and Federal Fiscal Year 2027-2028 STBG/CMAQ Program Guidelines and authorized the related call for project nominations.  

In addition to incorporating all federal requirements in the STBG/CMAQ project selection process, SCAG also developed program guidelines with the goal of advancing the implementation of Connect SoCal 2024. 

The primary program categories represent project types that SCAG has determined to be a priority for the SCAG region based on consistency with Connect SoCal 2024 goals and strategies, consistency with the 2024-25 SCAG presidential and Regional Council priorities, and with consideration of recent wildfires in Southern California.

Tier 1 Regional Priorities 

  • Clean Transportation 
  • Climate Resilience of At-Risk Infrastructure 
  • Transit and Multimodal Integration 
  • Transportation Demand Management 
  • Transportation System Management and Goods Movement 

Tier 2 Regional Priorities 

  • Complete Streets 
  • Natural Lands Preservation 
  • System Preservation 

Supplemental resources on SCAG-led efforts, including regional and local plans, studies, assessments, and technical reports in each of these critical program areas, are linked below. 

Activity Date
Program Guidelines Adoption March 6, 2025, SCAG Regional Council Meeting
SCAG Hosted Program Workshops  March 12, 2025 – Virtual
March 18, 2025 – Virtual
Register Here
County Transportation Commission Hosted Program Workshops Orange County – March 19, 2025
Los Angeles County – March 24, 2025
Riverside County – March 24, 2025
Ventura County – March 25, 2025
Imperial County – March 27, 2025
San Bernardino County - 
Additional Information Available via County Transportation Commission Contact
Applicant Office Hours Available Upon Request
Register Here
Project Nomination Online Applications Opens for Submittal March 31, 2025
Project Nomination Online Application Due Date May 16, 2025, at 5 p.m. 

For more information regarding the county transportation commission project prioritization framework and scoring or county-specific workshop, please refer to the website and contact information for your county below: 

County Contact
Imperial County Transportation Commission (ICTC)  Marlene Flores, Associate Transportation Planner 
marleneflores@imperialctc.org 
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)  Ben Ku, Section Manager 
bku@octa.net 
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)  Michael Richmai, Senior Manager  
richmaim@metro.net
Nancy Marroquin, Senior Director
marroquinn@metro.net 
Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC)  Edward Emery, Senior Management Analyst
eemery@rctc.org
San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Jamie Carone, Management Analyst III
jcarone@gosbcta.com 
Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)  Geiska Velasquez, Program Manager
gvelasquez@goventura.org