The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced nearly $500 million in funding through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program. This funding will be allocated to 30 infrastructure projects across the United States, aimed at improving road safety, revitalizing communities, and creating economic opportunities.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy stated, “Under President Trump, America is building again,” highlighting the administration’s commitment to enhancing infrastructure nationwide. The $488 million awards focus on various areas including roadway, transit, rail, maritime, and aviation improvements.
A significant portion of the grants—77%—is dedicated to roads and bridges to strengthen essential transportation routes. For instance, over $24 million is earmarked for widening a segment of US Route 54 in Missouri from two lanes to four.
Transit upgrades account for 10% of the funds, with projects like a $25 million investment in Alabama for a new operations facility for Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority’s fleet services.
More than $35 million is directed toward waterway projects to bolster port capabilities. An example includes a $25 million enhancement project at Bristol Port Facility in Pennsylvania.
Rail networks will receive nearly $3 million for improvements such as those planned in Snohomish County, Washington.
Additionally, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and West Virginia Division of Highways are set to receive close to $25 million each for infrastructure upgrades and expanding truck parking facilities respectively.
These BUILD program awards were chosen from over 800 applications totaling more than $10 billion in requests. The funds are evenly split between urban and rural areas at $244 million each per category. Each project was selected based on criteria including safety measures and cost effectiveness.
