CHBP Grant: $350M to Bundle Rural Highway Bridges (FY 2026)

The Federal Highway Administration's FY 2026 Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP) makes $350 million available for highway bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects on public roads in 20 rural states. The program requires applicants to bundle multiple bridge projects to demonstrate cost savings, and it is administered exclusively by State Departments of Transportation. Applications are due July 27, 2026 via Grants.gov, with awards anticipated the week of September 14, 2026. For counties, cities, and rural communities in eligible states, the practical opportunity is real — local bridges can be part of a State DOT's bundled application — but the window is short and the coordination lives at the state level.

What Is the FY 2026 CHBP?

CHBP is an FHWA discretionary grant program authorized through appropriations — specifically the Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-75). It provides Federal funding for highway bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects on public roads, and it requires applications to demonstrate cost savings by bundling multiple highway bridge projects (per 23 U.S.C. § 144(j)). CHBP is competitive and merit-based — not formula-allocated and not congressionally directed.

Eligible phases of work must include construction. An application can also include environmental clearance, preliminary engineering, and final design as part of a construction-inclusive project.

Changes from prior years: FY 2026 expanded eligibility to two additional States, increased total funding to $350 million, and set a maximum award per State of $55 million.

Who Can Apply

CHBP eligibility is layered. Understanding which layer you fit into determines whether the program is relevant for you at all.

Only State DOTs Can Submit

Applications for FY 2026 CHBP can only be administered by a State Department of Transportation. Even where the project is delivered by a non-State DOT entity — a county public works department, a city bridge program, a tribal transportation office — the State DOT must be the primary point of contact, must submit the application, and must be the recipient for purposes of financial administration.

For counties and cities in eligible States: the practical implication is that the CHBP conversation is one you have with your State DOT bridge office, not with FHWA. State DOTs typically run internal solicitations or coordinate directly with local bridge owners to build a bundled application. If you own bridges you'd like considered, your outreach should already be underway.

State-Level Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, a State must meet both of the following:

• Population density less than 115 people per square mile, or a total population of less than 1.1 million; and
• Less than 26 percent of total bridges classified as in good condition, or greater than or equal to 4.9 percent of total bridges classified as in poor condition

Population density comes from the most recent decennial census as of Feb 3, 2026 (the date Pub. L. 119-75 was enacted). Bridge percentages come from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) as of June 2024, using every bridge on a public road regardless of ownership.

The 20 Eligible States (FY 2026)

Based on the FY 2026 criteria, the eligible States are:

Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The Five States With a Guaranteed Minimum

States with greater than 14 percent of total bridges classified in poor condition are guaranteed no less than $32.5 million, provided they submit eligible application(s) totaling at least $32.5 million. Those five States for FY 2026 are:

Iowa, Maine, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

Cost Share and Match

The Federal share of CHBP project costs depends on where the bridge is located:

• Up to 80 percent Federal share (standard) — 20 percent non-Federal match required
• Up to 90 percent Federal share for bridges on the Interstate System — 10 percent non-Federal match
• Up to 95 percent Federal share for States on the sliding scale under 23 U.S.C. § 120(b) (Federal-land States, per FHWA Notice N 4540.12) — 5 percent non-Federal match

Non-Federal sources include State funds originating from State-revenue programs, local revenue programs, or private funds. Applications that fail to provide at least the minimum non-Federal cost share will be classified as ineligible. Previously incurred, expended, or encumbered funds cannot count as match.

The FY 2026 appropriations act removes the previous requirement that bundled projects share identical financial characteristics — funding category, subcategory, and Federal share — giving applicants more flexibility to bundle a mix of project types.

What Projects Are Eligible

Bridge Replacement or Rehabilitation, Bundled

Awards are made only for highway bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects on public roads that demonstrate cost savings by bundling multiple highway bridge projects. Both terms have specific definitions in 23 CFR 650.305:

• Replacement: total replacement of a bridge with a new facility constructed in the same general traffic corridor. A nominal amount of approach work to connect the new roadway or return the grade line is eligible per FHWA guidance on approach work. The replacement structure must meet current geometric, construction, and structural standards for projected traffic over its design life.
• Rehabilitation: as defined by 23 CFR 650.305.

Eligible Phases of Work

Every FY 2026 CHBP project must include construction. An application can also include:

• Environmental clearance (NEPA)
• Preliminary engineering
• Final design

How Applications Are Evaluated

DOT uses a two-stage evaluation: (1) a Merit Criteria review, followed by (2) a Project Readiness Assessment for applications rated Medium or High on merit. Only projects that clear both proceed to Senior Review and DOT leadership final selection.

Merit Criteria (3 criteria, each rated Highly Responsive / Responsive / Non-Responsive)

Criterion #1: State of Good Repair, Investing in Core Infrastructure — how the project supports maintaining bridges in good and fair condition and prioritizing bridges that are core infrastructure. Highly Responsive applications describe:

• How the selected work types (rehabilitation vs. replacement) and scopes are the most cost-effective long-term compared to alternatives, with quantifiable data
• How the project improves infrastructure with a high cost of failure (locations that would cause lengthy detours, congestion, disrupted freight networks, or critical community service loss)
• How the completed project is low-risk for damage from natural or human-related hazards, either by design or by demonstration
• How design, details, and material technologies will lower long-term maintenance and preservation costs

Criterion #2: Safety and Mobility — how the project improves safety and mobility, including for families, persons with disabilities, pedestrians, bicyclists, and freight. Includes:

• Addressing current safety deficiencies on the bridge, approaches, or under-roadway sections
• Using innovative construction methods that reduce work zone time or improve work zone safety
• Addressing mobility deficiencies (vertical clearance, hydraulic openings, load capacity, freight movement) without creating artificial chokepoints
• Enhancing accessibility for families and Americans with disabilities
• May include discussion of bicycle and pedestrian walkways under 23 U.S.C. § 217(e)

Criterion #3: Innovation — how the project uses innovation to reduce delivery costs and time. Includes:

• Reducing contractor and agency construction costs through bundling, with quantified savings
• Improving construction efficiency through bundling compatibility (work types, materials, technologies, labor, equipment, site locations, schedules)
• Reducing cumulative construction time from bundling, with quantified savings
• Creating opportunities for early deployment of underutilized innovations in the State

Merit Criteria Ratings

• High: At least two criteria — including Criterion #1 — rated Highly Responsive, and no criteria rated Non-Responsive.
• Medium: Not otherwise rated High or Low.
• Low: One or more criteria rated Non-Responsive.

Only applications rated Medium or High are evaluated for Project Readiness.

Project Readiness Assessment (3 elements, each rated 1–3)

Technical Assessment: Does the applicant have the technical and staffing resources to deliver the project? Will the project comply with Federal requirements? Is there a commitment to timely delivery per the schedule? Is the project technically feasible?

Financial Completeness Assessment: Does the application include complete funding estimates based on recent stages of design? Is there a cost-overrun plan? Are all funds reasonably available? For construction projects, is there information on how future operations, maintenance, and preservation will be funded?

Permitting Risk Assessment: Is the NEPA review complete or on schedule? Have all necessary permits been obtained or will they be obtained in time? Has public engagement occurred or will it? Has the applicant disclosed any known and unmitigated risks (litigation, public controversy, agency opposition)?

Readiness ratings:

• High: Two or more categories rated 3, no category rated 1.
• Medium: One category rated 3, with two rated 2.
• Low: All categories rated 1 or 2.

Overall Rating

• Highly Recommended: High rating for both merit and readiness
• Recommended: At least Medium for both
• Not Recommended: Low rating for either

DOT Priority Considerations (Tie-Breakers)

Among projects of similar merit, DOT may prioritize selections based on one or more of the following:

• Improves bridges in poor condition (component rating of 4 or less) or bridges in fair condition at risk of falling into poor condition (component rating of 5)
• Improves safety or mobility on 50 percent or more of the bridges in the bundle
• Supports an industry of national interest — critical minerals, steel, the defense industrial base, or pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Improves access to national security or defense facilities, or facilitates movement of military cargo or personnel
• Requesting construction-only funds and ready to obligate within 3 months of selection notification, or rated High in Project Readiness Assessment and ready to obligate within 18 months
• Previously submitted eligible applications under FY 2024 and FY 2025 CHBP solicitations but did not receive an award
• Awards to maximize the number of States receiving an award

Selection Process

1. Intake and Eligibility Review — FHWA screens for completeness and Section B eligibility.
2. Technical Review Team (TRT) — DOT staff evaluate merit and readiness for each eligible application; assess responsiveness to priority considerations.
3. Senior Review Team (SRT) — may include officials from the Office of the Secretary, the Administrator, and senior leadership. Determines which projects advance to senior Departmental leadership.
4. Final Selection — DOT leadership determines which applications best address FY 2026 CHBP merit criteria, Project Readiness Assessment, and selection considerations.

DOT may prioritize applications aligned with principles in DOT Order 2100.7 (Ensuring Reliance Upon Sound Economic Analysis) and DOT Order 2100.9 (Ensuring Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity), and with Trump Administration priorities in Addressing Core Infrastructure, Reinvesting in the American Family, and Innovation and Economic Competitiveness.

Prior to award, each selected applicant is subject to a risk assessment per 2 CFR § 200.206, evaluating financial stability, management systems, history of performance, and ability to effectively implement requirements.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through Grants.gov. Prospective applicants should confirm active SAM.gov registration with a valid UEI before the deadline — SAM registration can take several weeks.

Required Standard Forms

• SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
• SF-424C (Budget Information for Construction Projects)
• SF-424D (Assurances for Construction Programs)
• Grants.gov Lobbying Form (Certification Regarding Lobbying)
• SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities)

FY 2026 CHBP Application Template

Applicants must complete the FY 2026 CHBP Application Template and include it as an attachment to Item 15 of the SF-424. FHWA will only review the completed Application Template and the supplemental documents specified within its instructions and response. The Application Template is available on Grants.gov.

File Naming Convention

FHWA recommends applicants use a file naming format of "[Applicant organization#]-2026-CHBP" where "Applicant organization" is the applicant's legal name, abbreviated as appropriate, and "#" represents the order of applicant priority for the grant.

Application Limit

Each eligible State DOT may submit no more than two applications. If more than one is submitted, the State must clearly identify their order of ranking in each application narrative and in the project title. FHWA is not required to consider the applicant's funding priority when making selections.

Tips for a Strong CHBP Application

1. Start Bundling Conversations at the State Level Now

Only two applications per State means the bundling strategy has to be locked in weeks before submission. Local bridge owners in eligible States should be talking to their State DOT bridge office in the next few days if they want a chance at inclusion in the FY 2026 application.

2. Quantify Bundling Cost Savings

The entire program is built around demonstrating cost savings from bundling. Criterion #3 (Innovation) and Priority Consideration on construction efficiency both reward quantified cost and time savings from shared work types, materials, technologies, labor, equipment, site locations, and schedules. This is not the place for handwaving — use concrete numbers with a documented methodology.

3. Prioritize Poor-Condition and High-Cost-of-Failure Bridges

Criterion #1 and the Priority Considerations both reward projects that improve poor-condition bridges (component rating ≤ 4) or fair-condition bridges at risk of falling (rating of 5). Projects at high-cost-of-failure locations — where the bridge disrupts freight networks, causes lengthy detours, or blocks emergency access — also score higher.

4. Get Ahead on NEPA and Permitting

The Permitting Risk Assessment rates NEPA status, permits, and public engagement. Projects with a complete Environmental Assessment or a signed Categorical Exclusion, obtained (or credibly scheduled) permits, and completed public engagement earn the "Low Risk" rating. Anything less — especially if an EA or EIS is still pending public review — drops the readiness score.

5. Show a Complete O&M Plan

The Financial Completeness Assessment specifically evaluates how future operations, maintenance, and preservation costs will be funded. Element D is a construction-project element, and rating "Complete" requires all four assessment elements to be met.

6. Use the Priority Considerations Deliberately

DOT may prioritize projects tied to critical minerals, steel, defense industrial base, and pharmaceutical manufacturing; national security access; and construction-ready projects able to obligate within 3 months. Weave any applicable priorities explicitly into the narrative, with supporting data.

7. Confirm Buy America and Cybersecurity Considerations Early

Steel, iron, manufactured products, and construction materials must meet domestic content requirements under 23 U.S.C. § 313, 23 CFR § 635.410, and 2 CFR Part 184 (Build America, Buy America). Selected applicants must also demonstrate that physical and cybersecurity risks have been considered in project planning, design, and oversight before signing the grant agreement.

Post-Award Requirements

Reporting

Each selected applicant submits semi-annual progress reports and semi-annual Federal Financial Reports (SF-425). FHWA will work with each recipient to establish two to four project-specific performance measures tied to program goals. Performance reporting continues for several years after project construction is completed.

Reimbursement Basis

CHBP grants are administered on a cost-reimbursable basis. Costs incurred before FHWA obligation of funds are generally ineligible unless authorized under an Advance Construction authorization project agreement per 23 U.S.C. § 115, or unless FHWA authorizes an alternative payment method under 2 CFR 200.305(b) on a case-by-case basis.

Compliance

All awards are administered pursuant to the FHWA Competitive Grant Program General Terms and Conditions and the Uniform Administrative Requirements at 2 CFR Part 200 (as adopted by DOT at 2 CFR Part 1201). Recipients must also comply with Federal anti-discrimination requirements under E.O. 14173, including a certification that the recipient does not operate any programs promoting DEI initiatives that violate applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws (except where prohibited by court order).

Contact Information

• Program Email: chbpgrant@dot.gov
• Program Contact: Derek Constable, FHWA Office of Bridges and Structures
• Program Website: fhwa.dot.gov — Competitive Highway Bridge Program
• Grants.gov Support: 1-800-518-4726 / Support@grants.gov

How Avila Can Help

CHBP is a big program on a tight timeline: only two applications per State, only 20 States eligible, only bundled bridge projects considered, and every project needs quantified cost savings, a complete O&M plan, and current NEPA status — all by July 27. For State DOTs assembling a bundled application, and for the counties and cities whose bridges may be part of it, the coordination lift is real.

Avila's AI-powered platform helps State DOTs and local bridge owners work the CHBP application efficiently:

• Parsing the NOFO and surfacing each merit criterion and readiness element that needs a response
• Structuring the Application Template narrative against the specific "Highly Responsive" thresholds for each criterion
• Tracking SAM.gov / UEI status, NEPA milestones, and permit timing across every bridge in a bundle
• Coordinating between State DOT program staff and local government bridge owners on documentation, schedule, and match

Ready to explore how Avila can support your FY 2026 CHBP application? Book a demo to learn more.

For related infrastructure grant guides, see our posts on the BIT3 Bridge Program, the Culvert AOP Program, and the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program. For registration prerequisites, see SAM.gov registration, UEI numbers, and Grants.gov registration.