HR-5745 : Still Just a Bill

Bridge Investment Act of 2020

This bill establishes a bridge investment program to award competitive grants to certain governmental entities for projects that improve (1) the condition of bridges; and (2) the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and freight over bridges.

Among other provisions, the bill

• requires grant awards for large projects (projects with total costs of greater than $100 million) to be at least $50 million, and for any other projects not less than $2.5 million;
• directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to consider a number of factors in awarding grants, including whether the project serves as part of a state or federal evacuation route;
• requires DOT to prioritize projects that are located within states for which at least two project applications were submitted in the current fiscal year and an average of two were submitted in prior fiscal years, and fewer than two grants have been awarded for projects within the state; and
• limits funding for projects that consist solely of culvert replacement or rehabilitation.