U.S. DOT Awards $2.2 Billion in RAISE Grants for Infrastructure Projects

What happened: All 50 states will receive funds to improve and modernize their infrastructure, as a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The awards announced Aug. 11 total $2.2 billion for 166 projects across a wide range of planning and capital investment projects, including bridge replacements, roadway reconstruction, and multimodal freight improvements, and are evenly split between urban and rural areas. RAISE grants, formerly known as BUILD or TIGER grants under prior administrations, were expanded by the Infrastructure and Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) by $7.5 billion over the next five years.

The full list of awards can be found here.

Why it matters: While nearly 90 percent of IIJA funds are distributed via formula, the remainder is distributed through discretionary grant awards that allow the agency to select projects. More than half of this year’s RAISE awards will support roadway improvements.

What’s next: Additional grant awards for the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program, the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL) are expected this fall.