DOT to award $850m in FASTLANE grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation is soliciting applications for fiscal year 2017 FASTLANE grants from public sector entities interested in developing freight infrastructure projects.    The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday opened the second round of its FASTLANE grant program to state and local applicants seeking to build critical freight-related highway and intermodal infrastructure.
   In July, the DOT awarded $759 million to 18 entities for nationally significant freight and highway projects. The Department received 212 applications requesting a total of $9.8 billion dollars.
   Many project sponsors are expected to try again for the federal grants. The Maryland Port Administration and freight railroad CSX, for example, recently said they will apply again for funding to increase the clearance of the Howard St. Tunnel in downtown Baltimore and several associated bridges to accommodate cars with double-stacked containers.
   The FASTLANE (Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-Term Achievement of National Efficiencies) program was established by the FAST Act,  enacted at the beginning of the year, to provide $4.5 billion in discretionary grants over five years for large multi-modal projects.
   The DOT is primarily looking for significant highway, rail, port, and inter-modal freight projects in excess of $100 million as the federal government tries to increase the nation’s ability to handle freight volumes, which are projected to grow 45 percent over 30 years.
   States, local agencies, special-purpose districts, public authorities and other entities – alone or in partnerships – are eligible for grants.
   The DOT said it will award up to $850 million for the second round of FASTLANE grants for the 2017 fiscal year. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 15 at www.grants.gov.
   “Across the country, there are sidelined projects that are essential to America’s cities and our transportation network, and leveraging a FASTLANE grant from the Build America Bureau can move many of these projects forward,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “FASTLANE grants give us an opportunity to identify and invest strategically in those projects that are critical to keeping our nation’s economic engine running.”