en.Wedoany.com Reported - The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on July 13, 2026, that it has allocated $24 million through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program to North Dakota and Minnesota for replacing three aging bridges over the Red River of the North. The project will demolish existing Parker steel high truss bridges and construct new clear-span bridges with 850-foot-long abutments. The project is led by the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
The BUILD grant program, formerly known as the RAISE program, is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In fiscal year 2026, it provided $17.3 billion in funding for 127 infrastructure projects nationwide, with road and bridge projects receiving approximately $13 billion, accounting for 77% of the total. The maximum grant for a single project is $25 million. The program aims to fund transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact, improving safety, environmental sustainability, mobility, and economic competitiveness. The FY2026 BUILD program authorized $1.5 billion in competitive grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
The Red River of the North is a major river in the north-central United States, serving as the natural border between North Dakota and Minnesota. It flows through the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area before heading north into Canada's Lake Winnipeg. Due to soil characteristics along the riverbanks causing continuous channel changes, bridges crossing the river require special engineering designs to accommodate river migration. The three bridges being replaced all feature Parker steel high truss structures, a variant of the Pratt truss that reduces material usage through polygonal top chord design, holding significant importance in U.S. bridge history. These bridges, due to their age and structural deterioration, can no longer meet modern traffic demands.
Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican and Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, stated: "The Red River separates North Dakota and Minnesota, and the bridges connecting the two states are vital to these rural sister communities. After years of local efforts, this investment will help replace three aging bridges, ensuring community safety and enabling efficient cross-border transportation of goods and services."
The project will demolish the existing aging bridges and construct new clear-span bridges with 850-foot-long abutments, eliminating passage obstacles. Upon completion, the project will enhance the safety and efficiency of traffic along the Red River, strengthen economic ties between North Dakota and Minnesota, and facilitate the flow of regional goods and services.
