Pine State News

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced on June 22, 2023 that Maine will receive nearly $30 million through the federal RAISE grant program to fund two projects: $25 million to implement several safety and mobility improvements along U.S. Route 302 and State Routes 35 & 115 in North Windham, and $4 million to develop two sections of the Eastern Trail in York County.

In 2022, Senator Collins authored the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. This bill included $800 million for RAISE grants, which provide federal assistance for vital transportation projects across the country and is in addition to the $1.5 billion for RAISE grants provided by the bipartisan infrastructure law in FY22. 

“This funding will improve Maine’s infrastructure, bolster our economy, and enhance the quality of life for residents across our state,” said Senator Collins. “Throughout the Appropriations process, I strongly advocated for these projects, which will deliver substantial benefits to both York and Cumberland Counties.”

Earlier this year, Senator Collins sent two letters to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in support of the North Windham and Eastern Trail grant requests.

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE Discretionary Grant program, provides a unique opportunity for the DOT to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. The RAISE program was previously known as the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants.

Since 2009, when Senator Collins became a member of the Appropriations Committee, she has secured more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine.

Original source can be found here.