On June 10th, the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration opened a call for applications through a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Bridge Investment Program established by the President's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The program will provide $12.5 billion over five years, with nearly $2.4 billion available in Fiscal Year 2022 to help plan, replace, rehabilitate, protect, and preserve some of our nation's largest bridges.
This grant program comes on top of more than $27 billion in bridge funding USDOT announced earlier this year. This investment will ensure some of the nation's important bridges remain operational, support their local economies, strengthen our supply chain, improve safety, and create well-paying jobs throughout the country.
“With resources from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re thrilled to begin accepting applications for one of the most significant investments in our bridges in decades, fixing everything from America’s most economically significant bridges to smaller bridges that mean everything to a local community,” said Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation Secretary. “When these bridges are repaired, the American people will benefit from greater safety, lower shipping costs for consumers and maintenance costs for drivers, faster movement of goods across our supply chains, fuel savings, and precious time being returned to their day.”
An additional $12.5 billion in funding is provided, on top of the more than $27 billion provided to states by the Bridge Formula Program, thanks to The Bridge Investment Program. This $40 billion investment will help fund numerous bridges in all 50 states.
“These funds will make a significant contribution to improving the condition of our nation’s aging bridges, both large, signature bridge projects that are important for our national economy as well as smaller structures that provide benefits at the regional and local levels and are critical for communities across the country,” said Stephanie Pollack, Deputy Federal Highway Administrator (FHWA). “FHWA has designed this program to meet the needs of communities and bridges of all sizes, including those that are still in the planning stage.”
Bridge Investment Program funding is unique in three key areas because it allows multi-year grant agreements to fund large projects by making it possible to take a project through pre-construction activities and into construction, Offers grants that help fund the planning process, including planning, feasibility analysis and revenue forecasting associated with the development of a project that would subsequently be eligible to apply for the Bridge Investment Program, and offers two types of construction grants, covering “large” projects over $100 million and “bridge projects” at up to $100 million.
The FHWA plans to conduct extensive community outreach and public engagement throughout the application process. Technical Assistance is also available to recipients who receive Bridge Investment Program grants. Since the enactment of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations, FHWA will have made available $8.8 billion for bridge improvements under the Bridge Formula Program, the Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program and Bridge Investment Program with the publication of the NOFO.
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Source: U.S. Department of Transportation
