USDOT Gives ‘Infra Extra’ Tag to 44 Transportation Projects

September 24, 2021

The U.S Department of Transportation is designating 44 transportation projects around the country as “INFRA Extra,” making them eligible to apply for credit assistance for up to 49 percent of their costs.

[Above photo by the USDOT]

Those projects made it to the final round for funding under the 2021 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America or INFRA competitive grant program, but were not awarded due to a combination of overwhelming demand for INFRA grants and limited funds.

The USDOT awarded $905 million to 24 projects in 18 states via the INFRA discretionary grant program in July, with nine state departments of transportation receiving grants to support a variety of infrastructure projects.

Polly Trottenberg

“Every year, the Department receives far more qualified applications for the INFRA program than we can fund,” explained Polly Trottenberg, USDOT deputy secretary, in a statement. “We’re excited to give some of the most promising INFRA finalists a chance to receive a TIFIA loan instead, so we can help advance transformative infrastructure projects all across the country .”

[The announcement comes as USDOT’s Build America Bureau, which administers the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act or TIFIA loan program, marks its fifth anniversary. USDOT also recently announced the Bureau awarded five grants totaling $5 million under its new Regional Infrastructure Accelerators Program.]

Photo by MoDOT

The INFRA Extra initiative – detailed by USDOT in a notice of funding opportunity in February – provides certain INFRA applicants the opportunity to apply for TIFIA credit assistance for up to 49 percent of eligible project costs.

This can potentially provide project sponsors with more funding than they would qualify for under a traditional TIFIA loan, which normally can fund up to 33 percent of a project’s cost, subject to satisfaction of underwriting requirements

State departments of transportation manage 16 of the 44 projects receiving “INFRA Extra” designations:

  • Florida Department of Transportation, Miami River-Miami Intermodal Center Capacity Improvements (Revised Scope)
  • Georgia Department of Transportation, I-285 at I-20 East Interchange Reconstruction Project – DeKalb County, Georgia
  • Georgia Department of Transportation, I-85 and SR 138 Interchange Reconstruction
  • Idaho Transportation Department, State Highway 53-Pleasant View Interchange & I-90 Huetter Port of Entry Relocation
  • Indiana Department of Transportation, US 36 Modern Rockville Road Project
  • Maryland State Highway Administration, I-81/Halfway Boulevard Freight Connections Project: Providing opportunities for economic growth, equitable job access, and improved safety
  • Missouri Department of Transportation, North St. Louis Freight Corridor – Building Opportunity and Equity Through Sustainability
  • Ohio Department of Transportation, Ohio St Rout 7 Grade-Crossing
  • Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Tulsa County I-44 and US-75 Corridor Improvement Projects
  • Oregon Department of Transportation, Aurora-Donald Interchange Improvement Project
  • Texas Department of Transportation, I-30 Dallas Canyon
  • Utah Department of Transportation, Northwest Quadrant Non-Motorized Access Project
  • Washington State Department of Transportation, I-90/Vantage Bridge – Replace Bridge Deck and Special Repairs Project
  • Washington State Department of Transportation, Salmon Bay Bridge Rehabilitation Project
  • Wisconsin Department of Transportation, The Janesville Bridges and Track Restoration Project
  • Wisconsin Department of Transportation, US 12/18-County AB Interchange Project
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