Burlington, IA- The City of Burlington has been awarded a grant for work on Cascade Bridge. According to a news release, for the first time this decade, the Federal Highway Administration announced grants for the National Scenic Byway program. The City of Burlington was awarded $1,071,780 for work on Cascade Bridge. The City of Burlington has included the replacement of the bridge in its Capital Improvement Plan and continues to secure funding for the project. This grant award is in addition to the $1 million in Iowa Department of Transportation funding through the City Bridge Program. Burlington Mayor Jon Billups expressed appreciation to the Federal Highway Administration for their recognition of this important section of the Great River Road. "I am excited to receive this funding so that work on replacement of the bridge continues. The award is recognition of the importance of Burlington's place along the Great River Road", Billups stated. The grant will fund planning requirements and engineering designs to reopen the bridge to vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. "The work will allow for the Great River Road route to be placed back on its original route directly through Crapo and Dankwardt Parks in Burlington", noted Assistant City Manager Nick MacGregor. Cascade Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been closed for nearly 15 years due to structural deficiencies. On April 28, 2023, FHWA awarded $21.8 million to 33 byway projects in 29 states, including five Tribal lands. These are the first National Scenic Byways Program grants awarded since 2012.