U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) are announcing over $71 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace the Nogal Canyon Bridge along a section of I-25 in Socorro County, N.M. The New Mexico Delegation supported the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s application for the award.
Source: “Newsroom” Senator Ben Ray Lujan
“I worked hard to pass the Infrastructure Law so we could deliver transformative investments to New Mexico and rebuild the roads and bridges working families rely on everyday,” said Heinrich. “This $71 million federal investment will modernize and replace the Nogal Canyon Bridge, making travel safer — while creating long-term economic growth in our communities.”
“I’m proud to welcome $71 million in funding for the replacement of the Nogal Canyon Bridges along I-25 in Socorro County,” said Luján. “This significant investment will enhance the safety and connectivity of our communities, strengthening local infrastructure for years to come. This funding underscores the importance of infrastructure improvements to promote public safety and economic development.”
“Bringing back good-paying jobs and long-term investments to my district is something I am always proud of, and this $71 million in federal funding to replace the Nogal Canyon Bridge in Socorro County will do just that,” said Vasquez. “This critical investment in the future of I-25 will make travel safer for all, bolster economic opportunities and lay the groundwork for continued growth and prosperity.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program — funded through the Infrastructure Law passed by Democrats in the New Mexico Delegation — provides funding for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, preservation, and protection projects that reduce the number of bridges in poor condition, or in fair condition at risk of declining into poor condition.
The Nogal Canyon Bridge connects New Mexico’s largest metropolitan areas, Albuquerque and Las Cruces, and are vital to interstate traffic through the entire I-25 corridor. The existing bridge is more than 50 years old and requires significant upgrades and improvements.
More information on this award from the Department of Transportation can be found here.
Statement from the U.S. Department of Transportation:
INVESTING IN AMERICA: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $5 Billion to Restore, Reconstruct, and Repair Nationally Significant Large Bridges Across the Country
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Thirteen major bridges to receive funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, improving the safety and efficiency of critical supply chain corridors, creating good-paying jobs, and supporting the national economy
WASHINGTON – Today, to kick off the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America tour, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced more than $5 billion in Large Bridge Project awards through the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
The grants will fund the reconstruction, repair, and restoration – using American-made materials – of 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states that connect communities to jobs and resources, support the economy, and serve as critical corridors for freight travel. These projects will also address important safety issues and make the bridges more resilient to extreme weather, all while creating good-paying jobs.
“For too long America let bridges fall into disrepair, which left people less safe, disrupted our supply chains, and cost people time and money – but now the Biden-Harris Administration is changing that with the biggest investment in our bridges since the Eisenhower era,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “There are currently about 3,000 fewer bridges in poor condition than when our administration began, and today we are proud to announce funding to repair or replace 13 of America’s largest and economically significant bridges.”
“Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Bridge Investment Program, we are reinvesting in our infrastructure and ensuring vital connections for Americans who need to get to a job, a class, or a doctor,” said Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt. “These grants are helping to advance critical bridge projects across the nation that will improve overall quality of life and ensure this country’s infrastructure works for everyone.”
Below are the 13 Large Bridge Project Grants awarded in this round:
- The Oregon Department of Transportation will receive $1.4 billion for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, connecting Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, to replace two aging vertical lift bridges that carry I-5 over the Columbia River. The modern, seismically resilient, and multimodal replacement bridges will provide safe and accessible options for driving, walking, biking, rolling, and riding transit. The project will help reduce travel times and congestion along this critical corridor, improve safety and quality of life, and lower carbon emissions. This project was also awarded a $600 million Mega grant earlier this year.
- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will receive $993 million for the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to replace the bridge, which experiences high crash rates and congestion, and improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and goods over the Canal. This project was also awarded a $372 million Mega grant earlier this year.
- The Alabama Department of Transportation will receive $550 million for the I-10 Mobile River Bridge Replacement and Bayway Multimodal Project in Mobile, Alabama to improve safety, reliability, and mobility for residents in the project area. The improved bridge will support local small businesses and the national economy through a more efficient movement of goods along Interstate 10, a critical corridor for the country.
- The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will receive $500 million for the I- 83 South Bridge Replacement Project in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to replace a bridge originally built in 1960, and widened in 1982, that carries more than 125,000 vehicles per day over the Susquehanna River. The bridge is the major cross-river connection in Downtown Harrisburg and is key to intermodal connectivity – ultimately linking Pennsylvania’s capital region with Baltimore.
- The Tennessee Department of Transportation will receive $394 million for the America’s River Crossing Project in Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas to replace the 75-year-old I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River. This is a nationally significant corridor for commerce and serves as a critical connector for residents, workers, and freight movement between Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The new structure will add capacity and improve geometric design.
- The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will receive $251 million for the I- 95 15: Infrastructure for Tomorrow’s Economy Project in Providence, Rhode Island, to improve the condition of 15 bridges critical to the local economy. The project will support the safe movement of goods and travel of residents, connecting them to key neighborhoods throughout the city of Providence.
- The North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $242 million for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Wilmington, North Carolina, to replace a 54-year-old structure that carries US 17/US 76/US 421 across the Cape Fear River between New Hanover and Brunswick Counties – the fastest-growing counties in the state.
- The South Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $175 million for the I-95 over Lake Marion Bridge Replacement Project in Santee, South Carolina, to replace four bridges that were constructed in 1968 over Lake Marion as part of I-95 – a nationally and regionally significant corridor and a major north-south artery. The project will reduce congestion and maintenance costs and improve safety.
- The Oklahoma Department of Transportation will receive $124 million for the Roosevelt Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Byran and Marshall Counties, Oklahoma to replace the structure that carries US-70 over Lake Texoma. The bridge was constructed in 1942, with a design that is now outdated to meet current traffic needs and future traffic demand. The project will improve the efficiency and reliability of the movement of people and freight, increase resiliency to flooding, and increase safety through a new pedestrian and bicycle crossing.
- Miami-Dade County will receive $101 million for the Venetian Causeway Bridge Replacement Project in Miami, Florida, to replace 11 Venetian Causeway bridges that were originally built in 1926, with newer, more resilient infrastructure anticipated to last 50 years, meeting updated design codes and improving safety.
- The West Virginia Department of Transportation will receive $88 million for the Market Street Bridge Replacement Project in East Steubenville, West Virginia and Steubenville, Ohio, to replace a historic bridge built in 1904. The damaged bridge cannot meet current capacity and is at the end of its useful life. The replacement bridge will allow for the safer and more efficient movement of people and goods along this regionally significant route, connecting communities in the region and supporting its economic livelihood.
- The New Mexico Department of Transportation will receive $72 million for the Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project in Socorro County, New Mexico, to replace the two bridges that carry Interstate 25 over Nogal Canyon in Socorro County. The existing truss bridges are deteriorating rapidly and are at the end of their useful life. The replacement bridges will be the signature bridges of New Mexico’s interstate system, ensuring continued efficiency and mobility along this nationally significant corridor and supporting the economic competitiveness of the region and state.
- The Kansas Department of Transportation will receive $63 million for the 18th Street Bridge Replacement Project in Kansas City, Kansas, to replace a major river crossing built in 1959 that has undergone numerous rehabilitations over its 60-year life, including emergency repairs to extend its service life. The replacement project is the most cost-effective solution, saving public dollars that would have gone towards costly repairs to the original bridge. The new bridge will provide accommodations for active transportation.
The Large Bridge Project Grants under the Bridge Investment Program are available for bridges with total eligible project costs over $100 million, with minimum grant awards of $50 million and a maximum award of 50 percent of the total eligible project costs. Priority consideration is given to projects ready to proceed to construction. The program also funds projects that require pre-construction work and benefit from a multi-year grant agreement.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established the Bridge Investment Program, and invests $40 billion over five years to ensure the nation’s bridges remain safe and operational, meet current and future traveler needs, support local economies, strengthen supply chains to keep costs down for consumers, and create good-paying jobs across the country. More than 10,200 bridges are being rebuilt, repaired, or modernized thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In Fiscal Year 2022, the Bridge Investment Program invested $2.4 billion in the planning and construction of 37 bridges in 29 states across the country.
Additional information on FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program, including Large Bridge Project Grants and Bridge Planning Grants, can be found HERE.
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