The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently awarded $1.5 billion in Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation grants to 91 projects in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
“BUILD transportation grants are major investments in road, rail, transit, and port projects that serve as a down payment on this administration’s commitment to America’s infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.
USDOT received nearly double the applications from last year. A total of 851 applications from every state and U.S. territory as well as the District of Columbia requested more than $10.9 billion in funding.
A team of 222 USDOT staff members evaluated the applications.
Projects were selected based on several criteria including environmental protection, economic competitiveness, innovation, and projects that demonstrate partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Rural projects that both aligned with the criteria and addressed rural infrastructure needs were prioritized.
Each state cannot be awarded more than $150 million, according to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 that appropriated funding for the grants, and the maximum grant award is $25 million for a single project.
In rural areas, the minimum award is $1 million, and the minimum for urban areas is $5 million.