Bridge Improvement Grant (BIG) Recipients Announced

For Immediate Release:  Friday, February 26, 2021

Contact:  Doug Kinniburgh, 605-773-4284

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Transportation Commission awarded 26 Preservation, Rehabilitation, and Replacement Bridge Improvement Grants (BIG) totaling approximately $15 million at the recent commission meeting in Pierre.                                                                                                   

Grant recipients are: City of Belle Fourche (2), City of Brandon, Brookings County (2), Brown County, Clark County, Davison County, Day County, Grant County, City of Huron, Hutchinson County, City of Keystone, Lawrence County, Lincoln County, Meade County (3), Miner County, Minnehaha County (2), Pennington County, Roberts County (2), Sanborn County, and City of Sioux Falls.

Fifty-nine applications totaling $44.9 million in total project costs were received by the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). Five cities submitted seven applications and 27 counties submitted 52 applications.

Local governments are required to pay a minimum of 20 percent matching funds and have 3 years to expend the grant. Counties must have a wheel tax and a five-year Highway and Bridge Improvement Plan in order to receive a grant.

The BIG program was created in 2015 which set aside $7 million per year from funds generated by license plate fees to be used to repair and replace aging local bridges. The SDDOT adds an additional $8 million annually, making $15 million available.

Applications for the next round of the BIG program are due Aug. 1, 2021, for the Preliminary Engineering category.

For more information regarding the BIG program, contact Doug Kinniburgh at 605-773-4284 or visit Bridge Improvement Grants - South Dakota Department of Transportation.

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