The Office of the Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking applications for its Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL).
Donor Name: Office of the Under Secretary for Policy
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/21/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $675 million
Grant Duration: 18 months
Details:
The Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL) was created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will support projects to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas to increase connectivity, improve the safety and reliability of the movement of people and freight, and generate regional economic growth and improve quality of life. Eligible projects for Rural grants include highway, bridge, and tunnel projects that help improve freight, safety, and provide or increase access to an agricultural, commercial, energy, or transportation facilities that support the economy of a rural area. This year alone, DOT will award up to $675 million in grants through the rural program—part of the $2 billion included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law over five years. At least 90% of rural funding must be awarded in amounts of $25 million or more. If you are seeking less than $25 million, you are competing for only about $67.5 million nationwide.
Objectives
Invest in surface transportation infrastructure projects of national or regional significance and improve/expand infrastructure in rural areas; Support projects that are consistent with the Department’s strategic goals: improve safety, economic strength and global competitiveness, equity, and climate and sustainability.
Funding Information
- Grants up to $675 million will be made available for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL)
- The project is reasonably expected to begin construction not later than 18 months after the date of obligation of funds for the project.
Eligible Project Types
- A highway, bridge, or tunnel project eligible under National Highway Performance Program
- A highway, bridge, or tunnel project eligible under Surface Transportation Block Grant
- A highway, bridge, or tunnel project eligible under Tribal Transportation Program
- A highway freight project eligible under National Highway Freight Program
- A highway safety improvement project, including a project to improve a high-risk rural road as defined by the Highway Safety Improvement Program
- A project on a publiclyowned highway or bridge that provides or increases access to an agricultural, commercial, energy, or intermodal facility that supports the economy of a rural area
- A project to develop, establish, or maintain an integrated mobility management system, a transportation demand management system, or ondemand mobility services.
Eligible Project Costs
- Development phase activities, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, preliminary engineering and design work, and other preconstruction activities; and,
- Construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, acquisition of real property (including land related to the project and improvements to the land), environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of equipment, and operational improvements.
Eligibility Criteria
- a State or a group of States;
- a metropolitan planning organization or a regional transportation planning organization; the
- a unit of local government;
- a political subdivision of a State;
- a special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function, including a port authority;
- a Tribal government or a consortium of Tribal governments;
- Federal land management agency that applies jointly with a State or group of States
- For the Rural program, State includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico. Otherwise eligible entities located in or serving U.S. Territories are eligible.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
