The Federal Highway Administration said in a notice of funding opportunity issued Sept. 5 that it will be accepting grant applications for $225 million worth of funding via its Competitive Highway Bridge program through Dec. 4.

FHWA added in its NOFO that “eligible applicants” for competitive bridge grants are state departments of transportation representing states with a population density of less than 100 individuals per square mile.

Per that requirement, the agency said eligible state DOTs include those in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

FHWA added that these grant funds must also be used for highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects on public roads that demonstrate cost savings by bundling multiple projects together.

The agency’s Office of Bridges and Structures is also planning to conduct a webinar in late September to support the development of grant applications for these competitive bridge funds; a webinar that will cover the eligibility criteria, application and submission requirements, selection criteria, benefit-cost analysis requirements, etc. FHWA said it would communicate the dates and times for that online session once the webinar logistics are finalized.