Technical Assistance for Counties: USDOT Competitive Grant Lifecycle

Saline County, Ark. is restoring a 134-year-old bridge connecting a 65-mile pedestrian and bike trail spanning from Little Rock to Hot Springs.

Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features reconciliation bill advancement, a FEMA reform proposal and more.

On May 13, during the 13th Annual Infrastructure Week, NACo hosted a working group discussion titled “The Case for Tax-Exempt Municipal Bonds” with Commissioner Eileen Higgins of Miami-Dade County, Fla.

On April 30, NACo submitted three letters to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee outlining county priorities as Congress begins work on the next surface transportation reauthorization. The current authorization is set to expire on September 30, 2026, and renewing it is a key priority for the Committee in the 119th Congress.

In March, lawmakers in the House and Senate reintroduced the bipartisan Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act. The legislation honors Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, a former U.S. diplomat and mother of two who was tragically killed while biking home in Bethesda, Md., just weeks after being evacuated from Ukraine in 2022. 

On February 21, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the availability of $1.2 billion through the Safe Streets and Roads for All competitive grant program in Fiscal Year 2024 for transportation safety planning or construction projects.