Transportation IIJA Programs

Safe Streets and Roads For All

Why It Was Created: To improve roadway safety by reducing or eliminating fatalities and serious injuries
Amount: $5 Billion over 5 years
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, MPOs
Match Requirement: 20%
What It Will Fund: Safety action plans and implementation projects
Award Amounts: Up to $1 million for safety action plans, between $5m and $30 million for implementation projects
Website: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A
Notes: Because a safety action plan must already be completed before the program will fund implementation projects, Montgomery County has partnered with DVRPC to apply for a regional safety action plan grant in 2022. Once a safety action plan has been developed, municipalities will be able to directly apply for implementation project grants from this program.

Healthy Streets

Why It Was Created: To reduce flooding, improve air quality, and mitigate the urban heat island effect within communities of color and low income communities.
Amount: $500 million over 5 years
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, states, MPOs, non-profits
Match Requirement: 20%
What It Will Fund: Porous pavement and cool pavement for sidewalks, street trees
Award Amounts:  Up to $15 million
Website: Not yet available (program has been authorized but not yet funded)
Notes: This program is only available for disadvantaged communities. Montgomery County strongly urges communities interested in applying for this program to contact the Planning Commission to discuss projects that may be appropriate.

Bridge Investment Program

Why It Was Created: To replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect bridges on the National Bridge Inventory
Amount: $12.2 billion over 4 years
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, states, MPOs, and governmental authorities
Match Requirement: 50% for large bridges, 20% for small bridges, and 10% for “off-system” bridges
What It Will Fund: Replacement and rehabilitation of bridges, planning grants
Award Amounts:  $2.5 million minimum, no maximum; no minimum for planning grants
Website: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/bip/
Notes: Small bridges are under $100m and large bridges are over $100m.  Half of all funds nationally must go to large bridges.  Most municipally-owned bridges will be considered “off-system”.

This grant program will be used in conjunction with additional formula funding for bridge repairs and replacements by PennDOT. Municipalities with bridges that may be eligible for this program are encouraged to discuss their project with the Montgomery County Planning Commission and PennDOT to find the right source of funding.

Reconnecting Communities

Why It Was Created: To restore community connectivity by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other facilities
Amount: $1 billion until spent
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, states, MPOs, non-profits
Match Requirement: 20% for planning grants, 50% for construction projects
What It Will Fund: Walkways/overpasses, trails, road redesigns, complete streets treatments, Main St. revitalization, transit projects, and anything else that mitigates community separation caused by existing roads, rail lines, parkways, viaducts, bridges, pipelines, and other transportation infrastructure
Award Amounts:  $100,000 to $2 million for planning grants, $5 million to $100 million for construction projects
Website: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/reconnecting-communities
Notes: Applicants must own the transportation facility they are applying for.  Feasibility studies and planning activities must already be complete, and the project must be consistent with the regional long-range plan and TIP prior to award. Montgomery County can assist municipalities with identifying projects for this program that would compete on a national scale.

Protect

Why It Was Created: To make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, and extreme weather events
Amount: $1.4 Billion over 4 years (competitive grant program only)
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, states, MPOs, and governmental authorities
Match Requirement:
What It Will Fund: Resilience planning, projects that strengthen and protect evacuation routes, and any project that will improve resiliency of roads and transit systems
Award Amounts:  TBD
Website: Not yet available
Notes: $7.3 Billion is being allocated to states under the PROTECT formula program.

National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI)

Why It Was Created: To provide funding to strategically deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to fill in gaps in the nationwide network
Amount: $7.5 Billion (both formula and competitive funds)
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, states, MPOs, governmental authorities, and private businesses (PennDOT program only)
Match Requirement: 20%
What It Will Fund: The installation of DC fast chargers near highway interchanges and required upgrades to electrical infrastructure
Award Amounts: Up to $15 million
Websites: https://www.penndot.pa.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/Planning/EVs/Pages/NEVI.aspx
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/nevi_formula_program.cfm
Notes: Pennsylvania is using its formula funding to create their own grant program, which will be focused first on installing charging stations near sections of interstates without any electric vehicle infrastructure.   Details for the USDOT’s $5 billion competitive program are forthcoming.

Municipalities are encouraged to initiate internal discussions regarding zoning code and subdivision ordinance changes that may be required to accommodate EV charging stations, especially DC fast chargers. Municipalities are also encouraged to discuss the topic with property owners in desirable locations and prepare their emergency response forces with appropriate training to handle potential incidents.

Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program

Why It Was Created: To provide safe and connected active transportation facilities
Amount: $1 Billion over 5 years
Who Is Eligible to Apply: Municipalities, states, MPOs, and governmental authorities
Match Requirement: 20% (0% for areas with poverty rates over 40%)
What It Will Fund: Planning, design, and construction of active transportation projects such as trails, sidewalks, and protected bike lanes
Award Amounts:  $100,000 maximum for planning, $15 million or more for construction projects  
Website: Not yet available
Notes: This program was authorized by the IIJA but must be funded by congressional action.