15 states awarded grants for infrastructure projects
Fifteen states received federal grants for 18 transportation projects through the Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-Term Advancement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) program, reports the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA).
The FASTLANE awards, which total almost $800 million, include a $165 million grant toward the Atlantic Gateway project in Virginia; a $62 million grant to improve U.S. 69/75 in Oklahoma; and a $44 million grant for the Port of Savannah International Multimodal Connector, NSSGA reports.
“From eliminating traffic bottlenecks and enhancing port capacity to overhauling a major freight corridor, the 18 inaugural FASTLANE grants will enable people and goods to move more efficiently,” says Anthony Foxx, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The grants were combined with federal, state, local and private source funding to support $3.6 billion in infrastructure investment, NSSGA adds.
“These types of investments in our transportation system help to improve our economy and create good-paying jobs,” says Bailey Wood, NSSGA vice president of communications. “When Congress can coalesce around a sustainable source of funding for the Highway Trust Fund, these types of investments can be made more frequently and improve our entire national infrastructure.”
The FASTLINE grant program emerged from the FAST Act.