Grants worth almost $830m are being handed out to 80 projects across the US to help make transportation infrastructure more resilient to climate change.
The Federal Highway Administration is funding projects – which aim to protect bridges, roads, ports, rail, and transit from extreme weather – in 37 states the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands
Projects include the Cedar Rapids in Iowa, which will receive $56m to replace the 86-year-old, structurally deficient Arc of Justice Bridge. In Davis, California, nearly $24m will install cool pavement technologies and replace roadway underlayment to help guard against extreme heat conditions and in South Dakota, the Oglala Sioux Tribe will receive $60m to improve two sections of BIA Route 33, which crosses the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in rural southwestern South Dakota.
“Every community in America knows the impacts of climate change and extreme weather, including increasingly frequent heavy rain and flooding events across the country and sea-level rise that is inundating infrastructure in coastal states,” said FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt.
“This investment from the Biden-Harris Administration will ensure our infrastructure is built to withstand more frequent and unpredictable extreme weather, which is vitally important for people and businesses that rely on roads and bridges being open to keep our economy moving.”
The full list of grant recipients is available on the FHWA website.
