By: CAGTC Staff

On October 21, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced its selection of 11 projects through the fiscal year 2025 and 2026 National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) program and 36 projects through fiscal year 2025 and 2026 Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program. Three projects received funding through both programs.

More than 53 percent of FY25/26 Mega funding was awarded to projects supporting freight infrastructure and the movement of goods. Projects supported by or directly applied for by members of the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) received $428 million in the latest round of Mega awards. Since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was signed into law in 2021, CAGTC members have received an impressive total of roughly $1.55 billion under the Mega grant program for major infrastructure investments, nearly one-third of the program’s total funding.

The Mega grant program provides funding for very large, complex, and often multimodal projects that are difficult to fund by other means and will generate national or regional economic, mobility, or safety benefits. While not exclusive to freight, the competitive program serves as an essential federal funding resource for the nation’s largest freight infrastructure projects.

The INFRA grant program provides much-needed federal funding to advance multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance. CAGTC members continue to be successful under the INFRA grant program, receiving over $1.25 billion since the BIL was signed into law. Projects supported by or directly applied for by members of CAGTC received $454.8 million in the latest round of INFRA awards.

As in previous years, both the Mega and INFRA programs remain oversubscribed – for FY25/26, 200 applications totaled over $27 billion in requests for the $4.2 billion in available funding.

Among the award recipients are several projects sponsored by or supported by members of CAGTC, including:

• $54.53 million for the California Department of Transportation’s Madera High-Speed Rail Station Project. (Mega)
• $98 million for the California Department of Transportation’s Tulare SR 99 Corridor and Paige Avenue Multimodal Interchange Improvements (INFRA)
• $105 million for the California Department of Transportation’s SR84 - US 101 Interchange Reimagined Project (INFRA)
• $66.5 million for the Florida Department of Transportation’s US 1/SR 5 Long Key Bridge Replacement Project (INFRA)
• $209.88 million for the Illinois Department of Transportation’s CREATE Project EW2A. (Mega)
• $81.3 million for the Illinois Department of Transportation’s CREATE Project EW2A (INFRA)
• $30.9 million for Maryland Port Administration’s Dundalk Marine Terminal Reconstruction of Berth 11 (INFRA)
• $163.80 million for the New York City Department of Small Business Services’ From Truck to Barge: Modernizing Brooklyn Marine Terminal Project. (Mega)
• $22 million for Port Tampa Bay’s East Port Omniport Expansion of Berths and Uplands (INFRA)
• $51.1 million for Washington State Department of Transportation’s SR 104 Hood Canal Bridge Girder Replacement (INFRA)

Federal discretionary grant programs are indispensable to the freight industry, delivering strategic investments in supply chain improvement projects that are often large in cost and scale, cross state or jurisdictional borders, and involve multiple modes of transportation,” said CAGTC Executive Director Elaine Nessle. “We are delighted by the strong record of success CAGTC members have enjoyed under the Mega and INFRA programs and applaud USDOT and Congress for their continued commitment to advancing critical freight projects.”

Port Tampa Bay will receive $22 million for its East Port Omniport Expansion of Berths and Uplands Project. The project will support the expansion of a berth and uplands area at one of Port Tampa Bay's newest port complexes. East Port Omniport will increase the existing facility from 18 acres with a 400-foot wharf, to roughly 27 acres with a 675-foot wharf capable of berthing vessels longer than 800 feet.

“Growth is critical to Port Tampa Bay’s long-term strategy. Our facility serves a significant population in the South East region of the United States and handles 40 percent of all cargo entering and leaving Florida. The federal INFRA award for the East Port Omniport Expansion of Berths and Uplands project will modernize an outdated and underutilized dock and yard, allowing it to receive deepwater ships,” said Port Tampa Bay President & CEO Paul Anderson, who also serves as CAGTC’s Chairman. “We appreciate the support from our Congressional Delegation and the Administration. Economic opportunities made possible through this award will serve our Tampa Bay Community and the nation for years to come.”

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will receive $54.53 million for its Madera High-Speed Rail Station Project. Funding will be used to construct a high-speed rail station for the Merced-Bakersfield California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) Interim Service. The project will design and construct the Madera Station through improvements at the relocated Madera Amtrak Station location. These include new platforms, trackwork, an overhead contact system, a bus depot, expanded auto parking, an access roadway network, a multi-use path, and a station building.

Caltrans will receive $105 million for its SR84 - US 101 Interchange Reimagined Project. The project will replace all ramps at the US 101/SR 84 interchange, widen Woodside Road to six lanes between Bay Road and the northbound US 101 offramp at Seaport Boulevard, lower Woodside Road to increase the vertical clearance at US 101, and eliminate the 5-leg intersection at Broadway/Woodside Road.

Caltrans will receive $98 million for its Tulare SR 99 Corridor and Paige Avenue Multimodal Interchange Improvements Project. The project will reconstruct four outdated hook ramps into a consolidated multimodal interchange, sequential roundabouts at the ramp termini and adjacent local street intersections. In addition, 10-foot-wide Class I shared-use paths will be constructed along both sides of Paige Ave to provide an east-west multimodal corridor for users.

“Partnering with state and local agencies, California is using its transportation dollars to provide travelers with more options that support its commitment to reduce planet-warming pollution and create a more equitable and sustainable system that works for all users,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will be awarded $291 million for its CREATE Project EW2A. The project is supported by the City of Chicago and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). The project will make improvements along an approximately 3-mile elevated rail corridor on Chicago’s South Side to reconfigure track segments and signals at Belt Junction; add a third track to the Norfolk Southern line; replace and restore 14 aging bridge and viaduct structures; and implement mobility improvements on surface streets throughout the corridor.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant investment to enhancing our transportation infrastructure. It will lead to safer, more efficient travel for people and goods through northeastern Illinois, and across the nation,” said CMAP Executive Director and CAGTC Vice Chair Erin Aleman. “The CREATE program will not only improve our rail and road networks, but it will also support good-paying jobs and reduce congestion in critical areas. As a result, surrounding neighborhoods will experience economic, health, and environmental benefits. We are incredibly grateful to the USDOT for their continued financial support to untangle North America’s busiest rail hub.”

“We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the transformational award of $291 million in MPDG grant funding for the CREATE Program’s 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project,” said Thomas Carney, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation. “The benefits of this project will be felt for generations as we reduce freight delays, enhance the quality of commuter and passenger rail service, implement neighborhood-scale improvements, and develop training and careers for local residents. We appreciate the support of the Illinois Congressional Delegation as well as our partnership with the State of Illinois, Cook County, Amtrak, Metra, and the freight railroads to make this project a reality.”

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) will use its $30.9 million INFRA grant award to invest in necessary repairs and rehabilitation for Dundalk Marine Terminal Berth 11. The project is supported by Ports America Chesapeake (PAC) – one of the largest direct longshore employers and diversified port operators, handling the majority of cargo at the Port of Baltimore. Within MPA's Dundalk Marine Terminal, PAC provides services for auto, roll-on/roll-off cargo, project cargo, breakbulk, container, and specialized packaging services.

"On behalf of Ports America Chesapeake, I extend my congratulations and gratitude to Maryland Governor Wes Moore, MDOT Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, MPA Executive Director Jonathan Daniels, their dedicated staff, and the Maryland Congressional delegation for their efforts in successfully securing Dundalk Marine Terminal's Berth 11 federal grant funding. This timely U.S. Department of Transportation INFRA grant award underscores the ongoing federal-state partnership in fortifying critical waterfront infrastructure to support the recovery and resilience efforts at the Port of Baltimore following the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse," said Mark Schmidt, President of Ports America Chesapeake. "This project, coupled with investments from other key partners, will ensure that the Port of Baltimore is well-equipped to meet the increasing cargo demands of the future."

The full list of FY25 and FY26 Mega awards can be found here. The full list of FY25 and FY26 INFRA awards can be found here.

Come see CAGTC at the California Self-Help Counties Coalition Focus on the Future conference  in Long Beach, California! On November 12 at 10:45 am, CAGTC Executive Director Elaine Nessle will be moderating a panel on the importance of ports and goods movement in California.

We would love to see you in Long Beach or other cities in the near future. CAGTC staff is alway happy to visit and provide Federal updates on freight issues, tour facilities, or participate in meetings and conferences. Please reach out to Cecile Entleitner (centleitner@nessle-blakey.com) for more details.

More information about the Focus on the Future conference is available here.

On October 29, President Biden traveled to the Port of Baltimore to announce a $3 billion investment from his Inflation Reduction Act to improve and electrify port infrastructure. The Environmental Protection Agency selected 55 projects across 27 states and territories to receive Clean Ports Program funding.

CAGTC’s Executive Director Elaine Nessle was invited to attend the announcement, which featured speakers from the Maryland congressional delegation, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and EPA Administrator Michael Regan.

The selected projects will "strengthen supply chains, make America's businesses more competitive, and keep consumer prices down, while slashing carbon pollution and supporting an estimated 40,000 new, good-paying jobs," stated President Biden.

The Clean Ports program will improve air quality at ports across the country by installing clean, zero-emission freight and ferry technologies along with associated infrastructure, eliminating more than 3 million metric tons of carbon pollution over the first ten years of implementation. The funds will support the purchase of battery-electric and hydrogen-powered human-operated and human-maintained equipment, including over 1,500 units of cargo handling equipment, 1,000 drayage trucks, 10 locomotives, and 20 vessels, as well as shore power systems for ocean-going vessels, battery-electric and hydrogen vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure, and solar power generation.

Read the White House's fact sheet on the announcement here. The full list of selected projects can be found here.

On October 29, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced more than $2.4 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for 122 rail improvement projects in 41 states and Washington, D.C. These projects will make rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient, getting goods and people where they need to be quickly with fewer disruptions, lower shipping costs and less pollution.

Administered through FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, grants being announced will benefit every region of the country, especially rural communities. Projects in this round of selections reflect the broad array of rail safety and service improvements eligible under this program, such as upgrading track, replacing or rehabilitating aging bridges, expanding rail connections at ports, adding modern locomotives to fleets, and more. The CRISI Program is also the only federal grant program prioritizing smaller, short line railroads vital to the American economy and regional supply chains.

Selected CRISI projects this round include:

• The Orange County Transportation Authority received up to $100 million for its Coastal Rail Infrastructure Resiliency Project. The proposed project was selected for Final Design and Construction and track improvements along Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner Corridor on infrastructure owned by the Orange County Transportation Authority. The project will also increase system and service performance by decreasing delays caused by weather-related incidents in the project area.
• The Florida Department of Transportation received up to $3.16 million for its Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements and Monitoring System Project. The proposed project includes improvement of 43 highway-rail grade crossings, including installation, repair, or improvement of railroad crossing preemption signals, crossing gate monitoring systems, crossing approach signage, and highway traffic signalization along at-grade crossings on the state highway system.
• The California Department of Transportation received up to $18.7 million for its San Joaquin Corridor 2nd Platforms at Modesto and Turlock-Denair Amtrak Stations Project. The proposed project includes station, track, and grade-crossing improvements on the San Joaquin Corridor along infrastructure owned by BNSF. The project will create a second platform at two different stations in California's Central Valley – Modesto and Denair – and install additional track to ease congestion between passenger and freight service.
• The Washington State Department of Transportation received up to $37.7 million for its Washington State Rural Rail Rehabilitation Phase III-Improving Supply Chain Efficiency and Resiliency Project. The proposed project includes activities to replace all rail and ties on a critical segment of the Central Washington Branch of Washington State Department of Transportation’s Palouse River and Coulee City Rail System.

The full list of Fiscal Year 2023 and 2024 CRISI project selections can be found here.