By Charles Pekow — The first round of 2025 RAISE Grants has been awarded by the US Department of Transportation. Grants include:
- $25 million to Tempe AZ to build the Upstream Dam Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge across the Rio Salado River. The project also includes an approximately quarter mile shared-use path along the North Bank, which will connect the bridge to the Indian Bend Wash Path and McClintock Drive.
- $450,000 to Page AZ to redesign the intersection of Coppermine and Haul roads, including making the area more bikeable.
- $1,160,850 for a planning grant to Larimer County CO to redesign Larimer County Road 50E to include a multi-use trail.
- $1.3 million to Helena MT “to plan and design an arterial connecting the South Helena I-15 interchange to US Highway 12,” including bicycle facilities. The project is part of the city’s plan to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging bicycling and other transit alternatives.
- $998,520 to the Ephraim City Corporation in Ephraim UT to study and design bike paths to connect Snow College’s East and West campuses with other destinations, including a health center and a grocery store. The study will also explore where to set up bikeshare stations, especially in and near the campuses.
See the list at RAISE 2025 Round 1: https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2025-01/RAISE%202025%20Round%201%20Award%20Fact%20Sheets_0.pdf
Editor’s Update (April 10, 2025):
Under the current Trump administration (2025–2029), the probability of bicycle infrastructure projects receiving funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s discretionary grant programs—formerly known as RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) and now reverted to BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development)—has significantly diminished. In early 2025, the administration reduced the BUILD program’s annual funding from $1.5 billion to $150 million and amended the Notice of Funding Opportunity to eliminate considerations for projects focused on equity, climate change, and non-motorized transportation infrastructure. See https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2025-01/BUILD%202025%20Amended%20NOFO%20-%20Redline.pdf
Further, a leaked memo from the U.S. Department of Transportation directed agencies to review and potentially revise or cancel projects primarily aimed at bicycle infrastructure, electric vehicle charging, and environmental justice. This policy shift has placed numerous bike-related projects, including those in Portland, Oregon, and Arizona, at risk of losing federal funding. Consequently, while the BUILD program continues to exist, its current orientation under the Trump administration significantly reduces the likelihood of bicycle infrastructure projects receiving federal support. See https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/03/134560-usdot-could-pull-green-infrastructure-grants?utm_source=chatgpt.com
