PIERRE, SD — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) a $65 million grant through the Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP) for the S.D. Highway 44 Platte-Winner Bridge replacement project. CHBP grants were awarded to 14 projects in 12 states to fund bundled bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects. The CHBP focuses on repairing and replacing bridges in rural communities, less than 115 individuals per square mile. CHBP’s "bridge bundling" approach groups small projects into a single award, saving time and taxpayer money. “The Platte-Winner bridge is one of six Missouri River Bridges on the state’s transportation system that has served its useful life and needs to be replaced,” said Joel Jundt, Transportation Secretary. “The Fort Pierre/Pierre Bridge was recently replaced, and the Platte-Winner bridge is slated next for replacement. The USDOT funding is greatly appreciated, as we will now have the necessary funding needed to construct this critical structure." Opening to traffic in 1966, the Platte-Winner Bridge is the longest bridge in the state of South Dakota, spanning 5,655 feet across the Missouri River. This bridge is one of only nine bridges across the Missouri River in the entire state. The estimated total project cost for the Platte-Winner Bridge replacement project is over $200 million. South Dakota also previously received $25 million through Congressional Directed Spending requested by Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds in the appropriations process.