Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 through FY 2026 Bridge Investment Program, Planning and Bridge Project Grants

The Bridge Investment Program Planning and Bridge Project Grants is a federal funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Federal Highway Administration. The program was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to provide substantial financial assistance for improving bridge infrastructure across the United States. The initiative is designed to address critical infrastructure needs by supporting projects that replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect bridges listed on the National Bridge Inventory, as well as planning efforts that prepare projects for future construction funding. The program aligns with national priorities to enhance transportation safety, efficiency, and resilience while promoting economic development and environmental sustainability. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support two distinct categories of grants: Planning grants and Bridge Project grants. Planning grants fund early-stage activities such as feasibility studies and revenue forecasting that lead to future bridge projects, while Bridge Project grants support construction-related activities for projects with total eligible costs not exceeding one hundred million dollars. Eligible activities under Bridge Project grants include replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, and protection of bridges, as well as associated construction, environmental mitigation, and operational improvements. Planning grants, however, are limited to early-stage project development activities and do not cover environmental reviews or engineering design beyond planning-level work. The program requires cost sharing, with federal funding generally covering no more than eighty percent of total eligible project costs for Bridge Project grants. Non-federal contributions must be identified and secured by applicants, although certain entities such as Tribal governments and federal land management agencies may use other federal funds to satisfy matching requirements. Funding is substantial, with total program funding reaching approximately 9.7 billion dollars across fiscal years 2023 through 2026, and individual awards ranging from fifty thousand dollars up to eighty million dollars for Bridge Project grants. Planning grants do not have a defined minimum or maximum award amount, though total annual funding for planning activities is capped. Eligible applicants include a wide range of public entities such as state governments, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, political subdivisions, special purpose districts, federal land management agencies, and tribal governments. Applicants may also form multi-jurisdictional partnerships. The program emphasizes geographic diversity and equitable distribution of funds, including prioritization of underserved and rural communities. Projects must demonstrate readiness, including completion of preliminary engineering for construction grants and the ability to begin construction within eighteen months of funding obligation. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and require completion of standard federal forms along with a detailed project narrative. The narrative must address project description, location, budget, merit criteria, benefit-cost analysis for construction projects, and project readiness. Evaluation criteria include safety improvements, cost effectiveness, environmental sustainability, equity considerations, and workforce development impacts. Applications are reviewed competitively, with additional analysis conducted on project readiness and economic benefits for Bridge Project grants. The program operates on a rolling application basis with defined deadlines for each fiscal year. For fiscal year 2026, planning applications must be submitted by June 15, 2026, and bridge project applications by June 29, 2026. Applications are reviewed after submission deadlines, and selected projects are awarded based on merit and statutory priorities. Funds remain available for obligation for multiple years, and recipients must comply with federal reporting and performance requirements throughout the project lifecycle. Contact for the program is available through the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Competitive Grants and Workforce Programs via email at BridgeInvestmentProgram@dot.gov and phone support through designated agreement specialists.

Ensure strong benefit-cost analysis and project readiness; demonstrate clear safety and equity impacts; secure matching funds and show construction readiness