PIERRE, SD — The South Dakota Transportation Commission awarded 27 preservation, rehabilitation, and replacement Bridge Improvement Grants (BIG) totaling approximately $14 million to local governments at a recent meeting in Pierre, South Dakota.

Grant recipients are: Aurora County, Beadle County (2), City of Belle Fourche, Bon Homme County, Brookings County, Butte County (3), Davison County, Day County, Hamlin County, City of Huron, Lake County, Lawrence County (2), Marshall County, Mellette County, City of Mitchell, City of Sioux Falls (4), City of Spearfish, Spink County, Stanley County, and City of Watertown.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) received 41 applications totaling $29.3 million in project costs. Six cities submitted nine applications and 19 counties submitted 32 applications.

Local governments are required to pay a minimum of 20 percent matching funds and have three years to expend the grant. Counties must have a wheel tax and a five-year Highway and Bridge Improvement Plan in order to receive a grant.

The $15-million BIG program was created in 2015 and is funded through $7 million per year from funds generated by license plate fees and $8 million from SDDOT.

The next round of BIG program applications are due August 1, 2020, for the Preliminary Engineering category.