The U.S. Department of Transportation opened applications last week for four major grant programs for infrastructure and transportation projects totaling about $7.5 billion.
On March 28, DOT began accepting applications for three discretionary grant programs under the $5.1 billion Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program, followed on March 29 by a funding opportunity of more than $2.4 billion from the consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements program. Funding for the four programs comes from the Jobs and Infrastructure Investment Act of 2021.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in two separate statements that this round of MPDG programs will support infrastructure projects “so large, complex and ambitious that they could not get funding under the infrastructure programs that existed before this administration,” while the CRISI funding opportunity represents “the largest funding round in history for the program modernizing intercity passenger and freight rail infrastructure.”
Funding available includes:
- $1.7 billion for the National Infrastructure Project Assistance program, which invests in “large, complex projects that are difficult to finance by other means and that can generate national or regional economic, mobility, or security benefits,” according to a press release of the DOT Eligible projects include highway, bridge, freight, port, passenger rail and public transport projects of national or regional importance.
- $2.7 billion for the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America program. Eligible projects are those that will improve safety, generate economic benefits, reduce congestion, improve resilience and work to eliminate supply chain bottlenecks and improve critical goods movements.
- $780 million for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program. Eligible projects include highway, bridge and tunnel projects that provide or increase access to agricultural, commercial, energy or transportation facilities that support the economy of a rural area.
- More than $2.4 billion for the consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements program to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail. Last year, CRISI grants went to 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, DC, according to a DOT news release. The projects included bridge, track and level crossing improvements along with investments in the restoration and expansion of intercity passenger rail corridors.
The application deadline is May 6 for MPDG programs and May 28 for CRISI grants.
