The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on May 20, 2016 that it has received 212 applications totaling nearly $9.8 billion for grants through the newly-created Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grant program.
Of the 212 applications received, 136 represent projects in urban areas, while the remaining 76 would support rural projects. The deadline for submitting applications was April 14, 2016. The DOT is currently reviewing all eligible applications. In the first year of this program, states and localities requested more than 13 times more funding than was available through FASTLANE.
The FASTLANE program was established in December 2015 as part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act to fund critical freight and highway projects across the country. FASTLANE grants provide dedicated funding for projects that address major issues facing our nation’s highways and bridges. "For the first time in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 50-year history, the program establishes broad, multiyear eligibilities for freight infrastructure, including intermodal projects," DOT said.
“Transportation creates jobs and makes jobs of the future possible. We know there is pent-up demand for projects that will speed up the delivery of goods and make America even more competitive. Today, we have even more evidence,” said U.S. Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We're going to do our best to support high-impact transportation projects that will lay a new foundation for job creation and exporting American-made goods throughout the world.”