U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today announced $20.3 million for South Carolina, part of $1.8 billion in awards from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program for 148 projects. Today’s awards fund 148 projects nationwide and bring the total amount of Biden-Harris Administration RAISE grants to more than $7.2 billion for more than 550 projects across the country.
“After decades of underinvestment, the condition of America’s infrastructure is now finally getting better instead of worse – and today we proudly announce our support for 148 more projects in communities of every size across the country,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re funding projects across the country to make roads safer, make it easier for people to move around their community, make transportation infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather, and improve supply chains to keep costs down for consumers.”
The competitive and popular RAISE program, which was authorized $1.5 billion a year on top of already appropriated funds thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supports a diverse slate of communities with projects of local and regional significance. Funding is split equally between urban and rural areas, and a large percentage of grants support regions defined as historically disadvantaged or areas of persistent poverty. The eligibility requirements of RAISE allow project sponsors, including state and local governments, counties, Tribal governments, transit agencies, and port authorities, to pursue multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional projects that are more difficult to fund through other grant programs. RAISE discretionary grants invest in critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects that would otherwise not receive the funding needed if not for President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
As in years past, the demand for RAISE funding outpaced available funds, with the Department receiving almost $13 billion in requests for the $1.8 billion available this year.
South Carolina will receive $20,335,170 for the Sans Souci Connecter project in Greenville County. The project will construct approximately 2.2 miles of shared-use path with approximately five grade separations and e-bike charging stations. The project will increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in underserved communities through the installation of grade-separated crossings at several roads and creating a separate connected network to the greater Swamp Rabbit Trail (SRT) system. The community’s access to public transportation will also be expanded by connecting to the SRT Network, which will connect to schools and other daily destinations.
The full list of projects can be viewed here.
