Description
The Department of Transportation is offering Mega Grants, a discretionary grant program, to fund major projects that are too large or complex for traditional funding programs. The program is highly competitive and will evaluate applications based on six outcome criteria, economic analysis, project readiness, and statutory requirements. Eligible applicants include states, metropolitan planning organizations, units of local government, and special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function. The grant program will provide approximately $1.7 billion in funding, with half reserved for projects greater than $500 million in cost and half reserved for projects greater than $100 million but less than $500 million in cost.
• The six outcome criteria for evaluation are: safety, state of good repair, economic impacts, freight movement, and job creation, climate change, resilience, and the environment, equity, multimodal options, and quality of life, and innovation areas: technology, project delivery, and financing.
• Eligible project types include highway or bridge projects on the National Multimodal Freight Network, highway or bridge projects on the National Highway Freight Network, and freight intermodal or freight rail projects that provide public benefit.
• Applications will be accepted until May 06, 2024, and must be submitted through Grants.gov.
• The grant program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and aims to reduce the burden for state and local applicants and increase the pipeline of "shovel-worthy" projects.