U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., praised the Tuesday announcement by U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao of a $20 million grant for an Interstate 80 winter freight improvement project in southeastern Wyoming.

The project will construct more than five miles of passing lanes and two truck parking areas, along with dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) roadside radios, on Interstate 80 between Walcott Junction and Quealy Dome Road.

“While these types of grants have historically gone to higher population areas of the country, I am glad that the Trump Administration and Transportation Secretary Chao are working to fund these important projects in more rural areas, such as Wyoming,” Enzi said. “I've been working to change grant criteria so that rural areas have more flexibility they need to get funding for important work.”

The BUILD Transportation Grants re-balance a 10-year historical underinvestment in rural communities, according to the Department of Transportation. Rural applications more than doubled from the previous year’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) applications. Underinvestment in rural infrastructure has led to a decline in the routes that connect communities in rural America. In this round, in which 59 percent of the applications were for rural projects, 62 projects were awarded to rural grant applications.