The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) has officially granted a sum of $5 billion to fund the reconstruction, repair, and restoration of 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states. According to certain reports, the recipients of this grant begin from the Oregon Department of Transportation (DOT). Under the agreed terms, the department will receive $1.4 billion for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, connecting Portland and Vancouver, Wash., to replace two aging vertical lift bridges that carry I-5 over the Columbia River. Bringing forth modern, seismically resilient, and multimodal replacement bridges, the project will reduce travel times and congestion along this critical corridor, improve safety and quality of life, as well as lower carbon emissions. Next in line would be the Massachusetts DOT. This one will receive around $993 million for the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project in Cape Cod to replace the older bridge, which has come to experience high crash rates and congestion in recent times. Then, we have the Alabama DOT, who can expect an amount worth $550 million for the I-10 Mobile River Bridge Replacement and Bayway Multimodal Project in Mobile. The idea here is to improve safety, reliability, and mobility for residents in the project area, as well as support local small businesses and the national economy through a more efficient movement of goods along Interstate 10, a critical corridor for the country. Joining the mix would be Pennsylvania DOT. Pennsylvania DOT will become a part of this runner once it receives $500 million for the I- 83 South Bridge Replacement Project in Harrisburg. The department will use these funds to replace a bridge originally built in 1960. Making its replenishment all the more important is a fact that the bridge carries 125,000 vehicles per day.
Moving on to talk about the Tennessee DOT, it will receive an estimated $394 million for the America’s River Crossing Project in Memphis and West Memphis, Ark., to replace the 75-year-old I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River. This one happens to be a critical recipient for the funding, considering it is a nationally significant corridor for commerce and serves as a critical connector for residents, workers, and freight movement between Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Alongside Tennessee DOT, the promised cash injection will also reach Rhode Island DOT, enabling the authority to access $251 million for the I- 95 15: Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s Economy Project in Providence to improve the condition of 15 bridges critical to the local economy.
Markedly enough, the development in question will try and transform the bridges in both North Carolina and South Carolina region. In former’s case, the funding will be of $242 million for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Wilmington to replace a 54-year-old structure that carries US 17/US 76/US 421 across the Cape Fear River between New Hanover and Brunswick Counties. As for South Carolina, the sum is touted to be $175 million which will be used for the I-95 over Lake Marion Bridge Replacement Project in Santee to replace four bridges that were constructed back in 1968. Hold on, we still have a few bits left to unpack, considering we haven’t yet acknowledged the funding earmarked for Oklahoma DOT. With a backing of around $124 million, the department will rework Roosevelt Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Byran and Marshall counties, and therefore, replace the older structure which suffers from an outdated designed and a sheer incapacity to handle current and future traffic needs. Under the given push to improve infrastructure, FHWA will also award the West Virginia DOT a sum of $88 million for the Market Street Bridge Replacement Project in East Steubenville, W.V. and Steubenville, Ohio.
Among other departments who are set to receive funding to enhance the health of their bridges, we have Miami-Dade County DOT, New Mexico DOT, and Kansas City DOT.
