DOT OFFERS GRANTS TO U.S. SOUTHWEST BORDER STATES

DOT OFFERS GRANTS TO U.S. SOUTHWEST BORDER STATES    The U.S. Department of Transportation is providing $54 million in grants to four U.S. southwestern border states in an effort to improve traffic flow at border crossings and ensure the safe operation of Mexican-based commercial motor vehicles operating in the United States.
   The funds were appropriated by Congress from the federal-aid highway revenue aligned budget authority, or RABA, under the DOT's Border Infrastructure Program (BIP). Of the $54 million, $40.8 million will be awarded to Texas; $8.9 million to California; $2.2 million to New Mexico; and $2.1 million to Arizona.
   Projects funded under BIP include the construction of eight commercial motor vehicle safety inspection facilities on the Texas/Mexico border, and upgrade and construction of an automated port of entry in Santa Teresa, N.M.
   BIP is an initiative of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Federal Highway Administration, in which the federal government contributes 80 percent of the project cost and the states involved pay 20 percent of the expenses. FHWA is the administering agency.