As 2023 drew to a close, on December 20, the USDOT’s FHWA announced that it had opened applications for $9.7 billion in multi-year funding, which was announced in September, to improve the nation’s bridges through the competitive Bridge Investment Program’s “Planning” and “Bridge Project” categories, which fund bridge planning, repair and replacement projects under $100 million.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which established the Bridge Investment Program, invests a total of $40 billion over five years to help ensure that some of the nation’s most important bridges remain safe and operational, meet current and future traveler needs, support local economies, strengthen supply chains, and create good-paying jobs across the country. Already, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has funded over 7,000 bridge projects.
“When a bridge closes, it costs Americans time and money, disrupts supply chains across the region, and sometimes cuts off entire communities from vital resources,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Thanks to President Biden, we are making the largest investment in America’s bridges since the construction of the Interstate system, and these grants will help repair bridges in communities of all sizes, so we can get people and goods safely to where they need to be.”
“With the funding we’re announcing today from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, communities can plan and implement bridge projects that will improve safety and mobility for people in rural regions, urban areas and places in between,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “The Bridge Investment Program has already funded nearly 40 bridge projects nationwide and this funding will help communities continue to plan and advance important bridge projects in the years ahead.”
The Bridge Investment Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is soliciting applications for the following categories of projects:
- “Planning” grants for planning, feasibility analyses, and revenue forecasting associated with the development of a project; and,
- “Bridge Project” grants for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, and protection projects with total eligible costs of $100 million or less.
In accordance with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a grant application for a project located in a State that has not received one Large Bridge Project grant or two Bridge Project grants from previous rounds of awards will be given priority over grant recipients who have already received funding.
Today’s announcement builds on other Bridge Investment Program funding opportunities made possible under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including one for “Large Bridge Projects” greater than $100 million announced in September. In Fiscal Year 2022, the Bridge Investment Program invested $2.4 billion in the planning and construction of 37 bridges in 29 states across the country.
The NOFO provides available funding for Fiscal Years 2023 – 2026. It also includes updated merit criteria to provide more direction for Bridge Project applicants, as well as updated application templates that FHWA highly encourages applicants to use in providing project information.
FHWA plans to conduct outreach regarding the Bridge Investment Program “Planning” and “Bridge Project” grants via a virtual recorded Webinar which will be available on FHWA’s Website. Technical assistance is also available to recipients who receive Bridge Investment Program grants.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity is available on FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program web page. For more information on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law programs and funding, please visit FHWA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law web page.
Communities interested in understanding the best ways to apply for a US Department of Transportation grant available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure as well as other federal legislation in order to plan for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services are also encouraged to utilize the DOT Navigator.
