PIERRE – The South Dakota Transportation Commission awarded 26 Preliminary Engineering Bridge Improvement Grants (BIG) totaling approximately $1 million at their meeting recently in Pierre.
The remaining $8 million in BIG funds will be used for Preservation, Rehabilitation and Replacement grants to be approved by next April.
Grant recipients are: Aurora County, Beadle County (3), Butte County (2), Clark County (2), Day County (2), Fall River County, Jackson County, Keystone (2), McCook County, Meade County (5), Miner County, Moody County, Sanborn County, Sully County and Tripp County (2).
Fifty-two applications totaling $1.85 million were received by the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). Three cities submitted five applications and 24 counties submitted a total of 47 applications.
Local governments are required to pay a minimum of 20 percent matching funds and have three years to expend the grant. Counties must have a wheel tax and a five-year Highway and Bridge Improvement Plan in order to receive a grant.
The BIG program was created in 2015 by Senate Bill 1. SB 1 set aside $7 million per year from funds generated by license plate fees to be used to repair and replace aging local bridges. The SDDOT adds an additional $2 million annually, making $9 million available.
The next round of BIG program applications are due Jan. 2, 2018, for the Preservation, Rehabilitation and Replacement categories. Applications are available online at: http://sddot.com/business/local/big/Default.aspx