New Federal Funding to Be Used for Road, Bridge Improvements

New federal funding from the recently signed bipartisan infrastructure bill will be allocated to improve the state’s roadways and bridges.

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, a Hawai‘i Democrat, announced Friday that the state will receive $224,069,212 from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration for the purpose of upgrading roads, bridges and highways and implement strategies to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries. The funds will also support programs to cut traffic congestion, in turn reducing emissions and improving air quality.

“These crucial investments will rebuild our roads, bridges, and highways to make them safer and more resilient for everyone,” said Schatz, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing. “The bipartisan infrastructure bill is already helping our state, and I’m proud to have supported it.”

This new funding is part of $52.5 billion in funding for Federal-aid Highway Program apportionments, an increase of more than 20% from last year. Federal-aid Highway Program funds are authorized by Congress to assist states in construction, reconstruction and improvement of highways and bridges on eligible routes and for other special purpose programs and projects.

This annual funding is based on a statutory formula contained in the bipartisan infrastructure measure, which was signed into law in November. Hawai‘i is expected to receive at least $2.8 billion in funding from the new law.