U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao this week announced that the U.S. DOT will invest $1 billion in American infrastructure through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program.
“This administration is making significant investments in infrastructure, and this $1 billion in BUILD grants will repair, rebuild, and revitalize transportation systems across America,” Secretary Chao said in a statement.
The funding has been awarded to 70 projects in 44 states.
Fiscal Year 2020 BUILD transportation grants are for planning and capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and were awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant local or regional impact. BUILD funding supports roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation. Since 2017, the U.S. DOT has awarded nearly $4 billion in BUILD grants to improve America’s infrastructure.
U.S. DOT says the program selection criteria encompassed safety, economic competitiveness, quality of life, state of good repair, environmental sustainability, innovation, and partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders.
To better address the needs of rural America, which has historically been neglected, the U.S. DOT is awarding 50% of BUILD transportation grant funding to projects located in rural areas that deliver positive benefits for these communities, consistent with the department’s R.O.U.T.E.S. initiative. For this round of BUILD transportation grants, the maximum grant award is $25 million, and no more than $100 million can be awarded to a single state, as specified in the appropriations act.
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SOURCE: U.S. DOT
