The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced Wednesday the approval of 76 new infrastructure grants totaling more than $607 million, part of an effort to reduce what the Trump administration said was a “significant number of previously unexecuted projects.”

Nearly $5 billion in total funding has been approved across 405 grants—about 13% of what it described as a backlog of more than 3,200 projects that had been announced but not advanced, according to the administration.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said USDOT is aiming to streamline project delivery and accelerate construction timelines by removing certain requirements that had contributed to delays and increased costs.

The latest round of grants will support a variety of construction priorities, including road and bridge upgrades, culvert replacements and wildlife crossings.

Among the allocations: $33 million for the National Culvert Removal, Replacement and Restoration Grant, and $126 million for the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program.

Funding also includes $188 million through the INFRA program, $19 million from the BUILD program and $3.4 million for 15 projects under the Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative.

The largest individual award—$550 million—was granted to the Alabama Department of Transportation for a major bridge and bayway multimodal project.

Officials said the goal is to advance critical infrastructure projects efficiently by focusing on core construction needs and easing permitting burdens, which the administration said had previously slowed progress and driven up taxpayer costs.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Themoorecountynews.com