Open — California Caltrans HSIP Cycle 13 local public agency competitive safety grants; applications due November 2, 2026.
California — Caltrans Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 13, 2026 ($10 Million BCR Agency Cap)
Caltrans is accepting Cycle 13 Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) applications through November 2, 2026 from eligible California cities, counties, federally recognized tribes and qualifying local public agencies that own, operate and maintain public roads. The benefit-cost-ratio category allows up to $10 million per agency; five set-aside tracks have smaller caps. This is competitive financial assistance, not a procurement contract.
FundingCycle 13 BCR track: up to $10,000,000 HSIP funding per eligible agency across BCR awards (minimum BCR 5.0). Separate set-aside per-agency maxima: guardrail $1,125,000; pedestrian crossings $360,000; lane departure $360,000; bike safety $360,000; tribal $360,000 per tribe. Reimbursement rates vary by project countermeasure (100%, 90% or 50%); applicant covers any required match and ineligible costs. $370,000,000 is the entire statewide Cycle 13 pool, NOT an individual award.
DeadlineNovember 2, 2026. Caltrans specifies 'midnight' in its Cycle 13 instructions but does not expressly state the time zone or clarify the midnight boundary; contact Caltrans DLAE and submit earlier.
Last verified2026-10-26
Required next actionVerify your agency owns, operates and maintains public California roadways; check HSIP-delivery eligibility; certify a five-year-current LRSP or accepted equivalent. Read Cycle 13 application instructions, HSIP guideline, safety manual and set-aside restrictions. Download application PDF, HSIP Analyzer/manual, LRSP certification and Engineer's Checklist. A licensed responsible engineer completes checklist. For each application obtain separate Caltrans Smartsheet submission ticket, upload completed validated PDF, click Submit Update, retain confirmation email; finish before November 2, 2026 deadline and clarify midnight cutoff with DLAE.
Broad Eligibility
California cities, counties, federally recognized tribal governments and other eligible local public agencies that own/operate/maintain public roads and satisfy LRSP certification and prior-HSIP project-delivery conditions. Not available to private vendors as ordinary equipment/consulting procurements. BCR and guardrail, crossing, lane, bicycle and tribal set-aside tracks have separate eligibility and funding constraints.
Atlas Analysis
Official Caltrans Cycle 13 active call, July 2026 controlling 12-page Application Instructions and Chapter 9 Local HSIP Program Guidelines directly reviewed October 26, 2026. Verified genuine applicant-facing competitive federal/state financial assistance, not state purchasing procurement. One Cycle 13 solicitation represented in one catalog record with track-specific amounts, BCR>=5.0 for BCR only, LRSP, eligible local agencies, licensed engineer checklist, Smartsheet ticket-upload-confirmation process. Program $370 million statewide allocation not individual award. Exact 'midnight' cutoff ambiguous and no timezone asserted. Funding details: BCR $10m per agency; guardrail $1.125m; other 4 set-asides $360k each; project reimbursement 100%/90%/50% based on measures. No match universally stated because variable by countermeasure.
Funding opportunity
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announced Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Cycle 13 on July 1, 2026. This competitive federal/state financial assistance funds eligible California local-roadway projects that reduce fatalities and serious injuries, including safety improvements for vulnerable road users and high-risk rural roads. Applications are due November 2, 2026.
Eligible applicants
Eligible applicants are local public agencies that own, operate, and maintain public roadways in California, including cities, counties and federally recognized tribes; other agencies require a case-specific eligibility determination. Each applying agency must have a completed Local Roadway Safety Plan (LRSP), Systemic Safety Analysis Report or other accepted equivalent, updated and validated at least every five years. Local agencies with unresolved red-flagged or severely delayed existing HSIP projects may be ineligible under the Cycle 13 instructions.
Applicant-level funding and distinct tracks
The Benefit-Cost-Ratio (BCR) category permits up to $10,000,000 in HSIP funding per agency across its Cycle 13 BCR awards; eligible applications must show a BCR of at least 5.0 using the HSIP Analyzer. The five set-aside categories have distinct per-agency ceilings: guardrail upgrades $1,125,000; pedestrian crossing enhancements $360,000; lane-departure prevention $360,000; bicycle safety improvements $360,000; and tribal projects $360,000 per federally recognized tribe. Set-aside applications do not require BCR calculations. An estimated $370,000,000 total Cycle 13 statewide pool is not an individual applicant award.
Eligible activities, reimbursement and restrictions
Eligible activities include qualifying roadway safety engineering and construction, pedestrian crossings, guardrail improvements and other safety countermeasures under the controlling guidelines. Generic program guidance describes project-level HSIP reimbursements generally between $100,000 and $10,000,000, subject to exceptions, and a maximum reimbursement ratio of 100%, 90%, or 50% based on the selected safety countermeasures; the sponsoring agency must cover nonreimbursable costs, overages, and any required match. HSIP is not a general road-maintenance, beautification, or non-safety construction program. Environmental and project-delivery requirements apply. The Cycle 13 application instructions and applicable guideline restrictions control each specific track.
Deadline and how to apply
November 2, 2026. The controlling instructions describe the cut-off as ‘midnight’ without an explicit time zone. Applicants should confirm the precise interpretation with their Caltrans District Local Assistance Engineer and submit ahead of the cutoff rather than relying on the ambiguous time wording. Download the official Cycle 13 Application Form, HSIP Analyzer and manual, LRSP certification, and Engineer’s Checklist from the Caltrans application webpage. A responsible licensed engineer must complete the applicable checklist. Submit electronically through the Caltrans Smartsheet process: obtain one unique ticket for each application, upload the completed validated PDF after receiving the ticket email, complete Submit Update, and retain the submission-confirmation email. A Smartsheet account is not required.
Official controlling sources
Caltrans Cycle 13 active call and application links; Cycle 13 Application Instructions, July 2026; Local HSIP Program Guidelines, Chapter 9. Research verified October 26, 2026.
Source verificationOfficial government source · dot.ca.govAtlas last verified this record 2026-10-26. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
