FHWA Announces Grants to Improve Bridges

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the first round of Large Bridge Project Grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s competitive Bridge Investment Program, according to the administration's news release.

This program is one piece of the Administration’s investment in highway bridges since the construction of the Interstate highway system, with nearly $40 billion over five years that will help repair or rebuild 10 of the most economically significant bridges in the U.S.

“Safe, modern bridges ensure that first responders can get to calls more quickly, shipments reach businesses on time, and drivers can get to where they need to go,” said Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation Secretary. “The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to award this historic funding to modernize large bridges that are not only pillars of our economy, but also iconic symbols of their states’ past and future.”

These grants will fund construction for four projects, which connect communities in five states. Improvements to these bridges will address safety issues for drivers and delays in the movement of freight.

“The Bridge Investment Program reflects President Biden’s commitment to rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure and represents a historic reinvestment in our economy,” said Shailen Bhatt, FHWA administrator. “These Large Bridge Project Grants are going to projects that are construction ready and will have a real impact for vehicles, transit, pedestrians, and bicyclists traveling on America’s roadways who will benefit from these improvements for decades to come.”  

The First Large Bridge Project Grants, awarded in Fiscal Year 2022 are as follows: 

• The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will receive $1.385 billion to rehabilitate and reconfigure the existing Brent Spence Bridge to improve interstate and local traffic flow between the interconnected Kentucky and Ohio communities on either side of the Ohio River. The project includes the construction of a new companion bridge immediately west of the existing bridge to accommodate interstate through traffic on two bridge decks, and complete the reconstruction of eight-mile interstate approach corridors both in Ohio and Kentucky, replacing 54 additional bridges. The project will separate I-75 traffic from local traffic.
• The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District in California will receive $400 million to replace, retrofit, and install structural elements on the Golden Gate Bridge to increase resiliency against earthquakes. The improvements will ensure the structural integrity of a transportation link between San Francisco and Marin County.
• The Connecticut Department of Transportation will receive $158 million to rehabilitate the northbound structure of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, which is part of the Interstate 95 corridor over the Thames River between New London and Groton, Connecticut. The bridge carries five lanes of traffic and 42,600 vehicles per day. The rehabilitation will address structural repairs, increase load capacity, and eliminate load restrictions for overweight vehicles. Additionally, the project will add a new multi-use path to foster bike-sharing and pedestrian access to transit services.
• The City of Chicago, Illinois, will receive $144 million to rehabilitate four bridges over the Calumet River on the Southside of Chicago. The Calumet River connects Lake Michigan with the Lake Calumet Port District which is further connected to the Illinois River providing access to the Gulf of Mexico. Each bridge lifts an average of 5,000 times per year. The project will eliminate a load restriction and truck detours. It will also add dedicated bike lanes and improved sidewalks to support community connections.

Large Bridge Project Grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for bridges with total eligible project costs over $100 million, with minimum grant awards of $50 million, and maximum grant awards of 50% of the total eligible project costs.