DOT Announces $600 Million for Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program

On July 5, 2023, DOT began taking applications for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program that seeks to increase transportation infrastructure connecting communities to economic opportunities. The RCN Program combines two past programs: (1) the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which funds community-led projects to mitigate physical barriers to mobility and access like highways or train tracks; and (2) the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program established by IRA section 60501, which also funds projects to improve safety, affordability, and walkability of transportation access in low-income and disadvantaged communities in particular. $198 million is allocated to the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program from the BIL. $3.155 billion is allocated to fund the IRA’s Neighborhood Access and Equity program, divided into $2.57 billion for Capital Construction Grants, $135 million for Community Planning Grants, and $450 million for Regional Partnerships Challenge Grants that help incentivize regions to join together and leverage funding at the federal, state, and regional level. DOT also partnered with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide technical assistance for communities, leveraging additional resources and support to help communities catalyze equitable development and facilitate access to more economic opportunities.