Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is anticipating the availability of approximately $40 to $70 million of Federal Highway Bridge Program funds for local agency bridge projects. The purpose of the Federal Highway Bridge Program is to improve the condition of bridges through replacement, rehabilitation, and preventative maintenance. Preventative maintenance is defined as steel bridge painting, scour mitigation, seismic retrofit, and deck/joint repair.

WSDOT is focusing on funding local agency bridges that are classified as structurally deficient with a sufficiency rating of 40 or less for replacement, and structurally deficient with a sufficiency rating of 80 or less for rehabilitation projects.

More specifically, the criteria are further defined as follows:

• Only structurally deficient bridges with a sufficiency rating of less than 40 are eligible to apply for replacement funding.
• Only structurally deficient bridges with a sufficiency rating of less than 80 are eligible to apply for rehabilitation funding.
• Preventative Maintenance projects are allowed in the following three categories;

Bridge painting: Only structures that have greater than two percent of total paint area in a condition state 3 are eligible for funding.

Scour mitigation projects will be evaluated based on the submitted documentation: Priority will be given to bridges that are scour critical.

Seismic retrofits will be evaluated based on the submitted documentation: Priority will be given to projects in higher risk seismic zones.

Eligible Applicants

All local agency bridge owners who currently have a bridge that meet the above criteria are eligible to apply for funding.

Funding

A total of approximately $40 to $70 million of federal funds is available.

Match requirement

Replacement and rehabilitation projects will require a 20 percent local match, and preventative maintenance projects will be funded at 100 percent up to $3 million.

Program requirements

Applicants are required to report quarterly on the status and expenditure plan of the project.

Project Applications

1. Project applications shall be submitted online at hlpgrants@wsdot.wa.gov
2. Electronic copies of the following are to be included in the submittal:
• Bridge Program Application
• Latest inventory and inspection reports
• Load ratings
• Accident data
• Electronic photos (640 x 480 pixels minimum .jpg)

Submittal Process

Submittals must either be sent on CD’s or by e-mail (paper submittals will not be accepted). Project proposals must be received by midnight May 4, 2012.

Project proposals on CD’s may be submitted to the following address:

ATTN: Bridge Program
WSDOT Highways & Local Programs
310 Maple Park Ave SE
PO Box 47390
Olympia, WA 98504-7390

OR

Project proposals may be sent by e-mail to hlpgrants@wsdot.wa.gov

Program Contacts

Region Local Program Engineers
or
Dave Mounts at 360-705-7379 or Grant Griffin at 360-705-7870.

Selection Process

All proposals will be reviewed to ensure that they are complete and eligible for funding. An advisory group will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations. A prioritized list of projects will be submitted to the WSDOT Highways & Local Programs Director by November 15, 2012, who will make final decisions on projects and grant awards. Announcements are expected by December 2012.