Roads, bridges, trails, ports: White House awards $2.2B in transportation grants

by Jacob Fischler, Georgia Recorder [This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, republished with permission] June 28, 2023 The U.S. Department of Transportation will send more than $2.2 billion in grants to state, tribal and local governments under a grant program that was expanded under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. The $2.26 billion for 162 projects provides funds for each of the 50 states, two territories and the District of Columbia. It is similar to the allocation for the grant program last year, the first after President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law that added funding for the program. The projects include improvements and expansions of roads, rail, bridges, pedestrian trails and maritime infrastructure. The Transportation Department has managed a similar discretionary grant program since 2010, though the name of the program and criteria have changed with each presidential administration. Funding levels, set by Congress, also vary year to year, ranging from roughly $500 million to more than $2 billion in each of the two years since the infrastructure law passed. Under Biden, the department has prioritized projects that advance climate goals, racial equity and safety. Local input In a call with reporters previewing the announcement Tuesday
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