Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects (INFRA) Grant Program

Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highways Projects (INFRA) Grant Program is sponsored by U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). The INFRA program funds surface transportation infrastructure projects of national or regional significance that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of people and goods.

Grant Summary: USDOT FY 2026 INFRA (Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects) | HDR Grant Summary: USDOT FY 2026 INFRA (Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects) U.S. Department of Transportation Discretionary Grant Opportunity The Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 INFRA program provides competitive funding for multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance.

The program is intended to: Improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of freight and passenger movement Strengthen national supply chains and economic competitiveness Modernize aging infrastructure and expand system capacity Address the national shortage of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) parking The program offers two tracks of funding: Track 1: Freight and highway infrastructure projects Track 2: Commercial motor vehicle parking projects There is a strong emphasis on truck parking, supply chain performance and large-scale investment.

Successful applications will demonstrate clear freight benefits, strong financial leverage and project readiness aligned with USDOT priorities. This article provides a summary of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued by USDOT on June 2, 2026. Application Opens: June 2, 2026 Track 1 Deadline: July 1, 2026 Track 2 Deadline: July 15, 2026 Applicants may submit only one application.

This INFRA opportunity is significantly different from the previous FY 2021 to FY 2026 NOFOs: Removes references to rescinded Executive Orders Aligns the NOFO with new Executive Orders and updates to the outcome criteria rating rubric Changes “Technical Capacity Review” to “Applicant Capacity” and “Environmental Risk Review” to “Project Risk Review” under the Project Readiness review Application Review Information has been updated to clarify how INFRA applications will be assessed Includes $200 million in dedicated funding for CMV parking A total of $626.

7 million in INFRA funding is available, allocated as follows: FY 2023 and FY 2024 both fall under Track 1 and support freight and highway infrastructure projects, with FY 2023 offering $319. 8 million and FY 2024 offering $106. 9 million.

FY 2026 shifts to Track 2 and focuses on commercial motor vehicle parking, with $200 million available. The table also highlights varying timelines: FY 2023 funds must be obligated by September 30, 2031, and spent by September 30, 2036, while FY 2024 funds have earlier deadlines of September 30, 2027, and September 30, 2032. FY 2026 funding has no obligation or expenditure deadlines listed.

Strong emphasis on freight corridor performance and bottleneck reduction Preference for projects with: Significant non-federal leverage Advanced project readiness (NEPA, design, ROW) Small projects (generally less than $100 million in costs, with some exceptions) Rural projects (especially under Track 2) For both tracks, projects that exceed $100 million must request a minimum award of $25 million, while projects costing less than $100 million must request a minimum award of $5 million.

In Track 1, projects over $100 million may receive up to a 60% grant cost share and up to an 80% federal share. Smaller Track 1 projects may also receive up to a 60% grant cost share, but their maximum federal share is limited to 60%. In Track 2, both large and small projects may receive up to a 60% grant cost share and up to an 80% federal share, regardless of project size.

*7 States have a different, lower threshold for large vs. small between $66 million and $91 million (INFRA). Consult Section B. 3.

c of the NOFO **11 States have a higher, sliding scale max federal share between 80% and 95% (INFRA) ***The FY 2026 appropriation language explicitly caps the “Federal share of the cost of a project” at 60% for large truck parking projects and 80% for small truck parking projects. This supersedes the standard INFRA rules that allow other Federal funds to stack up to 80% for large projects.

Freight benefit is essential: Projects must clearly demonstrate impacts on national/regional freight movement Truck parking is a key opportunity in FY26 Leverage is critical: Higher non-federal matches improve competitiveness Readiness drives selection: Clear timelines for obligation and construction are required Scale matters: Large, corridor-level projects are prioritized States and groups of states MPOs (urbanized areas > 200,000 population) Local governments and political subdivisions Special districts/public authorities (e.g., ports) Tribal governments or consortia Federal land management agencies (with state partner) Multistate or multijurisdictional entities Track 1: Standard INFRA Project Types Highway freight and corridor projects (NHFN) Highway and bridge projects (NHS) Freight rail, port and intermodal improvements Highway-rail grade crossings or separations Border crossing and trade corridor projects Track 2: Development and expansion of commercial motor vehicle parking facilities Planning and pre-construction Design and environmental review Construction and reconstruction Equipment and operational improvements Projects are evaluated based on: Economic Competitiveness & Freight Movement Funding Commitment Documentation Benefit-Cost Analysis Narrative (Calculations) Letters of Support (Optional) Infrastructure Finance Director Infrastructure Funding Updates & Policy Briefs Grant Summary: FHWA Bridge Investment Program (BIP) Planning and Bridge Project Grants Grant Summary: FRA Railroad Crossing Elimination (Crossing Safety) Program