WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today launched the historic
Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Program (Bridge Formula Program), made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The program, to be administered by the Federal Highway Administration, represents the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system – providing $26.5 billion to states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico over five years and $825 million for Tribal transportation facilities. The total amount that will be available to states, D.C. and Puerto Rico in Fiscal Year 2022 is $5.3 billion along with $165 million for tribes.
Louisiana will receive $1 billion under the new program to address highway bridge needs. The funding will help improve the condition of about 1,630 bridges in poor condition and to preserve and improve about 5,040 bridges in fair condition in the state.
Nationwide, the Bridge Formula Program is expected to help repair approximately 15,000 bridges. In addition to providing funds to states to replace, rehabilitate, preserve,
protect, and construct highway bridges, the Bridge Formula Program has
dedicated funding for Tribal transportation facility bridges as well as
“off-system” bridges, locally owned facilities which are those not on
the federal-aid highway system.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes an incentive for states to
direct the new Bridge Formula Program funds to off-system bridges owned
by a county, city, town or other local agency. While states generally
must match federal funding with up to 20 percent state or local funding,
the guidance issued today notes that federal funds can be used for 100
percent of the cost of repairing or rehabilitating such locally owned
off-system bridges.
Specific to the FHWA, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides more
than $350 billion over five fiscal years for surface transportation programs.
FHWA released the first tranche of Bridge Formula Program funding to states for Fiscal Year 2022 in addition to the program guidance. For a map of bridges, please see https://infobridge.fhwa.dot.gov/ and USDOT Bridge Formula Program Funding and Condition by State. Here is State-by-state BFP funding Fiscal Years 2022-2026.