The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded nine projects nearly $1.2 billion from the new National Infrastructure Project Assistance discretionary grant program.
The grant program, known as the Mega program, supports the creation of good-paying jobs, growing the economy, strengthening supply chains, improving resident mobility and making transportation systems safer for all, according to a Jan. 31 news release.
“The nine major projects we’re funding today will strengthen the foundation of our economy and help connect families to better opportunities for generations,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a post on Twitter.
The projects include $250 million for Brent Spence Bridge improvements in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Ky.; $292 million for the Hudson River Tunnel project and lay the groundwork for the Gateway Project in Manhattan, N.Y.; $78 million for the Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia, Pa.; $150 million to replace the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge in Calcasieu Parish, La.; $110 million to replace Alligator River Bridge in Dare and Tyrrell counties, North Carolina; and $60 million to widen I-10 in Diamondhead, Miss., according to the release.
“From the Hoover Dam to the Golden Gate Bridge, some infrastructure projects are so large and complex that they defy traditional funding systems — and so significant that they become iconic parts of the American landscape,” Buttigieg said in the release. “After receiving more than 100 applications, we are proud to fund these nine infrastructure megaprojects across the country to create jobs, strengthen our supply chains, expand our economy, and renew America’s built landscape.”
