Collins, King Announce More Than $244 Million for Maine Roads and Bridges

Statement

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) announced that Maine will receive a total of $244,550,089 to maintain and reconstruct roads, highways, and bridges across the state. This funding was authorized through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Senator Collins, the Ranking Member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, was part of the core group of 10 Senators who negotiated the text of the bipartisan infrastructure law.

This funding will help to address the backlog of repairs needed for Maine's transportation network. Maine currently has over 1,438 miles of highway in poor condition and 315 bridges considered to be "structurally deficient."

"Deteriorating roads cost Mainers hundreds of dollars each year on average in vehicle repairs and wasted gasoline due to congestion. In addition, poor road designs can create hazardous conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists," said Senator Collins. "As a co-author of the bipartisan infrastructure law and a leader of the Transportation Appropriations Committee, I have long supported investments to improve Maine's transportation network. These projects would help all users of Maine roadways reach their homes and jobs safely and more quickly."

"Go for a drive basically anywhere in the State of Maine, and you'll see why our state so desperately needs investments in roads and bridges. Whether it's potholes, erosion damage, or rusty bridges, our infrastructure is aging -- which contributes to traffic, unsafe conditions, and an average of more than $500 in annual repair costs for Maine drivers. Fortunately, thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, historic investments are on the way," said Senator King. "These funds will make a major difference for Maine people, bolster our state's economy by creating good-paying jobs, and help create a more resilient infrastructure for decades to come. I'm pleased to see this significant investment in Maine's important infrastructure needs, and look forward to this legislation's continued support for Maine communities."

FHWA announced today that it is providing $52.5 billion in funding to all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This apportioned funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 represents an increase of more than 20 percent as compared to Fiscal Year 2021 for Federal-aid Highway Program apportionments. This funding is distributed annually by FHWA for the Federal-aid Highway Program based on a statutory formula contained in the bipartisan infrastructure law. This investment will help reduce the backlog of major repairs for highways and bridges and support communities' efforts to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries.

Federal-aid Highway Program funds are authorized periodically by Congress in multi-year laws to assist the States in providing for construction, reconstruction, and improvement of highways and bridges on eligible Federal-aid routes and for other special purpose programs and projects. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law establishes or continues FHWA programs and authorizes funding for those programs from the Highway Trust Fund.

As the first step, FHWA is distributing these funds through a process known as an apportionment, using a statutory formula to determine the amount available to each State. In addition to the apportionment of funding, FHWA will issue obligation limitation, which allows States to commit a portion of their apportioned funding, for the period through February 18, 2022, when the current Continuing Resolution for Federal Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations ends.

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