USDOT opens second round of INFRA funding

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) last month opened the second round of the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program.

The INFRA program is expected to offer grants totaling $855 million to $902.5 million, subject to funding provided by fiscal-year 2019 appropriations, according to a department statement.

FY2019 appropriations are in limbo due to the partial federal government shutdown, however. The USDOT issued a notice of funding opportunity for the grant program last month, before the shutdown began.

INFRA advances a grant program established under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act of 2015. Under the program's criteria, USDOT "evaluates projects to align them with national and regional economic vitality goals and to leverage additional non-federal funding," department officials said.

"The program will increase the impact of projects by leveraging federal grant funding and incentivizing project sponsors to pursue innovative strategies, including public-private partnerships," they said.

In addition, the program promotes projects that incorporate the use of innovative technology to improve the nation’s transportation system.

The department will award INFRA grants to large and small projects. For a large project, the INFRA grant must be at least $25 million; for a small project, the grant must be at least $5 million.

Ten percent of available funds are reserved for small projects. The FAST Act requires the program to award at least 25 percent of funding for rural projects.

"By creating the right incentives, this program will be better able to make significant, long-term improvements to America’s transportation infrastructure," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

In 2018, the USDOT awarded INFRA grants totaling nearly $1.5 billion for 26 projects, including some involving rail.