Competitive Highway Bridge Program

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is offering funding through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and FY 2025 Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP). This program, authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, supports highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects on public roads. The CHBP focuses specifically on projects that involve the bundling of multiple bridge replacements or rehabilitations to maximize cost savings and efficiency. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is newly revised under Amendment No. 1 and includes updates on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and submission procedures. The CHBP is targeted toward U.S. states with low population density and a significant proportion of bridges in poor condition. To qualify, states must have fewer than 115 individuals per square mile and either fewer than 26% of their total bridges in good condition or 5.2% or more in poor condition. States that exceed 14% of bridges in poor condition are guaranteed to receive no less than $32.5 million per fiscal year if eligible projects are available. States eligible under these criteria include Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Only State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) from these states may apply, although they may partner with non-state entities, provided the State DOT remains the lead recipient. The CHBP allocates $250 million in funding for each fiscal year, combining $200 million from the Highway Trust Fund and $50 million from general fund appropriations. There is no specific minimum or maximum award size, and approximately 15 awards are anticipated. Eligible work must include the construction phase and may also encompass environmental clearance, preliminary engineering, or final design. Projects must align with the definition of bridge bundling under 23 U.S.C. 144(j), which mandates grouping multiple bridge projects into a single contract to capture economies of scale. The federal cost share can reach up to 95% for certain states under the sliding scale provisions. Applicants must submit a detailed application package through Grants.gov, including various standard federal forms and a comprehensive project narrative. Required narrative components include project description and location, sources and uses of funds, merit criteria responses, project readiness and permitting risk, and FHWA priority considerations. Evaluation will be based on how well the application addresses merit criteria in areas such as state of good repair, safety and mobility, innovation, climate change, equity, and job creation. Project readiness and potential for near-term construction are also key considerations. Previous applicants to FHWA’s Bridge Investment Program (BIP) may be eligible for resubmission under this NOFO, with specific guidelines provided. The deadline for submitting questions is July 21, 2025. Final applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on August 4, 2025. FHWA encourages scalable project proposals and offers a recorded webinar and FAQ resources on its CHBP website. For assistance, applicants can contact Derek Constable or Douglas Blades at chbpgrant@dot.gov or by phone. The anticipated timeline requires FY 2024 funds to be obligated by September 30, 2027, and FY 2025 funds by September 30, 2028, with general fund portions expended by 2032 and 2033 respectively.

Ensure full compliance with SF forms, include detailed budget and scheduling info, and clearly articulate alignment with merit and priority criteria. Use the FHWA CHBP recorded presentation and Q&A page for guidance.