North Carolina will receive $100 million in federal grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden last year to make improvements along the vital corridor of Interstate 85 between Charlotte and the South Carolina line.
The N.C. Department of Transportation will receive $100 million in Infrastructure Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant funding for its I-85 Funding Transportation Utilizing Resilient, Equitable Solutions project, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Thursday. This is part of $1.5 billion awarded this round nationwide through the competitive grant program for highway, multimodal freight and rail projects under the 2021 Law. Over the next five years, approximately $ 8 billion will be provided nationwide for the INFRA program.
“Strengthening infrastructure and making transportation safe, clean and more resilient will build a stronger North Carolina,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “These funds will deliver critical transportation improvements, better connect our people to high-speed internet and move our state forward on clean transportation.”
The grant will support the widening of about 10 miles of I-85 in Gaston County from six to eight lanes – relieving traffic congestion on one of the Southeast’s busiest highways, as well as new connections for bicycles and pedestrians along that stretch. It will also enable the installation of broadband infrastructure and electric vehicle charging stations along the route in both Gaston and Cleveland counties.
“This is great news for North Carolina,” said state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “When we can invest in critical parts of our transportation network, it creates better and safer connections between our rural and urban areas, strengthens our supply chains, and gives our state a much-needed economic boost.”
Today’s announcement comes a month after the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that North Carolina is scheduled to receive nearly $60 million in federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grants to fund six major transportation projects. Those improvements include reconstructing 28 bridges in the mountains, extending a bicycle and walking path to underserved communities in Winston-Salem, and advancing planning for a passenger rail service through North Carolina.
The full list of awards can be found on the USDOT website: https://www.transportation.gov/grants/infra-2022-fact-sheets.
More information on the INFRA grants program can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/grants/infra-grants-program.
###