The Federal Highway Administration issued nearly $635 million in grants this week to 22 small and medium-sized bridge projects in both rural and urban areas of the country via the Bridge Investment Program, established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA.
[Above photo by Arizona DOT]
The FHWA noted in a statement that, to date, more than 11,000 bridges are being rebuilt, repaired, or modernized thanks to the IIJA, with the Bridge Investment Program investing $8.1 billion into 100 bridge projects in 44 states across the country. The agency said that it has distributed an additional $21 billion in dedicated bridge formula funds to the states as well.
Nine of those 22 bridge projects are being overseen by state departments of transportation. They are:
- The Arizona Department of Transportation received $27.5 million for the I-40 Window Rock and Lupton Traffic Interchange Enhancement project located in Apache County immediately west of the New Mexico border. The project replaces four I-40 bridges built in 1963 while incorporating safe and accessible pedestrian facilities.
- The Arkansas Department of Transportation received nearly $44 million for the Helena Bridge Rehabilitation project; a structure that carries U.S. Route 49 across the Mississippi River between Helena, AR and Lula, MS.
- The Maine Department of Transportation received two grants from this round of FHWA bridge program disbursements. The first, for nearly $70 million, supports the I-95 Accessibility Improvements Minimizing Heavy-Truck Impacts project that will replace six bridges carrying rural roads over I-95 in Kennebec County. The second, for more than $63 million, supports the I-395 Bridge Bundle project that will replace six damaged and degrading bridges along I-395.
- The Michigan Department of Transportation received more than $34 million for the Michigan Urban Bridges Revitalization project that will replace seven deteriorating bridges.
- The Mississippi Department of Transportation received $67.5 million for the Central Bridge Bundle project to replace a total of 13 bridge structures in central Mississippi.
- The Montana Department of Transportation received $28.4 million for the Sportsman’s Bridge Replacement project to replace an existing two-lane facility – which was originally built in 1955 – with a more resilient structure to maintain and improve access over the Flathead River on Montana Highway 82 in Flathead County.
- The North Dakota Department of Transportation received two grants from this round of FHWA bridge program disbursements. The first, for $9.4 million, supports the “Safe & Resilient Passages at Standing Rock” project that will replace two deteriorating bridges located along ND Highway 1806 in Morton and Sioux Counties. The second, for $2.7 million, supports the Viking Bridge Reconstruction project to redesign the structure – originally built in 1969 – with features to prevent scouring and improve resilience against flooding events.