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PROTECT Program Funding Can Help Cities Build Resilient Infrastructure
The state will collaborate with cities to secure funding for eligible projects that make transportation infrastructure more resilient to weather events and natural disasters.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration recently announced the availability of $7.3 billion in formula funding to help states and communities better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events like wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat.
The new Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Formula Program funding is available to states to make transportation infrastructure more resilient to future weather events and other natural disasters.
Under the formula, the state of Minnesota will get more than $121 million over a 5-year period. The Notice of Funding Opportunity for the PROTECT Discretionary Grant has not yet been released but is expected to be available later this year. The USDOT is encouraging states to partner with local agencies, including city governments, to support all aspects of projects.
Eligible projects
Eligible resilience improvements might include adapting transportation infrastructure or new construction to bolster the ability of cities to withstand extreme weather events and other physical hazards.
Project examples include the use of infrastructure to buffer storm surges and provide flood protection, as well as aquatic ecosystem restoration. PROTECT eligible projects can also help improve the resilience of transportation networks that serve traditionally underserved and underrepresented communities.
Next steps
The League will work with the governor’s office to help ensure the Minnesota Department of Transportation collaborates with cities to secure funding for eligible resilience projects. Additional details about project funding will be included in future issues of Cities Bulletin as they become available.
Learn more about PROTECT Formula Program funding: