Biden Administration announces FY 2023 budget for Transportation

The Biden-Harris Administration this week submitted the FY 2023 presidential budget to Congress, which includes requested funding for the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT).

According to a news release from U.S. DOT, the FY 2023 budget request is $105 billion. The inclusion of an additional $37 billion in guaranteed advanced appropriations provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) brings the department’s total budget for FY 2023 to $142 billion.

“The investments in the President’s Budget make traveling safer, easier, cleaner, and more affordable for the American people,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “From roads, tunnels, and bridges, to airport and port improvements, electric vehicle chargers, safe bike lanes, and more, we are building a first-rate transportation system for all Americans.”

Some of the proposed budget provisions include recommending $4.45 billion to advance 15 major transit projects in seven states. This includes, for the first time, $100 million in recommended funding for the Hudson Tunnel commuter rail project, which is part of the Gateway Program.

Another $1.5 billion is included for the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grants and the new National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) grant program which, when added to the $2.5 billion in advanced appropriations under the IIJA, will result in a total $4 billion investment.

According to U.S. DOT, the budget also includes $3 billion for FHWA’s Highway Safety Improvement Program, which seeks to reduce the number of lives lost on the nation’s highways, bridges, and roads. Another $110.7 million will go toward Thriving Communities, which will provide technical assistance and capacity building to help disadvantaged communities “advance transformative, equitable, and climate-friendly infrastructure projects.” The Rural Surface Transportation grant program will receive $350 million to help “increase connectivity, safety, and quality of life in rural communities.”

The budget also call for $21.1 billion for the Federal Transit Administration, as well as $1 billion for the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure formula program to create a national network of electric vehicle charging stations.

A document containing more budget highlights can be found on U.S. DOT’s website.