Jenniffer Gonzalez Announces $270 Million for Bridge Repairs in Puerto Rico

Press Release

The resident commissioner, Jenniffer González Colón, received notification from the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) that Puerto Rico will receive $270 million for a period of five years for the repair of 282 bridges in poor condition. The funds come from the FY2022 Bridge Repair Formula Program ($45 million) and the Five-Year Bridge Formula Funding Program ($225 million).

"The infrastructure of our island is in critical condition due to lack of maintenance, years of construction and natural disasters such as hurricanes Irma and María, as well as earthquakes. Within the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it is promoted that resources be allocated to be able to have an infrastructure in optimal conditions that allow us to be competent when it comes to promoting economic development, being attractive to investment. I am pleased that he is starting this program that would help bring the 282 of the deficient bridges on the island up to date," said the congresswoman.

The DOT launched today this bridge financing program that comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, it will be under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA, for its acronym in English) with a national level of $26.5 million for five years; the total amount that will be available to the states, D.C. and Puerto Rico in fiscal year 2022 is $5.3 billion.

When public law 117-58 was presented in November, the commissioner, a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, had anticipated that once the provisions of the program were approved, Puerto Rico would have access to $225 million in five years .

Generally, states must match federal funds with up to 20 percent of state or local funds, but bipartisan law allows 100 percent of federal funds to pay for bridge repair or rehabilitation.

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