Transportation Dept. Opens $1.5 Billion Grant Program To Improve Infrastructure

The U.S. Transportation Department announced that it will be opening a $1.5 billion grant program for infrastructure projects.

The grants will “support more projects than ever, and help make our transportation system safer, more accessible, and more sustainable for people across the country,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

Last November, President Joe Biden signed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill into law. The law designated $660 billion to the Transportation Department over five years. $71 billion is for grants.

The grants will support a wide range of infrastructure projects, specifically having to do with creating more recreational pathways for bikes, walking and biking. It will also help cities create designated bike and bus lanes to keep the roads and pedestrians safer.

Environmental groups are pushing for the U.S. to take action toward sustainability, like encouraging carpooling.

States that are benefitting from last year’s round of grants include Washington and Oregon. They received a combined $32.2 million to work on state projects. North Carolina focused their funds towards a new transit center, and New Orleans used their $18.5 million to improve transit fare collection.

New grant applications will be open until April and the results will be announced by August.