The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has released the latest round of funding through the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects (INFRA) program, allocating $426 million along the nation’s busiest highways.
The funding will support projects that will eliminate congestion bottlenecks and expand capacity along critical transportation routes and corridors. As the nation grows, its transportation network needs to evolve accordingly to accommodate more drivers, connections and safety requirements. The INFRA program is pivotal in keeping America’s multimodal freight and highways modern, efficient, safe and reliable for residents and businesses across rural and urban areas.
Some of the projects receiving the largest amounts through INFRA’s 2026 Track 1 round include:
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has been selected for an $85.1 million award for the Somerset Northern Bypass. Located near the City of Somerset, the project will build an eight-mile, four-lane highway linking two Coal Haul Routes on the state’s Extended Weight Coal Road System. The project will build three interchanges at U.S. 27, KY 39 and KY 461/KY 80.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will receive $85 million to add additional capacity along Interstate 4. The initiative covers roughly 20 miles between State Road 434 and State Road 472. Plans include adding one general-use travel lane in each direction. Additional work will include upgrading the route’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology, fiber, drainage infrastructure, as well as milling, restriping and overlaying the existing roadway.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT), in collaboration with the City of Wichita, will receive $53.5 million for the K-96 Highway Reconstruction and Enhancement Project. Once completed, the initiative will return the highway to a state of good repair, replacing a 30-year-old roadway with a 20-year rigid concrete pavement design that is resistant to wear and tear. The project will:
- Reconstruct and widen 2.5 miles of K-96 from four to six lanes.
- Build diverging diamond interchanges along two streets.
- Improve the ramp from northbound Interstate 135 to eastbound K-96.
- Integrate multimodal side paths.
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will spend its $44 million share to expand the Interstate 55/Interstate 69 freight corridor. The project will widen a three-mile stretch of highway from four lanes to 10 to reduce overall crashes and fatality rates. Plans include adding three travel lanes in each direction between Church Road to one mile north of SR 302 in DeSoto County. In addition, MoDOT will augment interchanges along the route by adding ramp lanes, dedicated turning lanes and lengthened acceleration/deceleration lanes. Other enhancements will involve incorporating closed-circuit television cameras, radar detection systems and better traffic signals.
MoDOT will receive another $42.1 million to build the Cypress Road interchange on Interstate 70 near St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Once completed, the interchange will replace the existing signalized intersection with modern roundabouts, realign entrance and exit ramps and relocate the westbound collector-distributor entrance.
Photo by Leo Lu from Pexels
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