The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced a $1.5 billion grant to support communities across the nation concerning developments with significant local or regional impact. This funding will facilitate essential infrastructure projects through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program.
In a DOT news release, the department shared that it has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to enhance the RAISE program for 2024. The initiative is aimed at project sponsors at the municipal and state level, along with Tribal governments and counties. These sponsors receive funds that aid in completing critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects. The eligibility obligations of RAISE allow project sponsors to secure funding for projects that might otherwise be challenging to back via other U.S. DOT grant programs.
Notable among those benefiting from similar funding are initiatives such as a new downtown transit center in New Orleans, a grade separation project in Chula Vista, California, and the rehabilitation of Route 6 on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg commented on this nationwide influence, stating: "Across the country, I have seen firsthand how projects funded by our RAISE program are helping communities realize long-held dreams and well-planned visions for better infrastructure." He went on to express gratitude towards President Biden’s leadership, stating: "We are delivering safer, cleaner infrastructure to communities of every size and in every part of the country, creating a new generation of jobs and helping families build generational wealth in the process."
According to another DOT news release, RAISE funds supported 162 projects across all 50 states, including District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Northern Mariana Islands during 2023. These projects were thoroughly evaluated based on statutory criteria such as safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life enhancement through improved mobility and community connectivity plus economic competitiveness including tourism opportunities — good repair state status, partnership and collaboration, and innovation. The funding will be distributed evenly, with half of the funds allocated to projects in rural areas and the other half for those in urban areas.
