The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced funding of $645.3 million in the second year of the Rural Surface Transportation Grant (RSTG) program. This funding aims to help communities in executing transportation projects that elevate mobility, reinforce safety measures, and stimulate regional economic development in rural areas across the nation.

 
The RSTG program, now in its second year, is part of a broader initiative outlined in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), providing approximately $2 billion until 2026 for projects that span highways, bridges, tunnels, and transit services in rural and tribal regions.

In a statement, the USDOT emphasized its commitment to evaluating funding applications based on various criteria, including project readiness, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with overarching goals like safety enhancement, increased mobility, improved resiliency, and infrastructure restoration.

Transportation departments at the state level are actively engaged in supporting rural initiatives. For instance, the Nebraska Department of Transportation collaborates with various partners to showcase the impact of rural transit through its "Faces of Transit in Nebraska" video series, emphasizing how public transit prevents rural communities from being "left behind."

Similarly, West Virginia's "Roads to Prosperity" program, backed by a $2.8 billion investment, is achieving significant milestones in rural connectivity, completing over 1,200 bridge and highway projects.

https://aashtojournal.transportation.org/usdot-issues-645m-in-rural-transportation-grants/