The U.S. Department of Transportation announced today the allocation of more than $26.5 million in planning grants through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program. Created under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these grants will fund 28 projects across 18 states to develop future bridge construction projects aimed at improving safety, economic competitiveness, and resilience to climate change.
“Using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to actively address the backlog of bridges needing repairs, making our roads and highways safer and our supply chains stronger,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Bridge Investment Program Planning grants we’re announcing today will provide much-needed resources to communities nationwide so they can complete the plans and studies required to move forward with important bridge projects.”
This announcement follows FHWA’s recent disclosure of $5 billion in funding for 13 nationally significant bridge projects. To date, $7.4 billion from the Bridge Investment Program has been awarded for 78 projects in 38 states. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has enabled over 10,200 bridge projects nationwide since its enactment.
“The planning grants announced today will help states and communities prepare critical bridge projects for restoration or replacement before they fall into a state of disrepair,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “By making historic investments in bridge projects that serve as a vital transportation link in communities nationwide, the Biden-Harris Administration is supporting local economies, strengthening supply chains, and promoting resilience and safety in transportation.”
The program targets improvements in safety, efficiency, and reliability for both people and freight over U.S. bridges. It focuses on enhancing bridge conditions and reducing those classified as fair or poor that cannot meet current or future transportation demands.
Planning grants are available for early project development phases such as planning, feasibility analysis, and revenue forecasting. These initial grants support project development stages that may later qualify for construction funding through various competitive grant programs. For instance, the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program received a planning grant in 2022 which supported its application for a nearly $1.5 billion Large Bridge grant and a $600 million MEGA grant.
Highlighted project selections include:
- The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will receive $1.9 million for planning studies on four critical bridges along the Dalton Highway and Koyukuk River.
- The Minnesota Department of Transportation will receive $2.3 million to develop strategic management plans for seven high-priority bridges across the state’s Trunk Highway System.
- The South Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $1.6 million for a Planning and Environmental Linkages study evaluating six rural bridges along Interstate 85 in partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation.
For more information on the Bridge Investment Program, visit https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/bip/.
