Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.73 billion in 2026 BUILD grants Tuesday, covering 127 projects across 50 states, Washington, D.C., American Samoa, Guam and Puerto Rico, according to a news release and list of grant winners.
- Roads and bridges received the majority of those funds, with $1.3 billion, or 77%, going to the sector. That included $24 million for I-94 in North Dakota for modern pavement and 10 miles of high-tension cable guard rails.
- Transit projects were the next largest recipients of funds, with $169.9 million earmarked to enhance safety and improve reliability of public systems, per the transportation agency. DOT highlighted $14.7 million to upgrade three Milwaukee County Transit System maintenance facilities in Wisconsin.
Dive Insight:
The funds originated from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grant program. The initiative was established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and operated under annual appropriations acts until November 2021, when the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed.
DOT received nearly 1,200 eligible applications for the 2026 cohort requesting a total of more than $14.5 billion in funding, per the release.
Port infrastructure received the next largest purse, with $136.8 million granted to expand capacity and reduce bottlenecks. It included $8.5 million awarded to the Alaska Railroad Corporation to widen a freight dock in Seward, Alaska, by 300 feet so vessels can load, unload and transfer cargo more quickly, according to the announcement.
Freight and passenger rail initiatives received $87.7 million, while truck parking projects in Kentucky, Wyoming, Louisiana, Mississippi and Illinois took in $62 million. Another $11 million went to aviation infrastructure.
A list of the 2026 recipients is available via a downloadable spreadsheet.
