FHWA Seeks Approval for Grant Application Data Collection
Published Date: 12/1/2025
Notice
Summary
The Federal Highway Administration is asking for approval to collect new information to help manage a grant program that supports stronger, smarter transportation projects. Local governments and organizations applying for these grants will see some changes aimed at making the process clearer and easier. Comments are open until December 31, 2025, so now’s the time to speak up before the new rules kick in!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
Large Application Time Burden Per Grant
Entities applying for PROTECT Competitive grants face substantial application time: estimated average burdens are 166 hours for a Planning Grant application, 217 hours for Resilience Improvement and Community Resilience & Evacuation Routes applications, and 117 hours for an At‑Risk Coastal Infrastructure application. FHWA estimates about 600 respondents will complete one application during the 3‑year PRA period, totaling an estimated 107,926 annual burden hours.
Voluntary Plan Cuts Local Match Up To 10%
State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) can develop a voluntary Resilience Improvement Plan that may reduce the Non‑Federal match required for PROTECT Formula and Discretionary Grant projects by up to 10% (23 U.S.C. 176(e)(1)(B)).
Post‑Award Reporting and Financial Forms Required
All PROTECT grant recipients must execute a grant agreement (about 30 hours) and complete semi‑annual progress and financial reporting during project performance (FHWA Project Progress Report attached to SF‑425), with approximately 1 hour per form and about 1 additional hour when using SF‑270 or SF‑271 for advances or reimbursements. FHWA estimates post‑award reporting over the 3‑year PRA period will total about 16,500 burden hours for an estimated 200 award recipients.
Voluntary Resilience Planning and Peer Exchanges
Resilience Improvement Plans are voluntary and estimated to require about 250 hours to complete. FHWA may offer voluntary virtual or in‑person peer exchanges and technical assistance; pre‑event questionnaires for peer exchanges are estimated at about 1 hour. FHWA estimates 25 State DOTs and 25 MPOs will complete plans during the 3‑year PRA period (estimated total 12,500 annual burden hours) and about 350 participants will complete peer exchange pre‑event questionnaires (350 hours).
Selected Projects Face Multi‑Year Evaluation Reporting
FHWA will select a representative sample of up to 50 funded projects for additional monitoring and evaluation to meet 23 U.S.C. 176(f)(1). Selected grantees will provide baseline data and annual post‑construction performance data for 3–5 years, with FHWA estimating about 25 hours per year for construction projects, 6 hours per year for planning grants, 15 additional hours in year one, quarterly 1‑hour update calls, a one‑time survey of up to 200 grantees (0.5 hours), and up to 2 in‑depth interviews or focus groups. Estimated total annual burden for these activities is 2,792 hours during the PRA period.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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