The South Dakota Transportation Commission has awarded 26 Preliminary Engineering Bridge Improvement Grants (BIG) totaling approximately $1 million at their meeting today in Pierre.
Beadle County has been awarded three grants:
-$40,500 for a structure NW of Iroquois
-$41,600 for a structure NE of Wessington
-40,800 for a structure NW of Wolsey
Other grant recipients are: Aurora County, Butte County , Clark County , Day County , Fall River County, Jackson County, Keystone , McCook County, Meade County , Miner County, Moody County, Sanborn County, Sully County and Tripp County .
Fifty-two applications totaling $1.85 million were received by the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). Three cities submitted five applications and 24 counties submitted a total of 47 applications.
Local governments are required to pay a minimum of 20 percent matching funds and have three years to expend the grant. Counties must have a wheel tax and a five-year Highway and Bridge Improvement Plan in order to receive a grant.
The BIG program was created in 2015 by Senate Bill 1. SB 1 set aside $7 million per year from funds generated by license plate fees to be used to repair and replace aging local bridges. The SDDOT adds an additional $2 million annually, making $9 million available.
The remaining $8 million in BIG funds will be used for Preservation, Rehabilitation and Replacement grants to be approved by next April.