Today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced more than $4.2 billion in funding for a total of 44 projects that improve safety, mobility, constructing major bridges, expanding port capacity and redesigning interchanges.
This round of funding was made possible by two major discretionary grant programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) grant program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program.
"Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris administration is carrying out ambitious, complex transportation projects that will shape our country’s infrastructure for generations to come,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in a statement. “With this latest round of awards, dozens of major and much-needed projects – projects that are often difficult to fund through other means – are getting the long-awaited investments they need to move forward.”
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, nearly $12.8 billion in funding through the INFRA and Mega programs has been announced for 140 projects across 42 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
In today’s round of selections for the INFRA program, $2.58 billion will be invested in 36 projects that will improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of freight.
Selected INFRA projects this round include:
- $86.6 million to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for the Improvements to the I-20/I-55 Freight Corridor project in Jackson, Mississippi. The project will update seven bridge structures to meet modern design standards, repair an additional 19 bridge structures, deploy Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) equipment, and resurface approximately 32 miles of roadway to enhance the movement of goods and people and reduce the number of fatal and injury crashes on this critical corridor.
- $66.5 million to the Florida Department of Transportation for the U.S. 1/SR 5 Long Key Bridge Replacement project in Monroe County, Florida. The project will replace the current Long Key Bridge built in 1982.
In today’s round of selections for the Mega program, the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $1.68 billion into 11 projects that will generate national and regional economic, mobility, and safety benefits while creating U.S. jobs and lowering costs for consumers, according to the department.
A few of the selected Mega projects this round include:
- $472.3 million to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for the North Station Renovation and Draw 1 Bridge Replacement project in Boston, Massachusetts. The project will replace Draw 1 – a 92-year-old bridge that links Amtrak’s Downeaster intercity passenger rail (IPR) service and four separate MBTA regional rail lines to North Station.\
- $68.6 million to the Iowa Department of Transportation for the Southwest Mixmaster Interchange Reconstruction project in Des Moines, Iowa. The project will reconstruct the existing I-35/80/235 interchange, which was constructed in the 1960s and is considered one of the most dangerous in the state.
In this round of selections for the INFRA program, $2.58 billion will be invested in 36 projects that will improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of freight.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation
