What happened: Nine states will get discretionary grants for large national and regional transportation projects through the IIJA’s National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) Grant program, which is dispensing $5 billion over five years.
President Joe Biden Jan. 31 unveiled the largest grant of $292 million for rail tunnel construction on the Gateway Program that will improve the most congested 10-mile section of the Northeast Corridor. Last month Biden and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced another Mega Grant to upgrade the Brent Spence Bridge in Cincinnati.
Why it matters: Mega grants prioritize multimodal projects deemed too large or complex for conventional funding. Other awarded projects include:
- $150 million to construct a new three-lane bridge over the Calcasieu River in Louisiana.
- $85 million to upgrade Oklahoma’s I-44 and US-75 interchange and improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
- $60 million to widen a stretch of Mississippi’s I-10 from four to six lanes.
Here’s the full list.
Related News
Billions More in Mega and INFRA Grants for Transportation Infrastructure
What happened: Thirty-seven transportation projects in 38 states will receive nearly $5 billion in…
As Partial Government Shutdown Looms, ARTBA Urges Action
What happened: Each congressional delegation Jan. 12 received a state-specific overview of the infrastructure…
U.S. DOT Allocates More Than $645 Million in Grants for Rural Infrastructure
What happened: Eighteen states will receive grants to improve safety and boost regional economics…