FHWA-CHBP-26-001 Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP)

The purpose of the BIT3 Program is to fund the replacement or rehabilitation of county-owned bridges that are classified as Type 3 bridges [1] by the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and cross a water conveyance structure owned by USBR. Eligible applicants under the BIT3 Competitive Grant Program are counties which own a Type 3 bridge crossing a water conveyance structure owned by USBR. Projects eligible for funding are projects for the replacement or rehabilitation of bridges that: (A) are owned by a county; (B) are classified as a Type 3 bridge by USBR; (C) are eligible under the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) (23 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 204); and (D) cross a water conveyance structure owned by USBR. The BIT3 Competitive Grant Program does not require a minimum cost share. The Federal share for BIT3 Competitive Grant Program funds shall be 100 percent of funds requested for eligible project scope. [1] Type 3 bridge means any non-USBR-owned bridge over 20 feet in length, or bridge-like structure between 6 and 20 feet in length, that crosses a USBR dam, associated facility, power facility, or land interest (Reclamation Manual Directives and Standards FAC 07-01, as updated on June 9, 2023). An associated facility means all remaining Reclamation facilities other than high- and significant-hazard potential dams. Types of associated facilities include: carriage, distribution, and drainage systems [canals]; pumping and pump-generating plants; tunnels; penstocks, siphons, and pipelines; diversion and storage dams (low-hazard potential) and regulating reservoirs; fish passage and protective facilities, including hatcheries; river channelization features; rural/municipal water systems; desalting and other water treatment plants; facilities constructed under past loan programs; and recreation facilities (Reclamation Manual Directives and Standards FAC 01-04, as updated on April 13, 2020).

The purpose of the Culvert AOP Competitive Grant Program is to provide funding to eligible entities for the replacement, removal, and repair of culverts or weirs that meaningfully improve or restore fish passage for anadromous fish. Anadromous fish are born in freshwater and spend most of their lives in saltwater, returning to freshwater to spawn. Salmon are a well-known example of anadromous fish.

This NOFO will award up to $165 million in Fiscal Years (FY) 2024 through 2026 funding. FHWA may also award any remaining funds for this program from previous fiscal years under this opportunity. The actual amount available to be awarded under this NOFO will be subject to the availability of funds, including reductions from the authorized funding amounts due to the imposition of the obligation limitation for the Federal-aid highway program per the provisions of the annual appropriations acts. Per statute, 50 percent of NSFLTP funds per fiscal year must be used for projects on Tribal transportation facilities and 50 percent used for projects on Federal lands transportation facilities and Federal lands access transportation facilities (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act § 1123(h)(1), as amended). Of the latter category, FHWA must award funding to at least one eligible project per fiscal year submitted by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) for a unit of the National Park System with at least three million annual visitors (FAST Act § 1123(h)(2), as amended). There is no minimum or maximum award amount for NSFLTP Program awards.