Senator Collins Announces $25 Million for MaineDOT Infrastructure Project in East Deering
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) will receive $25,000,000 through the federal RAISE grant program to fund an infrastructure revitalization project in East Deering.
“This funding will improve local infrastructure and quality of life for residents and visitors while strengthening the local economy,” said Senator Collins. “This project will deliver substantial benefits to Cumberland County for years to come.”
“This funding will help transform an iconic piece of industrial waterfront into an innovation hub accessible by multiple transportation modes, including extensive bicycle and pedestrian connections,” said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. “I still love the traditional Saturday night suppers in New England, but the transition of the focus of this site from beans to biotech is forward-looking and exciting. We are grateful to Maine’s Congressional Delegation for championing transformative projects that improve economic opportunity and quality of life. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, including the City of Portland and the Roux Institute, to enhance the multimodal connections in East Deering.”
Specifically, the project is described as:
- East Deering: Pathways to Bridge the Gap Project - $25,000,000 to make improvements to the roadways, sidewalks, waterfront, and other areas surrounding the site of the new Roux Institute campus (on the former B&M Baked Bean site).
Earlier this year, Senator Collins wrote to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in support of the East Deering grant request.
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 helped secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine. Senator Collins has been a strong supporter of the RAISE grant program (previously known as TIGER and then BUILD), and since its inception Maine has received at least one award each funding round – facilitating critical roadway, bridge, and port projects across the state.
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