Community Bridge Investment Program

Program Purpose

The Community Bridge Investment Program (CBIP) is a surface transportation program administered by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF). The CBIP is a competitive program that solicits community input and project sponsorship. Development of CBIP projects includes identifying needs through public outreach and involvement, evaluating and scoring eligible projects, and prioritizing and selecting projects for funding. Once projects are awarded, the next steps are planning and programming, environmental analysis, design, Right of Way (ROW), appraisal and acquisition, funding, construction, and financial close out. DOT&PF planning staff will assist communities interested in this program to prepare capital projects for submission and through the life of selected projects.

CBIP Objectives & Evaluation Criteria

The CBIP program objective is to provide funding for bridge projects that improve bridge conditions on those bridges most in need of repair, enhance safety and the reliability of the movement of people and freight over bridges; and do so in a way that maximizes benefits to costs. DOT&PF is currently developing project selection criteria which will be made available to applicants for consideration prior to project submission.

Expected Project Criteria

Scoring criteria is being developed and will be available to communities prior to the application due date. It is expected that the following criteria will be assessed:

• Bridge condition
• Traffic volumes
• Criticality for freight transportation
• Safety of the traveling public
• Cost effectiveness of the project

CBIP Eligible Projects

The federal program used to fund the CBIP is the Bridge Formula Program. Eligible projects in the CBIP are surface transportation projects that replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect a bridge on the National Bridge Inventory (NBI), or a project to replace or rehabilitate culverts on the NBI for the purpose of improving flood control and improved habitat connectivity for aquatic species. Projects in the CBIP include, but are not limited to:

• Projects that replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect a bridge on the National Bridge Inventory (NBI).
• A project to replace or rehabilitate culverts on the NBI for the purpose of improving flood control and improved habitat connectivity for aquatic species.
• A bundle of projects to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect a bridge not on the NBI but meet Bridge funding requirements.
• Bridges or tunnels that are tribally or federally owned, on public roads.
• Construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, acquisition of real property, environmental mitigation, construction contingencies, acquisition of equipment, and operational improvements directly related to improving system performance.
• Expense related to the protection of a bridge, including seismic or scour protection.

Projects not eligible under the Surface Transportation CBIP include, but are not limited to:

• Any bridge or tunnel on private land.
• Any bridge or tunnel that is not State, Tribal, or federally owned.
• Any bridge or tunnel that is not over a waterway, other topographical barrier, highway, or railroad.

Eligible Entities That May Sponsor CBIP Projects

• Local or community government
• Other political sub-divisions of the State
• Tribal entities
• A special purpose district or public authority with a transportation function

When Does the CBIP Begin?

Alaska DOT&PF will announce the upcoming CBIP in spring of 2023, and will release an initial schedule of milestones, draft criteria, and examples of projects. Plenty of time will be allowed for communities to prepare and coordinate with Alaska DOT&PF Regional Planners before the Call for Projects.