US DOT Invests in Institute Focused on Reconnecting Communities

Original article can be viewed here.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced the award of a contract of up to $27 million to establish and administer the Reconnecting Communities Institute (RCI or Institute). The RCI will be DOT’s center for learning on restoring and reconnecting communities that have been harmed, isolated, and cut off from opportunity by past transportation choices.

The Institute will assist communities in developing and delivering reconnection projects that better connect people to jobs, education, health care, and economic opportunities being created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, particularly the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program.

Purpose of the RCI

The RCI will provide training and technical assistance to build organizational or community capacity in transportation planning and identify innovative strategies and solutions for reconnecting communities to jobs and economic opportunities that have previously been cut off by transportation infrastructure.

The RCI will provide training and technical assistance to build organizational or community capacity in transportation planning and identify innovative strategies and solutions for reconnecting communities that are bifurcated by transportation infrastructure that create barriers.

The RCI will provide group and peer-based virtual leaning, and one-on-one assistance to participants in the following areas:

• Project scoping and development, including meaningful public involvement and transportation planning
• Travel demand modeling
• Equitable development and community-wealth building strategies
• Project funding and financing
• Design and preliminary engineering within the planning and pre-construction phases
• Data collection and performance metrics to capture the impacts of reconnecting projects

Background on RCI

Last year, the Department awarded $185 million to 45 communities as part of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program, including six capital construction grants and 39 planning grants.

Just a few weeks ago, Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $3.33 billion in grant awards for 132 projects through the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda. The funding is aimed at reconnecting communities that were cut off by transportation infrastructure decades ago, leaving entire neighborhoods without direct access to opportunity, like schools, jobs, medical offices, and places of worship.

For additional information, please visit the Reconnecting Communities Institute webpage.

SSSBA is Here to Help!

The American steel industry can meet the demand challenges and opportunities generated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Is a steel bridge an option for your community?

The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA) provides tools, expertise and educational resources to convert plans into projects.

The SSSBA also offers complimentary customized workshops (on-site or virtual) specifically for county engineers, state DOTs, and design firms. The webinars/workshops are taught by industry experts with decades of experience in the cost-effective design and construction of short span bridges.

For more information or to schedule a workshop, please explore the SSSBA website or contact Dan Snyder at dsnyder@steel.org.