Nearly $3 billion in federal grants will soon be available for transportation projects in Arizona.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the funds are intended for highway, bridge, freight, port and public transportation extensions and repairs.
The agency is placing an emphasis on rural communities with the funding from last year’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Supporters, including Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, say the funds are critical for state’s infrastructure and will create jobs.
It combines three grant opportunities—the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program, the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, and the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL)—to make it easier for Arizona cities and towns to apply with a single application and common set of criteria.