First leg of record-setting bridge funding is announced

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program will make the single largest dedicated investment in bridges.

Sound Transit

The U.S. DOT’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the first round of grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s competitive Bridge Investment Program.

These early planning grants, going to 23 projects in 23 states, will help fund early phases of project development to create a pipeline of bridge construction projects, one of many ways in which the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help build, repair, and replace tens of thousands of bridges in communities across the country. 

In total, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program will make the single largest dedicated investment in bridges—$12.5 billion over five years, with nearly $2.4 billion available in FY 2022—since the construction of the interstate highway system.

The full list of proposed awards can be found on the FHWA web site: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/bip/planninggrants2022/

Planning grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for projects in the early phases of project development, where eligible activities include planning, feasibility analysis, and revenue forecasting. By providing planning grants in addition to construction grants, U.S. DOT can aid in the development stage of a project—whether owned by a state, a city, or a local community—that could then later be eligible to apply for a construction grant through a range of competitive grant programs where bridge projects are eligible, including the Bridge Investment Program, MEGA, INFRA, and RURAL, based on criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a total of $20 million in FY 2022 funding for Bridge Planning grants. FHWA will reserve the remaining $1.6 million to award to projects identified under the upcoming Large Bridge Project grant awards that may be better suited for a planning grant than a construction grant. 

For more information on the Bridge Investment Program, please visit https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/bip/.