South Dakota DOT awards $7.6 million through Bridge Improvement Grant program

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) has awarded roughly $7.6 million through the Bridge Improvement Grant (BIG) program for the rehabilitation and replacement of bridges under local jurisdictions.

The state legislature created the program in 2015 via Senate Bill 1 (SB1). The legislation requires local governments to impose a wheel tax and have a highway and bridge improvement plan that includes details for five years.

The BIG program was given $7 million a year through SB1 and SDDOT sets aside an additional $8 million from state gas tax revenue.

Preservation grants were awarded at the end of April totaling $3.81 million for 14 projects. Three grants went to one city and 11 grants were distributed among seven counties.

Replacement and rehabilitation grants were awarded to five projects totaling $3.78 million. These included two grants for two cities and three grants for three counties.

In late February, SDDOT awarded 40 preliminary engineering grants worth $908,000. The agency received 99 BIG applications that month as well.

More details on South Dakota’s BIG program are available here.