U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy just dropped the news that the government is pumping $488m into the country’s infrastructure. This hefty sum of $488m from the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program is set to give support to critical maritime, roadway, transit, rail and aviation infrastructure improvements that improve safety, reduce congestion, and spur economic growth.

“Under President Trump, America is building again,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “From making families safer on our roads to expanding our ports, these grant selections reflect our commitment to unleashing America’s full potential with envy-of-the-world infrastructure. We will continue to move quickly to get money out the door to get dirt moving.”

Waterway projects received more than $35m primarily for port improvements to enhance American maritime dominance.  

DOT reported $25m for improvements to the Bristol Port Facility in Pennsylvania, including the construction of a new approximately 1,100-foot dock, modernization of offloading equipment, dredging of approximately 70,000 cubic yards of material, and integration of upgraded rail systems.

The maritime portion of the funding includes projects that spread across California, Mississippi, Florida, Idaho, Oklahoma, Minnesota, New York, Washington, Louisiana, Alaska and others.

America’s BUILD program delivered awards to the most competitive projects out of more than 800 applications requesting more than $10bn.

The projects were selected based on statutory criteria requiring a comprehensive examination of safety, project readiness, and cost effectiveness, with funding evenly distributed between urban and rural communities at $244m each.