Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for approximately $889 million in discretionary grant funding through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. This is the fourth round of funding for the INFRA grant program. The NOFO was released on February 17, 2021 and will remain open only through March 19, 2021.
USDOT is seeking applicants for the FY 2021 round of the INFR discretionary grant program to fund transportation projects of national and regional significance that are in line with the Biden Administration’s principles for national infrastructure projects that result in good-paying jobs, improve safety, apply transformative technology, and explicitly address climate change and racial equity. The funding available for this year’s grants totals approximately $889 million.
The City meets the criteria to be eligible to submit an INFRA program grant application. The Department of Public Service is working with the Department of Development as well as the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) regarding an INFRA program grant application in support of the ongoing I-70/I-71 Columbus Crossroads project and related local projects. The City has previously partnered with MORPC and ODOT to submit a BUILD application in July 2018, and INFRA applications in March 2019 and March 2020 in support of the Columbus Crossroads project. The Department of Public Service has confirmed that MORPC and ODOT would be willing to support another INFRA application for the Columbus Crossroads project.
The precise scope of the application is still being finalized, but it will be similar to the previous applications: replace the freeway bridges over the Scioto River and railroad tracks on the Scioto’s east bank; complete the South Innerbelt Trench; and rebuild the High Street Bridge, Third Street Bridge, and Fourt...
Click here for full text