Rural Surface Transportation Grants
The $675M Rural Surface Transportation Grant (Rural) program supports projects that improve and expand our nation’s surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas in order 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.
Rural program funding is allocated under the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant (MPDG) combined NOFO.
Applicants Eligible for Rural Grants:
- A state
- A regional transportation planning organization
- A unit of local government
- A tribal government or a consortium of tribal governments
- A multijurisdictional group of entities above
Eligible Projects Include:
- A highway, bridge, or tunnel project eligible under National Highway Performance Program, Surface Transportation Block Grant, or Tribal Transportation Program
- A highway freight project eligible under the 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 publicly-owned highway or bridge that provides or increases access to an agricultural, commercial, energy, or intermodal facility that supports a rural area
- A project to develop, establish, or maintain an integrated mobility management system, a transportation demand management system, or on-demand mobility services
Per law, 90% of rural funding must be awarded in $25M or greater amounts.
Funding for MPDG is made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which allocates up to $2B for the Rural program, which Congress may supplement through additional annual appropriations. Last year, the USDOT awarded $274M to fund 12 Rural projects that will create good-paying jobs, grow the economy, strengthen supply chains, improve mobility for residents, and make our transportation systems safer.
The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm ET on August 21, 2023. Applicants may find the NOFO, FAQ, and other helpful resources here.
Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant
MPDG combines three discretionary grants (Mega, INFRA, Rural) awarded on a competitive basis for transportation infrastructure projects.
Eligible projects include highways and bridges, intercity passenger rail, railway-highway grade crossing or separation, wildlife crossing, public transportation, marine highway, and freight projects with either significant national or regional impact or that will improve the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas.
