AASHTO Journal - FHWA Issues $407M to Support Rural Bridge Projects

The Federal Highway Administration has issued $407.7 million to support 119 rural bridge projects in 12 states in fiscal year 2024 and 2025 grant funding via the agency’s Competitive Highway Bridge Program or CHBP.

[Above photo by Maine DOT]

The agency said that tranche of CHBP funding for rural infrastructure projects is comprised of $250 million from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and $157.7 million from the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025.

Those two pieces of legislation provided funding for highway bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects on public roads that demonstrate cost savings by bundling multiple highway bridge projects. That funding was then made available via two notices of funding opportunity or NOFO from January and June of 2025.

As specified in law, the agency noted that funding was only available to states with a population density of less than 115 individuals per square mile and less than 26 percent of total bridges classified as in good condition or greater than or equal to 5.2 percent of total bridges classified in poor condition, based on the June 2023 National Bridge Inventory.

USDOT also added that the CHBP’s “bridge bundling” approach groups small infrastructure projects into a single award – saving time and taxpayer money.

“These bridges will ensure smaller communities have the reliable bridges they need to fuel our economy and connect American families to schools, offices, and hospitals,” noted Sean Duffy, USDOT secretary, in a statement.

The 12 states receiving CHBP funding awards are:

Alaska: $20.3 million for the Richardson Highway Bundled Bridges program.
Iowa: $34.6 million for the Better Bridges Brighter Opportunity and $30.3 million for the Bridges to Prosperity programs.
Kansas: $6.4 million for the Local Rural Bridge Replacements program.
Kentucky: $13.6 million for the Bath County Bridge Bundling project.
Maine: $38.7 million for its “Critical Connections: Preserving Mobility for Rural Economies” program and $26.2 million for its “Interstate 95 Decks in Distress” project.
Mississippi: $34.6 million for the North Mississippi Bridge Replacement Bundle.
Nebraska: $15.5 million for the Capital City Connector Lincoln Interstate Bridges program.
Oklahoma: $20.2 million for the Northeast Oklahoma Rural Bridge Strengthening project.
South Dakota: $65 million for the SD 44 Platte-Winner Bridge Replacements project.
Utah: $28.3 million for the I-80 Foothill and Parleys Canyon Structures Rehabilitation project.
West Virginia: $65 million for the West Kanawha County Bridge Bundle project.
Wyoming: $8.4 million for the I-90 Bridge Replacements project.