This week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $1.8 billion in awards from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program for 148 projects across the country.
The announcement brings the total amount of Biden-Harris Administration RAISE grants to more than $7.2 billion for over 550 projects across the country.
“After decades of underinvestment, the condition of America’s infrastructure is now finally getting better instead of worse – and today we proudly announce our support for 148 more projects in communities of every size across the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re funding projects across the country to make roads safer, make it easier for people to move around their community, make transportation infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather, and improve supply chains to keep costs down for consumers.”
The competitive RAISE program, which was authorized $1.5 billion a year on top of already appropriated funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), supports a diverse set of communities with projects of local and regional significance. According to a press release announcing the grants, funding is split equally between urban and rural areas, and a large percentage of grants support regions defined as historically disadvantaged or areas of persistent poverty.
As in years past, the demand for RAISE funding outpaced available funds, with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) receiving almost $13 billion in requests for the $1.8 billion available this year.
Some of the project selections include:
- Alaska Highway Permafrost Degradation Restoration Project in Fairbanks, Alaska – $25,000,000 will restore approximately 45 miles of the Alaska Highway impacted by thawing permafrost and other climate change-related degradation.
- Electrify Downeast Acadia Project in Washington, Penobscot, and Hancock Counties, Maine – $23,529,000 in grants will replace Downeast Transportation Inc.'s bus fleet with 24 electric buses and chargers, focusing on safety, environmental sustainability, economic competitiveness, and innovation.
- Joe Louis Meets the Iron Belle: Connecting Communities in Detroit Project in Detroit, Michigan – $20,704,712 will fund the construction of two shared-use paths in the Joe Louis Greenway and Iron Belle Trail systems.
- Browning Streets Community Connectivity Planning Project on the Blackfeet Reservation, Montana – $3,906,652 will fund planning and design for reconstructing streets in Browning, taking a Complete Streets approach to addressing roadway safety and pedestrian issues.
- Holloway Street: Safe Access to Durham’s Busiest Transit Route Project in Durham, North Carolina – $12,044,800 will improve 33 intersections, including ADA curb ramps and crosswalks, tighten curb radii, upgrade bus stop amenities, and close sidewalk gaps.
- Santa Ana Boulevard Grade Separation Project in Santa Ana, California – $25,000,000 in funding will support the reconstruction of an existing rail crossing with the Southern California Regional Rail Authority Orange Line double tracks at Santa Ana Boulevard, adjacent to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, with a new multimodal grade separated underpass.
- Lake Wales Complete Streets Project in Lake Wales, Florida – $22,930,000 will fund the Complete Streets redevelopment of four road segments in Lake Wales: 1st Street, Central Avenue, A Street, and Lincoln Avenue.
The full list of projects can be found on USDOT’s website.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Naco.org
