In addition to the more than $4 billion in additional highway and bridge funds coming to PennDOT over five years, the department is the recipient of grant funding from the BIL and, as a result, will be partners in making historic investments in Pennsylvania's transportation system. The funding awarded is designed to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of the transportation system PennDOT manages.
To learn more about the new investments being made across the Commonwealth, read highlights of BIL funding PennDOT has been awarded below.
| Awarded Project | Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project – Southern Section | A Study to Alleviate Congestion and Enhance Community Safety | Pittston Pair Bridge Bundle |
| Amount Awarded | $69 M | $375 K | $19 M |
| Discretionary Grant Type | Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant – Rural | Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program | Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity |
| Purpose of Grant | Fund improvement or expansion of surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant national/regional impact or in rural areas | Fund highway-rail or pathway-rail grade crossing improvement projects to improve the safety and mobility of people and goods | Fund capital investments in road, rail, transit and port projects with significant local or regional impact on safety, quality of life, innovation and mobility |
| Award Announced | 12/19/2022 | 6/5/2023 | 6/23/2023 |
| Project Description | Construction of new four-lane limited access highway, connecting US Routes 11/15 near Selinsgrove to US Route 15 near Winfield; will also include interchange and connector within Shamokin Dam to PA Route 61 into Sunbury | Initiation of crossing elimination study for three at-grade crossings on CSX/SEPTA lines that experience traffic congestion and loading delays in the Philadelphia region | Replacement of the Fort Jenkin and Water Street Bridges, including on-street bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements; will also include modernization of seven adjacent intersections |
| Awarded Project | Advancing Standardized Open-Data As-Built Information Models for Bridges | Pennsylvania Wildlife Crossings Strategic Plan and Analytical Tools | Expand Passenger Rail Across Pennsylvania |
| Amount Awarded | $3.91 M | $840 K | Over $140 M |
| Discretionary Grant Type | Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems | Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program | Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail and Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) |
| Purpose of Grant | Promote, implement, deploy, demonstrate, showcase, support and document the application of advanced digital construction management systems, practices, performance and benefits | Reduce Wildlife Vehicle Collisions while improving habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species | Funds capital projects that reduce backlog, improve performance, or expand/establish new intercity passenger rail service and comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program |
| Award Announced | 11/2023 | 12/2023 | 12/2023 |
| Project Description | Apply the use of an open data standard, eliminating need for expensive proprietary technologies making it difficult to exchange information between design and construction teams | Develop a comprehensive statewide strategic plan to address the wide-ranging challenges and opportunities associated with the safe management and stewardship for wildlife crossings across Pennsylvania | Support expansion of passenger rail between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh and study three passenger rail corridors throughout Pennsylvania |
| Awarded Project | Roosevelt Boulevard Multimodal Project * | Reconnecting Our Chinatown: Reclaiming Philadelphia's Vine Street Expressway (I-676) * | Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration Program |
| Amount Awarded | $78,000,000 | $1,800,000 | $700,000 |
| Discretionary Grant Type | Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant | Reconnecting Communities Pilot | Accelerated Innovation Deployment |
| Purpose of Grant | Fund improvement or expansion of surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant national/regional impact | Address barriers to community connectivity by focusing on removing, retrofitting, mitigating, or replacing facilities that previously cut off communities from economic opportunities | Accelerate implementation of proven innovations in highway transportation |
| Award Announced | 1/5/2023 | 2/23/2023 | 8/22/2023 |
| Project Description | This funding will help Philadelphia enhance safety, accessibility, and travel time reliability along Roosevelt Boulevard. The efforts include intersection and roadway reconfigurations, median barriers, traffic signal upgrades, corridor access management, complete streets enhancements, and new business access and transit lanes. | The project will study ways to reconnect Chinatown across the Vine Street Expressway (I-676), which split the historic neighborhood apart when it was constructed. | PennDOT will use Targeted Overlay Pavement Solutions in five Engineering Districts. These solutions enhance overlay performance for both asphalt and concrete pavements, reduce maintenance, extend pavement service life, minimize work zones, increase skid resistance, improve flood resiliency, and reduce noise. |
* PennDOT Co-Applicant
| Awarded Project | Keystone Corridor (Pittsburgh to Philadelphia) | Scranton to New York Penn Station: Amtrak Passenger Service Corridor * | Enhancing Pennsylvania Public Charging Station Reliability and Equity |
| Amount Awarded | $500,000 | $500,000 | $5,000,000 |
| Discretionary Grant Type | Corridor ID | Corridor ID | Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator |
| Purpose of Grant | Guide development of new and enhanced intercity passenger rail services to help bolster economic growth | Guide development of new and enhanced intercity passenger rail services to help bolster economic growth | Focus on repairing or replacing broken/non-operational electric vehicle chargers |
| Award Announced | 12/8/2023 | 12/8/2023 | 1/18/2024 |
| Project Description | The proposed corridor will enhance Amtrak Keystone and Pennsylvanian services between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA. It includes adding frequencies, including at least one additional daily round trip between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, reducing end-to-end travel time, and improving reliability. The corridor sponsor will enter Step 1 to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for their service development plan. | The proposed corridor aims to connect Scranton, PA, and New York, NY, with intermediate stops at Stroudsburg and Mt. Pocono, PA, and Blairstown, Dover, Montclair, Morristown, and Newark, NJ. It would provide new service (three daily round trips) on a mostly existing alignment, including a rebuilt abandoned track. The entire alignment for this corridor is under public ownership. The corridor sponsor will enter Step 1 to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for their service development plan. | This award will repair or replace broken or non-operational electric vehicle charging ports to improve the reliability of existing charging infrastructure. |
* PennDOT Co-Applicant
| Awarded Project | Demonstration and Deployment - Electric Construction Vehicles | Interstate 83 John Harris Memorial (South) Bridge- UPDATE LINK TO SOUTH BRIDGE PROJECT PAGE |
| Amount Awarded | $645,486 | $500,000,000 |
| Discretionary Grant Type | Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding Opportunity | Bridge Investment Program |
| Purpose of Grant | Research projects to address the following priorities: batteries and electrification, combustion and advanced fuels, lightweight materials, energy-efficient mobility systems, and technology integration | Enhance bridge safety, efficiency, and reliability, improve overall bridge conditions in the U.S., and provide financial assistance that leverages non-federal contributions for projects exceeding $100M |
| Award Announced | 1/8/2024 | 7/17/2024 |
| Project Description | The project will advance sustainability in construction operations by successfully demonstrating and deploying electric construction vehicles. The project aims to replace traditional internal combustion engine-powered construction vehicles with clean, electric alternatives, highlighting their efficiency, effectiveness, and environmental benefits. | The project will replace the South Bridge, which currently serves over 125,000 vehicles daily. In addition to the bridge replacement, the project will address critical safety concerns and enhance the bridge's resilience to extreme weather conditions. It will also generate well-paying jobs in the community. Key components of the project include reconfiguring the Lemoyne interchange and reconstructing both the viaduct and the Front Street/2nd Street interchange. |
To see other BIL funding announced and awarded where PennDOT has supported its various partners across Pennsylvania, the Investing In America web page contains an illustrative map with early and preliminary progress.
Past Grant Alerts
The Past Grant Alerts section displays federal grant programs no longer accepting applications. Within this section is a valuable resource for learning about various programs that have successfully awarded funding. Using this information, you can learn best practices about eligible and successful applicants and the historic investments being awarded.
This discretionary grant program was authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to provide alternative fuels infrastructure grants to eligible entities through two separate grant categories:
- Community Charging and Fueling Program Grants (Community Program)
- Alternative Fuel Corridor Grants (Corridor Program)
See Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Opportunity (PDF) for details.
The SS4A provides grants to support planning, infrastructure, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users.
See the SS4A Grant Alert (PDF) for details.
This discretionary grant program will directly advance the goal of building a national network of EV chargers for all Americans by supporting EV charging reliability, resiliency, equity, and workforce development. Enhancing and expanding EV infrastructure nationwide will also indirectly contribute to the goal of having 50% of all new light-duty vehicle sales be electric by 2030. Through this grant program funding will be provided for:
- Electric vehicle (EV) charging resiliency planning for continuity of operations and services for all EV users
- Equitable business model development and deployment for EV charging
- Workforce development that supports EV charging
- Increased industrial capacity, competition, and redundancy for validation testing and certification in the United States of Alternating Current (AC) Level 2 and/or Direct Current (DC) fast chargers
- Assessing performance and reliability of DC fast charging stations.
See the Ride and Drive Electic Grant Program Alert (PDF) for more details.
The Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program (WCPP) is a competitive grant program with the goal of reducing Wildlife Vehicle Collisions while improving habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. The WCPP provides funding for construction and non-construction projects.
Learn more in the WCPP grant alert (PDF).
This discretionary grant program seeks research projects to address priorities in the following areas: the cost-effective deployment of EV charging for those without easy home charging options; innovative solutions to improve mobility options for underserved communities; community engagement to accelerate clean transportation options in underserved communities; batteries and electrification; materials technologies; mobility system supporting public transportation; advanced vehicle charging solutions, dimethyl ether engine for off-road applications, hydrogen combustion engines, to improve fuel economy and reduce GHG emissions with the goals of carbon pollution free electricity by 2035 and net-zero of GHG emissions by 2050.
See the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Program Wide Funding Opportunity Grant Alert (PDF) for more details.
The US DOT Federal program provides discretionary grants to support projects that address the climate crisis by improving the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Projects should support the continued operation or rapid recovery of crucial local, regional, or national surface transportation facilities. Projects in the Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program have the potential to demonstrate innovation and best practices that State and local governments in other parts of the country can consider replicating.
There are four categories of funding under the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program. One category is for Planning Grants. The other three categories are for Resilience Improvement, Community Resilience and Evacuation Routes, and At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure projects, and are collectively referred to as Resilience Grants.
See the PROTECT Grant Opportunity Alert (PDF) for more details.
This discretionary pilot program provided grants to fund financial, technical, and legal assistance to states and rural and tribal communities to help them evaluate and develop projects that qualify for federal funding and financing programs.
See Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program (PDF) for more details.
This discretionary grant program was authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the purpose of soliciting applications for three funding opportunities:
- National Infrastructure Project Assistance grants program (Mega)
- the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects grants program (INFRA)
- Rural Surface Transportation Grant program (Rural)
See Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant: INFRA, Mega & Rural Grant Programs (PDF) for more details.
The SMART grant program from US DOT aimed to provide grants to eligible entities to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of communities to improve transportation efficiency and safety.
The program funded projects that are focused on using technology interventions to solve real-world challenges and build data and technology capacity and expertise in the public sector.
See the SMART Grant Alert (PDF) for more details.
The TCP provides grant funding to ensure that disadvantaged communities have the technical tools and organizational capacity to comprehensively plan for and deliver quality infrastructure projects and community development projects that enable their communities and neighborhoods to thrive. The TCP will provide technical assistance, planning and capacity building support to advance transportation and community revitalization.
See the Thriving Communities Program Grant Alert (PDF) for details.
This discretionary grant program was authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for investments in surface transportation that will have a significant local or regional impact and projects that improve equity and environmental justice by addressing transportation-related disparities and climate change related consequences.
Selected projects will improve safety, environmental sustainability, quality of life, mobility and community connectivity, economic competitiveness and opportunity, state of good repair, partnership and collaboration, and innovation.
See the RAISE Grant Alert (PDF) for details.
This discretionary grant program was authorized under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the purpose of deploying, installing and operating advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, intermodal connectivity and infrastructure return on investment.
See the ATTAIN Grant Alert (PDF) for more details.
The program provides discretionary grants to advance innovative, integrated, and multimodal solutions for congestion relief in the most congested metropolitan areas. The goals of the Program are to reduce highway congestion, reduce economic and environmental costs associated with that congestion, including transportation emissions, and optimize existing highway capacity and usage of highway and transit systems.
See the CRP Grant Alert (PDF) for details.
Funds for the INFRA, Mega, and Rural funding opportunities provide Federal financial assistance to highway and bridge, intercity passenger rail, railway-highway grade and separation, wildlife crossing, public transportation, marine highway, and freight and multimodal projects, or groups of such projects, of national or regional significance, as well as to projects to improve and expand the surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas.
See the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant alert (PDF) for more details.
The program provides discretionary grants to eligible entities to plan, design, and construct eligible projects that provide safe and connected active transportation infrastructure in an active transportation network or active transportation spine.
The Notice of Funding opportunity provides for two different grant categories: (1) Planning and Design Grants and (2) Construction Grants.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
See the ATIIP Grant Alert (PDF) for details.
The SMART grant program aims to provide grants to eligible entities to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart city or community technologies and systems in a variety of communities to improve transportation efficiency and safety.
The program funds projects that are focused on using technology interventions to solve real-world challenges and build data and technology capacity and expertise in the public sector.
See the SMART Grant Alert (PDF) for details.