Resiliency and sustainability initiatives are driving a rapidly expanding pipeline of public infrastructure projects across the United States. Federal policy and funding support over the past several years accelerated many types of these large-scale infrastructure initiatives. Driven by an abundance of federal support, the number of infrastructure projects has continued. Though, while the federal support programs are likely to slow in the coming years, funding will continue, if even at a slower pace.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has unspent and unobligated funding available through 2026. At the U.S. Department of Transportation alone, the department’s official IIJA funding status report, updated March 10, 2026, shows approximately $360.3 billion obligated and $213.7 billion outlaid as of Jan. 31, 2026. Based on the total enacted authority of approximately $496.1 billion, roughly $135.8 billion has not yet been obligated. That is a substantial amount of funding still available for projects.
Additionally, federal programs that support hazard mitigation and disaster preparedness have continued to expand. Studies of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mitigation programs have found that every $1 invested in disaster resilience can save roughly $6 in future recovery costs, providing strong justification for continued investment in these types of initiatives.
As extreme weather events and population growth place additional strain on infrastructure systems, public agencies across the country are launching new projects designed to strengthen community preparedness, improve sustainability, and protect critical assets. The following upcoming opportunities highlight several initiatives currently advancing in different regions of the country.
Approximately $21.6 million has been allocated for the expansion of a large community complex in Fort Myers, Florida. The objective is to expand community services and equip the complex to function as a disaster-response facility. The project will include a 31,700-square-foot expansion and major upgrades to the Dr. Ann Murphy Knight S.T.A.R.S. Complex. The goal is to enhance this community resource and transform it into a Category 3 hurricane shelter capable of protecting residents during severe storms. The expansion will provide upgraded spaces designed to support both emergency response operations and everyday community programming.
Initial work will focus on infrastructure and site preparation, including relocating underground utilities, improving sidewalks and parking areas, and upgrading drainage and athletic facilities. Plans call for a new gymnasium, additional classrooms, a large community room with a stage, a commercial kitchen, a dance studio, and a fitness center. Subsequent work will construct the hurricane shelter facility and integrate it with the existing building. When completed, the project will deliver an expanded community campus that can serve both community events and emergency response needs. Procurement documents are expected to be released in late 2026.
Flood protection planning is underway in the cities of Aberdeen and Hoquiam in Washington, where local officials are advancing the North Shore levee project to address chronic flooding affecting low-lying neighborhoods. The joint effort between the two cities carries an estimated cost of approximately $160.5 million and is designed to reduce flood risks for thousands of homes, businesses, and public facilities currently located within FEMA-designated flood hazard areas.
The proposed levee system will extend approximately six miles across the two cities. Major project components will include roughly four miles of earthen levees, concrete floodwalls, and sections of raised roadways. The system will also incorporate floodgate openings for road crossings, driveways, boat launch areas, and shoreline access points. The project is designed to strengthen long-term resilience in communities that frequently experience flooding during coastal storm surge, high tides, and high river flows caused by heavy rainfall and snowmelt.
The project is currently moving through environmental review, permitting, and funding preparation stages. A FEMA environmental assessment is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2027, and construction is tentatively projected to begin in the fourth quarter of that year.
Officials in Washington County, Oregon, are planning a $20.2 million seismic resiliency project for the Walnut Street Center, a critical operations hub that supports public works and emergency response functions. The project will structurally strengthen the facility to ensure that it can remain operational following a major earthquake. The objective is also to protect essential equipment, vehicles, and core service areas. As a central maintenance and logistics hub, the facility plays an important role in disaster response and recovery. Planned upgrades will improve seismic resilience, safeguard critical assets, and ensure that the county can maintain essential services following a significant seismic event.
Key components of the project include a comprehensive seismic retrofit of the main building, reinforcement of structural vulnerabilities, and retrofitting and stabilization of the attached shop buildings. County officials also plan to install a seismically reinforced mezzanine to create additional secure storage capacity.
Additional work will include roof replacement, installation of a new HVAC system, and interior improvements that support more efficient operations. Because the existing structures were designed using concrete tilt-up construction, the county is also advancing structural improvements intended to reduce collapse risk, which could increase the estimated cost of the project. The project is currently in the design phase, with construction expected to begin in mid to late 2026.
Officials at the Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority in New Mexico have announced an estimated $20 million project that is part of a larger regional flood control initiative designed to improve flood protection across the Albuquerque metropolitan area. The Guac-Amole Dam project, along with other projects identified in the regional plan, is intended to reduce flood risk, improve stormwater quality, and support sustainable urban development by improving regional drainage management.
The project will involve constructing a dam, levees, and other flood management infrastructure designed to capture and control stormwater runoff during heavy rainfall events. The dam will be capable of temporarily storing runoff during intense storms, reducing the risk of flash flooding downstream and protecting nearby neighborhoods, roads, and infrastructure.
The new dam will be located southwest of Albuquerque, an area experiencing population growth and increasing flood risks. The project is currently in the planning stage, and the engineering and design phase will follow. Procurement documents are expected to be released in the future.
Officials at the Alaska Energy Authority have announced a $413 million resiliency project designed to modernize and strengthen the state’s primary electrical grid along the Alaska Railbelt corridor. The U.S. Department of Energy has provided funding support for the effort, which will be matched by the state. The Railbelt grid serves more than 75 percent of Alaska’s population and currently has limited redundancy, making it vulnerable to outages and disruptions.
The project will include construction of a high-voltage direct current submarine transmission cable across Cook Inlet, along with converter stations at both ends of the cable to integrate the new line into the existing grid. Additional components include battery energy storage systems at several locations across the Railbelt, as well as transmission system upgrades and advanced grid control technologies designed to improve reliability and support the integration of renewable energy resources.
A design-bid-build delivery method will be used, and contractor procurement is expected to occur several years from now due to the project’s planning and design requirements.
Projects like these illustrate a growing national trend toward strengthening the country’s infrastructure systems. In addition to federal policy support, state and regional governments are increasingly prioritizing investments that protect communities, support economic development, and prepare regions for future environmental challenges. From flood control and seismic retrofits to resilient power systems and multi-purpose emergency facilities, public officials are expected to continue launching projects designed to safeguard critical infrastructure across the country.
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