mile long bridge 7
Photo Courtesy of Illinois Tollway

The AASHTO Journal recently reported that several state departments of transportation have opened applications for local governments to obtain funding for bridge projects.

Many – if not all – of these projects will specify precast concrete for portions of the construction.

Here is a rundown.

OHIO

The Ohio Department of Transportation is now accepting applications for its Local Major Bridge Program, which provides federal funds to counties and municipalities for bridge replacement, bridge rehabilitation and bridge demolition projects.

Modified program requirements opened eligibility to 238 bridges, up from 54. During the current funding cycle, the program will pay up to 95 percent of the construction and engineering costs for major bridge projects with a cap of $20 million.

Completed online applications are due by Oct. 1, with the projects receiving funds announced by January 2023.

SOUTH DAKOTA

The South Dakota Transportation Commission awarded funding to support two separate statewide local bridge programs.

First, the commission awarded a total of $6.8 million to support 12 local bridge projects through the federal bridge program managed by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. Concurrently, the commission made 44 preliminary engineering awards totaling $2.4 million via its Bridge Improvement Grants or BIG program.

Established in 2015, South Dakota’s BIG program sets aside $7 million per year from funds generated by license plate fees to repair and replace aging local bridges. The commission added an additional $26 million to the program in 2022.

Local governments are required to pay a minimum of 20 percent matching funds and have three years to expend the grant, noted South Dakota DOT, while counties must have a wheel tax and a five-year Highway and Bridge Improvement Plan to receive a grant.

MORE PROJECTS

Other state DOTs already in the midst of local bridge funding distribution efforts this year include the Kansas Department of Transportation and New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Missouri and Maine also are taking steps to increase and improve the flow of funds to local transportation projects through their respective state DOTs as well.