USDOT Awards $2.2 Billion in RAISE Grants

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program allowed the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to award $2.2 billion in grants to 162 road, rail, transit, and port projects that support national infrastructure objectives. Applicant projects were evaluated on prioritizing safety, environmental sustainability, mobility and community connectivity, and quality of life. U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, said, “This round of RAISE grants is helping create a new generation of good-paying jobs in rural and urban communities alike, with projects whose benefits will include improving safety, fighting climate change, advancing equity, strengthening our supply chain and more.”

Indiana had three award recipients in this round of funding. The City of Indianapolis was awarded $25 million to convert four pairs of one-way streets to two-way streets, including bike lanes, multi-use paths, and sidewalk improvements. “Safety will be addressed through the signalization of intersections, addition of turn lanes, traffic calming, and the addition of bicycle lanes and shared-use paths. Quality of life will be addressed by increasing access to affordable transportation choices through the construction of bicycle lanes. Additionally, the transition from one-way to two-way roadways improves access to daily destinations through both a more efficient roadway design and increased access to transit systems.”

Wabash River Greenway Phase 2 was awarded $25 million for environmental, design, and construction activities for an approximately 5-mile active transportation route along the Wabash River in Tippecanoe County, IN. The rural project will include new side paths, trails, and bridges to incorporate green infrastructure and improve the safety of non-motorized travelers. Additionally, the project will add approximately 20 new park n’ ride spaces and five bus stop connections to support low-cost transportation access to major employment centers moving towards becoming a tourist destination for active transportation and recreational amenities.

Perry County Port Authorities in Perry and Spencer Counties, IN, were awarded $11,575,000 to replace approximately 14 miles of 120-year-old 75-pound rail with 115-pound rail in areas of defect along the Hoosier Southern Railroad (HOS). “Repairing and upgrading the rail line will address the line’s vulnerabilities, reduce maintenance concerns, and bring the railroad to a condition where it can operate at full performance and capacity.”

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