creating jobs & Rebuilding Badger state infrastructure

>>> Delivers a historic investment in our state’s transportation infrastructure, including a 27% average annual increase in dedicated federal highway aid formula funding

>>> Provides new funding opportunities for local governments, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Tribes, and other public entities

>>> Creates good paying jobs and puts Wisconsin to work fixing our roads and bridges, rebuilding our water infrastructure, and expanding access to affordable and reliable high speed broadband for Wisconsin families, students, small businesses, and farmers

>>> Investments to repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on Buy America, stronger and more resilient infrastructure, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians

Wisconsin is set to receive $997 million in Fiscal Year 2022 in dedicated funding for roads, bridges, and highways, with funds being set aside for local governments. Additionally, Wisconsin will receive $45 million in Fiscal Year 2022 in dedicated funding to replace or rehabilitate bridges. In total, Wisconsin will receive $5.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act over the next five years. The vast majority of dedicated funds coming to the will be provided through federal-aid highway programs. For more details, visit the Federal Highway Administration’s website.

For more information on funding that will be allocated to local governments, please contact your Metropolitan Planning Organization or Regional Planning Commission. For projects that may involve the state highway system, please contact your WisDOT Division of Transportation System Development regional office.

Wisconsin is expected to receive $592 million over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve public transportation options across the state. For upcoming details on potential transit funds in your community, please visit the Federal Transit Administration’s website.

Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Wisconsin is expected to receive $79 million over five years to support the expansion of an electric vehicle-charging network in the state. Continue to check the Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

>>> Investments to prepare more of our infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, and extreme weather events

Newly created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program includes $7.3 billion in formula funding that will be distributed to States and $1.4 billion in competitive grants to help States and local agencies improve the resiliency of transportation infrastructure. PROTECT grants include resilience improvement grants, community resilience and evacuation route grants, and at-risk coastal infrastructure grants. Continue to check the Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, airports in Wisconsin are expected to receive approximately $198 million for infrastructure development for airports over five years. For details on federal funding amounts for airports in your area, please visit the Federal Aviation Administration’s website.

1) Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) Grants ($8 billion) – Grants will provide funding to state and local government for freight infrastructure projects of regional or national significance. 

•Use of Funds: Highway freight projects carried out on the National Highway Freight Network; highway or bridge projects carried out on the National Highway System (NHS), including projects that add capacity on the Interstate System to improve mobility or projects in a national scenic area; railway-highway grade crossing or grade separation projects; or a freight project that is (1) an intermodal or rail project, or (2) within the boundaries of a public or private freight rail, water (including ports), or intermodal facility. A project within the boundaries of a freight rail, water (including ports), or intermodal facility must be a surface transportation infrastructure project necessary to facilitate direct intermodal interchange, transfer, or access into or out of the facility and must significantly improve freight movement on the National Highway Freight Network. Improving freight movement on the National Highway Freight Network may include shifting freight transportation to other modes, thereby reducing congestion and bottlenecks on the National Highway Freight Network. For a freight project within the boundaries of a freight rail, water (including ports), or intermodal facility, federal funds can only support project elements that provide public benefits.

•Eligibility: State or group of states; metropolitan planning organization that serves an urbanized area (as defined by the Bureau of the Census) with a population of more than 200,000; unit of local government or group of local governments; political subdivision of a state or local government; special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; federal land management agency that applies jointly with a state or group of states; Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments; multi-state or multijurisdictional group of public entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

2) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grants ($7.5 billion) – The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes funding for the RAISE (formerly TIGER) grant program, which invests in local surface transportation projects:

•Use of Funds: Capital and planning projects such as repairing or improving infrastructure to a state of good repair; projects that implement safety improvements to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, including improving grade crossings or providing shorter or more direct access to critical health services; projects that connect communities and people to jobs, services, and education; and, projects that anchor economic revitalization and job growth in communities.

•Eligibility: States; District of Columbia; any territory or possession of the United States; a unit of local government; public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more states; special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; federally recognized Indian Tribe or a consortium of such Indian Tribes; transit agency; multi-state or multijurisdictional group of eligible entities.

•Applying: Project Information Forms must be submitted through Grants.gov with all other application materials by 5:00 PM E.D.T. on April 14, 2022. Click here for more details.

3) Port Infrastructure Development Program ($2.25 billion) – The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act increases investment in America’s coastal ports and inland waterways, helping to improve the supply chain and enhancing the resilience of our shipping industry. The law overall doubles the level of investment in port infrastructure and waterways, helping strengthen our supply chain and reduce pollution.

•Use of Funds: To improve facilities within, or outside of and directly related to operations or an intermodal connection of coastal seaports, inland river ports, and Great Lakes ports.

•Eligibility: State; political subdivision of a state, or a local government; public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more states; special purpose district with a transportation function; Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; multistate or multijurisdictional group of eligible entities; lead entity described here jointly with a private entity or group of private entities, including the owners or operators of a facility or collection of facilities at a port.

•Applying: Applications will begin in February. Deadline TBD. Continue to check the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program Grant website for updates.

In addition to dedicated funds for roads and bridges, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act extends and creates new competitive grant programs that states, local governments, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Tribal governments, and other entities can directly apply for. For information on how to directly apply for these grant opportunities, visit the Administration’s website. This website will be updated as notice of funding opportunities and other details become available.

The competitive grant programs funded through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act include:

1) Bridge Investment Program ($12.5 billion) – This new competitive grant program will assist state, local, federal, and Tribal entities in rehabilitating or replacing bridges, including culverts. Large projects and bundling of smaller bridge projects will be eligible for funding.

•Funding Type: Competitive grants.

•Use of Funds: To replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect one or more bridges on the National Bridge Inventory.

•Eligibility: State or group of states; metropolitan planning organization that serves an urbanized area (as defined by the Bureau of the Census) with a population of more than 200,000; unit of local government or group of local governments; political subdivision of a state or local government; special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; federal land management agency that applies jointly with a state or group of states; Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments; multi-state or multijurisdictional group of public entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check the Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

2) Safe Streets for All ($5 billion) – This program will provide funding directly to local and Tribal governments to support their efforts to advance “vision zero” plans and other improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities, especially for cyclists and pedestrians.

•Use of Funds: For localities to develop or implement a “comprehensive safety action plan” aimed at preventing transportation-related fatalities and serious injuries.

•Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration.

•Eligibility: Metropolitan planning organization; political subdivision of a state; Tribal government; multijurisdictional group of eligible entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

3) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grants ($2.5 billion) – This grant program will provide $2.5 billion in for charging and fueling infrastructure.

•Use of Funds: $1.25 billion in funding will build out charging and fueling infrastructure along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors; $1.25 billion in funding will provide Community Charging grants for convenient charging where people live, work, and shop.

•Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration.

•Eligibility: State or political subdivision of a state; metropolitan planning organization; unit of local government; special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; Indian Tribe; a territory of the United States; multi-state or multijurisdictional group of public entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

4) MEGA Projects ($5 billion) – This new National Infrastructure Project Assistance grant program will support multi-modal, multi-jurisdictional projects of national or regional significance.

•Use of Funds: The Secretary may provide a grant under the program only for a project that is— (A) a highway or bridge project carried out on— (i) the National Multimodal Freight Network; (ii) the National Highway Freight Network; or (iii) the National Highway System; (B) a freight intermodal (including public ports) or freight rail project that provides a public benefit; (C) a railway-highway grade separation or elimination project; (D) an intercity passenger rail project.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

5) Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program ($2 billion) – This new competitive grant program will improve and expand surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas, increasing connectivity, improving safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, and generate regional economic growth.

•Use of Funds: Funding projects outside an urbanized area with a population of over 200,000 including: a highway, bridge, or tunnel project; a highway freight project; a highway safety improvement project, including a project to improve a high risk rural road; a project on a publicly owned highway or bridge that provides or increases access to an agricultural, commercial, energy, or intermodal facility that supports the economy of a rural area; or a project to develop, establish, or maintain an integrated mobility management system, a transportation demand management system, or on-demand mobility services.

•Eligibility: State; regional transportation planning organization; a unit of local government; Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments; multijurisdictional group of entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

6) Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program ($1.4 billion) – In addition to formula grants to states, PROTECT will provide $1.4 billion in competitive grants to eligible entities to increase the resilience of our transportation system.

•Use of Funds: Planning Grants, Resilience Improvement Grants, Community Resilience and, Evacuation Route Grants, At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure Grants.

•Eligibility: State or political subdivision of a state; metropolitan planning organization; unit of local government; special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority; Indian tribe; federal land management agency that applies jointly with a state or group of states; multi-state or multijurisdictional group of public entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

7) Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program ($1 billion) – This new competitive program will provide grants for state, local, Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Tribal governments to remove barriers to access and mobility, including funding for planning, design, and removal or mitigation of barriers, and reconstruction of street grids or other infrastructure.

•Use of Funds: (1) To study the feasibility and impacts of removing, retrofitting, or mitigating an existing eligible facility (a highway or other transportation facility that creates a barrier to community connectivity, including barriers to mobility, access, or economic development, due to high speeds, grade separations, or other design factors); (2) to conduct planning activities necessary to design a project to remove, retrofit, or mitigate an existing eligible facility; and (3) to conduct construction activities necessary to carry out a project to remove, retrofit, or mitigate an existing eligible facility.

•Eligibility: State; local government; Tribal government; metropolitan planning organization; nonprofit organization; eligible facility owner.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

8) National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration Grant Program ($1 billion) –This new grant program will fund states, Tribes, and local governments for culvert replacement and removal projects. Priority would be given to projects aimed to improve fish passage for anadromous fish.

•Use of Funds: A new program aimed at removing, replacing, or restoring culverts, which will enable the recovery of salmon passage and habitats.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates. 

9) Advanced Transportation Technologies & Innovative Mobility Deployment ($300 million) – This program will provide grants to install and operate advanced transportation technologies that will improve safety, mobility, intermodal connections, and performance. This program was previously referred to as the Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment Program.

•Use of Funds: Grants to eligible entities to deploy, install, and operate advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, intermodal connectivity, and infrastructure return on investment.

•Eligibility: State or local government or political subdivision thereof. Transit agency, Metropolitan planning organization, Multijurisdictional group made up of the above eligible applicants with a signed agreement to implement the initiative across jurisdictional boundaries, consortium of research or academic institutions.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

10) Congestion Relief Program ($250 million) – This new competitive grant program will provide grants in large urban areas for projects to advance innovative, multimodal solutions to relieve congestion and improve transportation operations and performance.

•Use of Funds: Funds from a grant under the program may be used for planning, design, implementation, and construction activities of a project or an integrated collection of projects including deployment and operation of an integrated congestion management system; deployment and operation of a system that implements or enforces high occupancy vehicle toll lanes, cordon pricing, parking pricing, or congestion pricing; deployment and operation of mobility services, including establishing account-based financial systems, commuter buses, commuter vans, express operations, paratransit, and on-demand microtransit; and incentive programs that encourage travelers to carpool, use non-highway travel modes during peak period, or travel during nonpeak periods.

•Eligibility: A state, for the purpose of carrying out a project in an urbanized area with a population of more than 1 million; a metropolitan planning organization, city, or municipality, for the purpose of carrying out a project in an urbanized area with a population of more than 1 million.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

11) Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant Program ($500 million) – The SMART Grant program will be a programmed competition that will deliver grants to states, local governments, and Tribes for projects that improve transportation safety and efficiency.

•Use of Funds: To pursue smart transportation projects that increase transportation efficiency and safety and will advance connected vehicles, intelligent transportation systems integration, and support technological transportation advancements in communities nationwide.

•Eligibility: State; political subdivision of a state; Tribal government; public transit agency or authority; public toll authority; metropolitan planning organization; two or more eligible entities.

12) Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities ($400 million) – This new competitive grant program will provide grants to reduce emissions from ports, including through electrification projects.

•Use of Funds: To fund projects that reduce emissions at ports, including through the advancement of port electrification.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Portal for updates.

13) Marine Highway Program ($25 million) – Grants through the program are distributed for projects that mitigate landside congestion, expand transportation options, and realize public benefit and external cost savings by awarding Marine Highway grants to qualified applicants to implement designated Marine Highway projects.

•Use of Funds: To support the development and expansion of documented vessels or port and landside infrastructure.

•Eligibility: State governments (including state departments of transportation), metropolitan planning organizations, port authorities, and Tribal governments, or private sector operators of marine highway services within designated Marine Highway Projects.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check the Maritime Administration’s Marine Highway Grants Program website for updates.

Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program ($3 billion) – This new grant program will provide states, Tribes, and local governments planning and construction funds for highway-rail grade crossing separation projects that will improve safety and mobility.

•Use of Funds: To fund highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects that focus on improving the safety and mobility of people and goods.

•Eligibility: States, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other United States territories and possessions; political subdivision of a state; federally recognized Indian tribe; unit of local government or a group of local governments; public port authority; metropolitan planning organization; group of eligible entities.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check FRA’s Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program website for updates.

1) Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program ($1 billion) – These grants will help community-owned utilities to replace outdated gas pipelines in order to reduce injuries and fatalities and prepare our pipeline infrastructure for cleaner fuels.

•Use of Funds: To repair, rehabilitate, or replace a natural gas distribution pipeline system or portions thereof or to acquire equipment to (1) reduce incidents and fatalities and (2) avoid economic losses.

•Agency: U.S. Department of Transportation: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

2) Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Programs ($746.6 million) – Provides funding for additional grant programs for states, law enforcement agencies, and safety organizations to enhance motor carrier safety activities and projects, including driver training and commercial driver licensing programs.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check FMCSA’s Grant Program website for updates.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Terminal Program ($5 billion) – This discretionary grant program will provide funding for airport terminal development and other landside projects.

•Use of Funds: Grants for on-airport rail access projects and projects for relocating, reconstructing, repairing, or improving an airport-owned air traffic control tower, projects that increase capacity and passenger access; projects that replace aging infrastructure; projects that achieve compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and expand accessibility for people with disabilities; projects that improve airport access for historically disadvantaged populations; projects that improve energy efficiency, including upgrading environmental systems, upgrading plant facilities, and achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation standards; projects that improve airfield safety through terminal relocation; and projects that encourage actual and potential competition.

•Eligibility: Airport that is eligible to receive a grant from the discretionary fund under section 47115(a) of Title 49.

•Applying: Applications will begin in February. Deadline TBD. Continue to check FAA’s Airport Terminals Grant Program website for updates.

Clean School Bus Program ($5B) – The Environmental Protection Agency will offer a total of $5 billion between fiscal years 2022 and 2026 to fund the replacement of dirtier school buses with low- or no-carbon school buses. Each year, $500 million will be available exclusively for electric school buses and $500 million will be available for electric buses and multiple types of cleaner alternative fuel school buses. EPA can offer grants and rebates to assist fleets in purchasing new, cleaner school buses and the associated charging and fueling infrastructure. EPA will ensure a broad geographic distribution of awards.

•Use of Funds: The replacement of existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission alternative fuel buses.

•Eligibility: State and local governments, eligible contractors and nonprofit school transportation associations.

•Applying: Deadline TBD. Continue to check EPA’s Clean School Bus Program website for updates.

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