The U.S. Department of Transportation has begun accepting applications from states, localities and other entities for up to $607 million in grants for projects aimed at reconnecting neighborhoods cut off by former roads and other infrastructure of jobs, schools, health and other resources.
Funding for the new round of grants, the launch of which DOT announced on July 3, comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Reconnecting Communities pilot program.
DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement that the purpose of the grants is to “address the infrastructure choices of the past and ensure that our transportation investments serve to connect, rather than divide, people and communities across the country.”
This year’s round of Community Reconnection grants is much smaller than last year’s round, which distributed $3.3 billion. The difference was due to a one-time injection of funds from the Inflation Reduction Act. The DOT noted that even with last year’s additional funds, the program was “oversubscribed and highly competitive.”
According to DOT’s notice of funding availability for the program, a total of $607 million is available, including $457 million for capital construction grants and $150 million for planning and technical assistance grants .
The DOT said it expects capital grants to range from $5 million to $100 million.
Additionally, the DOT said capital grants cannot exceed 50% of a project’s total cost.
Types of infrastructure eligible for grants include limited access roads, viaducts, transit lines and railway lines.
The notice adds that the funds will be used for “a variety of transformative solutions to bring communities back together.” They include removing infrastructure, adding footbridges and overpasses, narrowing roads, redesigning roads and carrying out “complete street conversions”. These conversions aim to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, public transport, motor vehicles and others.
Eligible applicants include state, local, regional, and tribal government agencies.
The deadline for submission of applications ends on September 30.
