DOT seeks $171.3M federal‑match, $85M discretionary match and other one‑time items in 25/27 budget presentation

The Department of Transportation told the Appropriations — Government Operations Division it is seeking multiple one‑time appropriations and amendments for the 2025–27 biennium, including state match dollars to leverage large federal grants and funding for equipment, IT projects and facility needs.

Mike Gerhardt, deputy director for administration at the Department of Transportation, presented the department's 25/27 budget overview. Gerhardt described four main budget categories—salaries and benefits; operating expenses; capital improvements (roads, bridges and equipment over $5,000); and grants passed through to local partners—and framed the department's optional one‑time requests and FTE changes on top of a base budget.

Gerhardt said the department is requesting $171,300,000 from the Strategic Investment/Capital Investment Fund (referred to in testimony as CIF/SIF) to match an anticipated $963,800,000 in federal formula dollars used to construct and preserve state highways and bridges. "The funds that we're requesting of a 171,300,000 are to match federal dollars that we that will be coming in," Gerhardt said.

He also asked for $85,000,000 to match federal discretionary grant awards the department expects to pursue and accept. Gerhardt said the department currently has $115,200,000 in awarded federal grants, of which $55,000,000 is for a Highway 85 project; the department plans an amendment to borrow from the Bank of…