The U.S. Department of Transportation recently began distributing nearly $27.5 billion in funding to states, territories and tribal nations for work on over 15,000 bridges nationwide considered to be in poor condition.
The Bridge Formula Program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is comprised of $26.5 billion for U.S. states and territories and $825 million for tribal nations to be released over the course of five years, a Jan. 14 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) press release said.
"Today, @USDOT and FHWA are announcing the largest bridge investment since the construction of the Interstate highway system, dedicating $27.5 billion to improve bridges that need repair, rehabilitation, and reconstruction," the FHWA said in a Jan. 14 Tweet.
The funds to be released in Fiscal Year 2022 include $5.3 billion for U.S. states and territories along with $165 million for tribes, the release said. While the funding can be used for bridge replacement, the FHWA is encouraging participants to prioritize the rehabilitation of highway bridges already in use that have been posted or restricted due to safety issues.
The guidance issued Jan.14 provides for federal funding to cover the total cost of repairing and rehabilitating “locally owned off-system bridges,” the release said. Traditionally, state or local governments are required to provide 20% of the total cost before federal funds are released.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is thrilled to launch this program to fix thousands of bridges across the country,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the release. “Modernizing America’s bridges will help improve safety, support economic growth, and make people’s lives better in every part of the country – across rural, suburban, urban, and tribal communities.”
