SANTA FE, NM — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announces that the Biden Administration will invest nearly $1 billion in American infrastructure through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grants program. The funding has been awarded to 90 projects in 47 states and the District of Columbia and Guam.

“We’re proud to support these great projects that will improve infrastructure, strengthen supply chains, make us safer, advance equity, and combat climate change,” Buttigieg said. “As in past years, we received far more applications than we could fund; this cycle saw about a ten-to-one ratio of requests to available dollars. But going forward, with the passage of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will be able to support far more infrastructure projects to support jobs and everyday life in communities across the country."

The program selection criteria encompassed safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, economic competitiveness, state of good repair, innovation, and partnerships with a range of stakeholders. Within these criteria, the grants reflect the department’s priorities for creating good-paying jobs, improving safety, applying technology, and addressing climate change and advancing racial equity.

Listed below is an example of FY21 in the Rocky Mountain Construction area:

The New Mexico Department of Transportation will receive $25 million to reconstruct approximately 21 miles of US 64 in Northwestern New Mexico. The project includes the replacement of four bridges with wider, more resilient structures; improvements along 21 miles of roadway including enhanced lighting, widened shoulders, rumble strips, and new pavement. Fiber optic cable will also be installed to connect communications and monitoring equipment, which will improve corridor management practices.

To improve safety, the project widens inadequate shoulder and lane widths and increases sight distances. In addition, new drainage will improve the environment and resilience of the corridor by reducing runoff and damage to the corridor during major weather events.