Trump DOT opens $5.4 billion in bridge repair grants, strips DEI rules
Duffy pulls equity and climate requirements; 46,000 deficient bridges eligible
🚇Infrastructure📋Public Policy🏛️Government
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the availability of $5.4 billion in bridge funding in June 2025, drawing on money Congress authorized in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The money is split between two programs: $4.9 billion for large bridge projects (those costing over $100 million) through the Bridge Investment Program, and $500 million for rural bridge repair through the Competitive Highway Bridge Program.
The Trump administration removed Biden-era requirements that tied bridge grant applications to DEI commitments, environmental justice assessments, and climate change plans. Under Biden, applicants had to address how projects would create union jobs, reach underrepresented communities, and reduce climate impacts. Under Trump, the only evaluation criteria are infrastructure need and project merit.
Over 46,000 American bridges are currently rated structurally deficient — meaning they have at least one significant element in poor condition. The average structurally deficient bridge is 69 years old, compared to 44 years old for bridges in good condition. States with the worst bridge backlogs include Pennsylvania (nearly 3,000 poor-condition bridges), Iowa (about 1 in 5 bridges deficient), West Virginia (1,370 deficient), and Louisiana (1,450 deficient).
The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated a total of $40 billion for bridge repair and replacement — the largest dedicated bridge investment since the federal government built the interstate highway system in the 1950s and 1960s. The Bridge Investment Program within that law provides $12.5 billion in competitive grants distributed between 2022 and 2026, with an additional $26.5 billion flowing to states through a formula program based on each state's bridge repair needs.
Bridge funding reaches states through two distinct channels
Formula funding flows automatically to every state based on a formula accounting for the cost to repair or replace poor and fair-condition bridges — every state gets at least $45 million per year
Competitive grants require applications evaluated on merit States, cities, counties, tribal governments, and metropolitan planning organizations can all apply for the competitive BIP grants, creating direct competition between different levels of government.
The infrastructure law passed the House 228-206 in November 2021, with 13 Republicans joining 215 Democrats to vote yes. Six progressive Democrats voted no because the bill had been decoupled from the Build Back Better social spending package.
The bill then went to President Biden, who signed it November 15, 2021. Republican votes were essential — without them, House progressives' opposition would have sunk the bill.
American bridges earned a grade of C on the American Society of Civil Engineers' 2025 Infrastructure Report Card — unchanged from previous years despite the infusion of federal money. The grade reflects that 49% of bridges are in fair condition, 44% are in good condition, and 7% are in poor condition. The ASCE projects that without sustained investment, the share of poor-condition bridges will grow as the existing stock continues to age.
The Competitive Highway Bridge Program within the $5.4 billion package specifically targets bridges not on federal-aid highways — meaning county roads, city streets, and rural roads that local governments own and maintain. Federal funds can cover 100% of repair costs for these locally-owned bridges, removing the usual matching requirement that can price out cash-strapped counties. Applications for the rural bridge program were due August 4, 2025.
🚇Infrastructure📋Public Policy🏛️Government
People, bills, and sources
Sean Duffy
U.S. Secretary of Transportation (confirmed January 2025)
Shailen Bhatt
Federal Highway Administration Administrator
Pete Buttigieg
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation (2021-2025)
Senator Rob Portman
Former Republican Senator from Ohio; lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
American Society of Civil Engineers
Independent engineering organization; publishes the Infrastructure Report Card
What you can do
1
civic action
Find out how your state and county are using bridge repair money
Every state receives formula bridge funding automatically each year. Your state DOT publishes its bridge repair program and which bridges are scheduled for work. You can also look up the condition of specific bridges using FHWA's National Bridge Inventory database, which lists every public bridge in the country and its condition rating.
I'd like to know which bridges in our area are rated structurally deficient and what the repair timeline looks like. Can you provide the bridge condition data for our county and tell me which projects are funded in the current transportation improvement program?
2
civic action
Contact your local government about applying for the Competitive Highway Bridge Program
The $500 million Competitive Highway Bridge Program specifically targets locally-owned bridges not on federal highways. Counties and cities that own bridges can apply for 100% federal funding for repairs — no local match required. If your county has deficient bridges, urge local officials to apply.
I understand the Competitive Highway Bridge Program offers 100% federal funding for locally-owned bridge repairs. Does our county have bridges that qualify, and is the county planning to apply for these grants?
3
civic action
Tell your representative how you feel about removing equity and climate requirements from infrastructure grants
The Trump administration removed DEI, environmental justice, and climate requirements from bridge grant applications. If you think those requirements were important (or if you think they were unnecessary burdens), tell your member of Congress. Congress authorized the programs and can set requirements through legislation that the executive branch must follow.
I'm calling about the removal of environmental justice and DEI requirements from the Bridge Investment Program grant applications. I want to share my view on whether those requirements should be restored through legislation.