US DOT Opens $9.6B in Grant Funding for Bridge Projects

One of the Bridge Investment Program grants awarded earlier this year supported a project on New York's Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge.

Photo by Mike Groll/Office of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul

More than $9.6 billion is available for bridge planning, repair and replacement through 2026 from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. FHWA opened up applications Dec. 20 for Bridge Investment Program grants to support projects valued at $100 million or less.

Grants from this funding opportunity are also available to help with planning costs for bridge projects of any dollar value. FHWA opened applications in September for large projects valued at more than $100 million.

Money for the grants comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, which provides $12.5 billion for the Bridge Investment Program between fiscal years 2022 and 2026. FHWA awarded $2.1 billion in grants from the program last January for four large bridge projects, and in April awarded $295.7 million for nine sub-$100-million projects.

U.S. Dept. of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement that the grants are part of “the largest investment in America’s bridges since the construction of the Interstate system.” Altogether, IIJA has already funded more than 7,000 bridge projects, according to FHWA.

The grants will cover as much as 80% of eligible project costs, or 50% of costs for large bridge projects valued at more than $100 million. FHWA set minimum award amounts of $2.5 million for projects under $100 million and $50 million for projects over $100 million. There is $20 million available for planning grants.

FHWA is accepting grants for the multiyear program on a rolling basis. The deadline for fiscal year 2023 and ‘24 funding is March 19. Deadlines for fiscal year 2025 and ‘26 funding are Nov. 1 2024 and '25, respectively. For projects valued at more than $100 million, the deadlines are Aug. 1 of 2024 and '25.

James Leggate is an online news editor at ENR. He has reported on a variety of issues for more than 10 years and his work has contributed to several regional Associated Press Media Editors and Murrow award wins.

Post a comment to this article

The Groundbreaking Women in Construction (GWIC) conference is a leading event focusing on empowering women in the construction industry through discussions on leadership, diversity, and career development.

The annual conference features a wide array of topics, including infrastructure law, sustainability, and strategies to overcome industry challenges.

Coinciding with the release of the new 2024 Top 400 Contractors list, this annual webinar dives into the results of the Top 400 survey. We'll bring together a panel of executives from the largest contracting firms to discuss the industry’s pressing issues, from workforce challenges to data security.