BUILD Program
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| BUILD Program | |
|---|---|
| Name | BUILD Program |
| Established | 2014 |
| Type | Federal grant initiative |
| Administered by | United States Department of Transportation |
| Country | United States |
BUILD Program
The BUILD Program is a federal grant initiative created to finance surface transportation projects across the United States. It allocates discretionary funds to metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, state departments of transportation, and local authorities to support infrastructure projects such as roadways, bridges, transit, and ports. The program interacts with multiple statutes and agencies and has been used alongside other initiatives to advance regional development, resilience, and multimodal connectivity.
Overview
The BUILD Program provides competitive, project-specific grants intended to enhance transportation connectivity, safety, and economic vitality. It is administered as part of a portfolio of federal grant programs that include Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Fast Act, and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) predecessors. Eligible applicants include entities such as Metropolitan Planning Organization, State Department of Transportation, Tribal Nation, and Local Government authorities. Projects funded span categories like bridge rehabilitation linked to Federal Highway Administration priorities, multimodal freight investments tied to Port Authority development, and transit enhancements associated with Federal Transit Administration programs.
History and Development
Origins trace to earlier competitive grant programs that sought to direct discretionary transportation dollars to nationally-significant projects. The program evolved from initiatives such as TIGER Discretionary Grants and was reorganized following legislative actions in the mid-2010s involving the United States Congress and executive agencies. High-profile early awards connected to large urban centers such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles drew attention alongside investments in rural regions including projects in Montana, Alaska, and South Dakota. Over successive notice-and-comment rulemaking cycles, the program refined selection criteria influenced by stakeholder input from organizations such as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the American Public Transportation Association.
Program Structure and Eligibility
The program operates through a competitive notice of funding opportunity issued by the United States Department of Transportation. Applicants must submit detailed applications that typically require alignment with regional planning documents like those produced by Metropolitan Planning Organizations and compliance with environmental review processes overseen by the National Environmental Policy Act framework. Eligible project sponsors encompass State Department of Transportations, Local Governments, Transit Authoritys, Tribal Nations, and certain multijurisdictional consortia. Funding prioritization factors include project readiness, cost-benefit analysis, safety improvements related to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration priorities, economic impact measured by links to Economic Development Administration objectives, and enhancement of freight movement connected to Federal Railroad Administration planning.
Funding and Administration
Funding rounds are competitive and funded through Congressional appropriations administered by the United States Department of Transportation. Awards range from small rural grants to large multimillion-dollar urban projects; examples of funding mechanisms reference past award scales seen under TIGER and BUILD predecessor programs. Administrative responsibilities include grant monitoring, compliance with federal contracting standards such as those enforced by the Federal Acquisition Regulation environment, oversight tied to Office of Inspector General audits, and coordination with state-level entities like State Transportation Agencys. Match requirements and cost-sharing arrangements often involve contributions from Local Government capital budgets, private sector partners including Port Authority operators, and other federal programs such as Community Development Block Grants.
Outcomes and Impact
Awarded projects have sought to improve connectivity, address deferred maintenance on bridges and roadways, and enhance multimodal networks linking highways, rail terminals, and ports. Notable categories of impact include increased freight throughput at facilities managed by Port Authoritys, safety improvements aligned with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration objectives, and regional job creation often measured in coordination with Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting. Case studies in cities like Houston, Seattle, and Philadelphia demonstrate multimodal integration benefits, while rural projects in states such as Iowa and Wyoming show reduced travel times and enhanced emergency access. Independent evaluations have compared outcomes against program goals using metrics from agencies including the Government Accountability Office.
Criticism and Controversies
Criticism has focused on perceived political influence in award selection, echoing broader debates over earmarks and discretionary grant allocation within United States Congress processes. Observers including policy think tanks and advocacy groups such as Brookings Institution and Heritage Foundation have raised concerns about geographic distribution, cost overruns, and project selection transparency. Legal challenges have occasionally arisen related to environmental review timelines under National Environmental Policy Act procedures and procurement disputes involving contractors regulated under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Audits by the Office of Inspector General and reports from the Government Accountability Office have documented instances of administrative deficiencies, prompting revisions to application guidance and oversight practices.