U.S. Gov Unveils $635M for 22 Bridge Projects Nationwide

A new round of funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will build, repair, and modernize regionally significant bridges in 19 states

The Biden-Harris Administration is making the single-largest dedicated investment in America’s bridges since the construction of the Interstate Highway System

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) today announced nearly $635 million for 22 small and medium-sized bridge projects in both rural and urban areas, from Maine to Mississippi to Arizona and Alaska. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dedicates $40 billion over five years to tackle a backlog of bridge projects, which will improve safety and support economic competitiveness and America’s supply chains, restoring connections that are vital to commuters, emergency responders, truck drivers, and public transit riders.

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, more than 11,000 bridges in communities across America are finally getting the repairs they’ve long needed with funding from our infrastructure law,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With the awards we’re announcing today, another 22 major projects will move forward, making sure that people and goods can get where they need to go, safely and efficiently.”

“Part of FHWA’s core mission is to connect communities, which includes the 22 bridge projects we’re funding across America under our bridge investment program,” said Acting Federal Highway Administrator Kristin White. “This infrastructure is critical to safely get people to where they need to go and to support our nation’s economy by advancing efficient delivery of goods.”

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Bridge Investment Program, a historic effort to ensure America’s bridges are safe and operational, meet current and future traveler needs, support local economies, strengthen supply chains to keep costs down for consumers, and create good-paying jobs across the country. More than 11,000 bridges are being rebuilt, repaired, or modernized thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To date, the Bridge Investment Program has invested $8.1 billion into 100 bridge projects in 44 states across the country, and an additional $21 billion in dedicated bridge formula funds – the full amount provided by BIL over 2022-2025 – has been distributed to states.

Applicants requested a total of $3.68 billion of which $3 billion remains unfunded under the program. Below are the Bridge Investment Program “Other Than Large” Fiscal Year 2024 projects:

1. Alaska: $13,395,509 to the National Park Service to replace the Ghiglione Bridge, a seismically deficient bridge in Denali National Park and Preserve. The bridge, which was built in 1960, provides crucial access to all road-accessible facilities west for nearly fifty miles and is an essential link on the only road (Park Road) into Denali National Park’s backcountry. Tourism in Denali National Park primarily centers on travel along Park Road and contributes substantially to the local, regional, and statewide economy.
2. Arizona: $27,507,200 to the Arizona Department of Transportation for the I-40 Window Rock and Lupton Traffic Interchange Enhancement project located in Apache County, Arizona, immediately west of the New Mexico border. The project replaces four Interstate-40 bridges built in 1963 while incorporating safe and accessible pedestrian facilities. The project area provides critical access to the capital of the Navajo Nation, Window Rock, and is a key segment of I-40 that supports the movement of millions of pounds of transcontinental freight and goods each year.
3. Arkansas and Mississippi: $43,920,000 to the Arkansas Department of Transportation for the Helena Bridge Rehabilitation project. The aging Helena Bridge carries U.S. Route 49 across the Mississippi River between Helena, Arkansas and Lula, Mississippi, and supports movement of freight and significant quantities of agricultural commodities from the Mississippi Delta, one of the most productive farming regions in the country. The Helena Bridge is also the only Mississippi River crossing for a 105-mile stretch – if not operable, diverted traffic and freight would add nearly three hours to their commutes.
4. Colorado: $13,713,060 to the City of Pueblo for the Union Ave Bridge Replacement project. The project will replace the near century old Union Avenue Bridge, a critical link from downtown Pueblo to South Pueblo. The bridge will be reconstructed to include pedestrian and bicycle facilities and to accommodate future intercity passenger rail.
5. Iowa: $6 million to the City of Cedar Rapids for the Arc of Justice Bridge Replacement project that will support the replacement of the Eighth Avenue bridge – originally built in 1938 – over the Cedar River. The project will improve the movement of people and goods throughout the area by making the area more resilient to flooding. All seven bridges carrying local traffic over the Cedar River in and around downtown, including the current 8th Avenue bridge, are closed at the 25-year flood event and above. In the last 20 years, the Cedar River reached or exceeded that event 15 times. This leads to lengthy detours and delays for residents and freight movement, affecting regional supply chains. The new bridge will provide 10-feet of low chord clearance above the 100-year flood elevation to ensure the bridge stays open during flooding events.
6. Iowa: $38,640,000 to Washington County for the Building Bridges Today Helping Feed America Tomorrow project that will remove and replace seven bridges in poor condition in six rural counties. The bridges bundled in this project provide critical linkages for the transport of grain and livestock from farms to markets throughout the region.
7. Maine: $69,659,473 to the Maine Department of Transportation for the I-95 Accessibility Improvements Minimizing Heavy-Truck Impacts project that will replace six bridges carrying rural roads over Interstate 95 in Kennebec County, Maine. The structures, all built in the late 1950s, are located in a priority corridor and are at risk due to insufficient vertical clearances, outdated design, and deterioration. The bridges and interstate provide access to employment, education, healthcare, and other opportunities for Mainers and serve as an important link in the region’s supply chain.
8. Maine: $63,016,563 to the Maine Department of Transportation for the I-395 Bridge Bundle project that will replace six damaged and degrading bridges along Interstate 395. The project will greatly improve the condition, safety, reliability, and resiliency of the bridges, all of which are integral parts of the roadway network that connects Bangor and Brewer to other parts of the state.
9. Michigan: $34,202,150 to the Michigan Department of Transportation for the Michigan Urban Bridges Revitalization project that will replace seven deteriorating bridges to provide reliable infrastructure that supports freight movement throughout the region and connects residents to schools, jobs, and critical services. The project includes bridges in key urban centers, supporting economic growth in Bay, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties along with the cities of Ferrysburg, Lansing, and Lincoln Park. Overall, the project supports more than 3.5 million residents, including two Areas of Persistent Poverty and two Historically Disadvantaged Communities.
10. Minnesota: $34,303,583 to the City of Minneapolis for the Nicollet Avenue Bridge over Minnehaha Creek Rehabilitation project. The existing Nicollet Avenue Bridge, built in the 1920s, is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and was not designed to handle the current or projected future volume of daily traffic, resulting in significant safety concerns. The rehabilitation of the bridge’s aging structure will support mobility for freight, emergency, and transit vehicles along the Nicollet Avenue corridor, in addition to pedestrians and bicyclists. The bridge serves as a key linkage for numerous modes of transportation: situated only two blocks west of Interstate 35W (I-35), it’s designated as a minor reliever route and General Truck Route, accommodating over 10,000 vehicles daily.
11. Mississippi: $67,512,520 to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for the Central Bridge Bundle project in Lauderdale, Madison, and Newton Counties to replace a total of 13 bridge structures in central Mississippi. The aging bridges connect rural Mississippi to urban areas, including the state capital. All 13 bridges do not meet current design standards, have extremely narrow lanes, and pose safety risks to travelers. The narrow widths of the current bridges do not adequately support freight movement through the region. Their replacement is important to the economic competitiveness of the state, as freight movement in Mississippi is anticipated to grow at least 60% by 2050.
12. Missouri: $39,934,854 to the City of Kansas City for the Bridging Kansas City to the Future – Kansas City Bridge Investment Package project that will replace or rehabilitate nine bridges that are deteriorating and in need of replacement or significant rehabilitation. The average age of the bridges included in this project is 81 years old, and the oldest bridge was constructed 118 years ago. All nine bridges are critical to Kansas City’s infrastructure and serve many needs, from connecting historically disadvantaged neighborhoods, to promoting active transportation, to serving as important corridors for freight movement.
13. Montana: $28,462,652 to the Montana Department of Transportation for the Sportsman’s Bridge Replacement project. The project will replace the existing two-lane bridge – which was originally built in 1955 – with a more resilient bridge to maintain and improve access over the Flathead River in northwest Montana on Montana Highway 82 in Flathead County. The bridge’s location over the Flathead River provides the most direct and quickest point of access around the northern half of Flathead Lake – failure or closure of the existing bridge would significantly impact the region’s transportation network and economic growth.
14. Nebraska: $11,948,372 to Platte County for the Loup Canal Bridges – Today’s Public Works Administration project that will remove and replace four structures on the Loup Power Canal, which was originally built as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression. The bridges are deteriorating and do not meet current design standards, affecting residential and commercial travel as well as emergency services for the County.
15. New Jersey: $47 million to the County of Mercer for the Replacement of Lincoln Avenue Bridge, Mercer County Bridge Carrying Lincoln Avenue (County Route 626) over AMTRAK and Assunpink Creek project. The Mercer County Bridge carries Lincoln Avenue (County Route 626) over Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line, an abandoned rail yard, and Assunpink Creek. This project will completely replace the deficient structure, for which Mercer County has frequently completed repairs to preserve and prevent concrete from falling onto the Northeast Corridor tracks. Replacing this structure is necessary to maintain the operations and safety of the NEC rail network itself.
16. New York: $11,567,200 to Schoharie County for the replacement of the existing Bridge Street Truss Bridge over Schoharie Creek, which was originally constructed in 1928 and is a crucial part of Schoharie County’s transportation system. The bridge carries County Route 1A (Bridge Street and Schoharie Hill Road), which is the only direct east-west connector between routes NYS Route 30 and NY Route 146 for over 15 miles, yet current load restrictions due to the poor condition of the bridge impact the efficiency of freight movement along these routes.
17. North Dakota: $9.4 million to the North Dakota Department of Transportation for the Safe & Resilient Passages at Standing Rock project that will replace two deteriorating bridges located along ND Highway 1806 in Morton and Sioux Counties. These bridges serve as essential lifelines for communities in Morton and Sioux Counties, providing vital connections for emergency services and economic opportunities. Both bridges are located just north of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, home to 15,000 of the 15,568 total enrolled members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
18. North Dakota: $2.7 million to the North Dakota Department of Transportation for the Viking Bridge Reconstruction project to redesign the deteriorating bridge and incorporate measures to prevent scouring and improve resilience against flooding events. Built in 1969, the Viking Bridge is frequently affected by spring flooding. Addressing the existing bridge’s geometric deficiencies will help meet current and future traffic demands, both for cars and pedestrians. Pedestrian use of the bridge is high due to the location of Valley City State University on both sides of the river crossing, as well as the Gaukler Family Wellness Center.
19. Oklahoma: $13,793,400 to the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma for the Absentee Shawnee Tribe Porter Avenue Bridge Replacement project that will replace the Porter Avenue Bridge, a structurally at-risk bridge that carries Porter Avenue over Little River in Norman, Oklahoma. The 87-year-old bridge cannot meet the load and traffic requirements of the regional transportation network and is prone to flooding. If not replaced, it threatens the mobility of people and goods through the region and will impact future economic growth. The project will improve the quality of life for local and regional bridge users, primarily impacting the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.
20. South Dakota: $3,133,863 to the Minnehaha County Highway Department for the Minnehaha County Highway 104 Bridge Replacement project that will remove and replace three bridges along Minnehaha County Highway 104 (Co. Hwy 104). The bridges, constructed between 1922 and 1940, are deteriorating and threaten the efficiency of travel and freight movement along Co. Hwy 104, a critical Rural Major Collector that connects residents and important commercial and agricultural commodities to and from northern Minnehaha County to other regional arterial roadways and essential local destinations.
21. Texas: $32 million to the City of Austin for the Barton Springs Road Bridge project that will replace the existing three-span Barton Springs Road Bridge, which consists of the original 99-year-old south structure and a north structure, a 78-year-old addition to the original, with a new bridge that will widen the current structure’s deck. Replacing the current structure, which is past its useful life, will create additional space for safe multi-modal pathways for bicyclists and pedestrians, resolve lane misalignment within the adjacent transportation network, and alleviate structural deterioration that is impacting the bridge’s ability to handle current and future traffic volume.
22. Wyoming: $23 million to the National Park Service to preserve, protect, and extend the life of the historic Gardner River Bridge in Yellowstone National Park. Originally built in 1939, the 200-foot-high bridge – which crosses the Gardner River and provides an expansive view of Mount Everts to the east and Bunsen Peak to the west – serves as a critical transportation link to some of Yellowstone’s major destinations and for local communities. In 2021 over 4.8 million people visited Yellowstone National Park, and the primary electric power line for the region hangs underneath the bridge – protecting this power line is critical to maintaining and improving economic competitiveness of the region. Additionally, depending on the severity of the winter, herds of 50-4,000 bison cross the Gardner River Bridge when migrating each year. Without preservation, the bridge could close in three to five years.