Pete HahnloserThe U.S. Department of Transportation has announced more than $26.5 million in planning grants through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
These grants, covering 28 projects across 18 states, will help determine a roadmap for future bridge construction projects to improve safety and economic opportunities while also increasing the resilience of highway infrastructure in the face of climate change.
BIL funding “continues to actively address the backlog of bridges needing repairs, making our roads and highways safer and our supply chains stronger,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “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.”
So far, the Bridge Investment Program has allocated $7.4 billion for 78 projects in 38 states. Since the enactment of the BIL, work has started on more than 10,200 bridge projects nationwide.
“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,” FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt said.
The program funds projects that address deficiencies in safety, efficiency and reliability of moving people and goods across the nation’s bridges. This includes improving bridge conditions and reducing the number of bridges in fair or poor condition or those unable to meet current or future transportation network demands.
Planning grants under the Bridge Investment Program support activities including feasibility analysis and revenue forecasting and make projects eligible for future construction grants through various competitive programs.
One such major project is the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, aimed at replacing the Interstate 5 bridge between Washington and Oregon, which received a planning grant in 2022 and eventually led to its successful application for a nearly $1.5 billion Large Bridge grant and a $600 million MEGA grant.
Notable projects from this round of funding include:
- $1.9 million to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for studies to assess four critical bridges along the Dalton Highway and Koyukuk River, improving safety and maintaining the corridor’s condition. These bridges face increased risk due to flooding created by climate change.
- $2.3 million to the Minnesota Department of Transportation to create management plans for seven high-priority bridges on the state’s Trunk Highway System. This plan will determine ways to improve bridge conditions, extend service life, reduce the number of bridges falling into poor condition and minimize use of deteriorated bridges.
- $1.6 million to the South Carolina Department of Transportation for a planning and environmental linkages study to evaluate replacement needs for six rural bridges in fair or poor condition along the Interstate 85 corridor, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Transportation. The study will also address additional truck parking needs.
The full list of planning grants for this year can be found on the FHWA website.
Photo by Manuel Velazquez
