Appalachian Development Highway System
Active
- Assistance listing
- 23.003
- Grant awards
- 279 $1,158,933,465 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- (Appalachian Corridors)
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Formula Grant
- Eligible applicants
-
- State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals)
- Beneficiaries
-
- Anyone/general public
- Treasury account
-
- 46-0200-0-1-452
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Appalachian Regional Commission funds highway system development and access improvements in Appalachia under CFDA 23.003, with the most recent grant award on August 20, 2025. The program operates through a corridor system administered jointly with the Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, which processes applications from state highway departments and supervises the grants.
Award activity has accelerated recently, with 39 awards in 2025 and 43 in 2024, compared to 18–19 annually in 2021–2023. The program has distributed 279 awards totaling $1.16 billion in federal dollars obligated since 2000. The assistance type mix is predominantly Project Grants (89% of awards) with a smaller share of Formula Grants (11%). The Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration dominates funding concentration, accounting for 184 awards and $1.16 billion in federal dollars obligated; the Appalachian Regional Commission itself funded 95 awards totaling $1.1 million. Combined federal and non-federal obligations reach $1.37 billion, indicating recipient cost-share or matching contributions of $210 million.
Recent awards reveal the program's actual scope: roadway widening and reconstruction (NC 143 widening, $13.9 million; SR 2/SR 515 widening and trout stream restoration, $29.6 million across multiple tranches); new access roads and industrial park connectors (Keystone Industrial Park Road bike/pedestrian lanes, $100 thousand; Floyd Regional Commerce Center Road, $1.9 million total); interchange and corridor improvements (Exit 161 Bellefonte I-99/I-80 interchange, $48.4 million; Portsmouth Bypass, $33.4 million); and bridge construction (Roaring Run Bridge in Tucker County, West Virginia, $29.5 million total). Award magnitudes range from under $100 thousand to over $48 million, with typical larger projects spanning multiple tranches.
Applicants submit projects through state-designated Appalachian State offices to the Appalachian Regional Commission for concurrence in highway locations and construction centerlines. Upon approval, state highway departments submit detailed plans to the Federal Highway Administration using standard OMB Circular No. A-102 application forms. The source contains no information about currently open grant opportunities or upcoming application deadlines.
Objective and description
- Objective
To provide a highway system which, in conjunction with other federally-aided highways, will open up areas with development potential within Appalachia where commerce and communication have been inhibited by lack of adequate access.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
State governments only are eligible for development highways within their Appalachian portions.
- Beneficiary eligibility
States
- Credentials and documentation
Segments must be approved by the ARC and projects must be processed in accordance with State Highway department and Federal Highway Administration procedures.
- Uses of assistance
The grants may be used for preliminary engineering, right-of-way, and construction of highways meeting the objectives stated above. Total highway construction may not exceed 3,090 miles for the 13-State system. The highways must be accepted and maintained as a Federal-aid highway. Refer to general use restrictions stated in the Appalachian Regional Development program (23.001).
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Assistance is provided as required.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
The standard application forms as furnished by the Federal agency and required by OMB Circular No. A-102 must be used for this program. The State highway department coordinates with the Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation (DOT), as in the case of federally aided highway construction. The District Director or State Alternate's Office will provide guidance on specific problems and technical assistance in the preparation of applications.
- Application procedure
The ARC has established a corridor system. The Appalachian State office designated by the State Member submits an application for construction within this system to the Commission for consideration. ARC must concur in detailed highway locations and construction centerlines. Upon such approval, State highway departments may submit plans to implement projects to the State-level office of Federal Highway Administration.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
See APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS.
- Award procedure
Upon determination that the State approved project is eligible within a Commission approved Appalachian Highway Plan, the Federal Co-chairman notifies FHWA of centerline approval after determining that the project satisfies all Federal requirements. The Department of Transportation is then notified, administers the grants and disburses the funds.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 279 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation North Carolina Department | $291,203,412 | 25% |
| 2 | Georgia Department Of Transportation | $198,783,834 | 17% |
| 3 | Wvdot Division Of Highways | $159,453,464 | 14% |
| 4 | Virginia Department Of Transportation | $155,302,883 | 13% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation | $149,421,980 | 13% |
| 6 | Ohio Department Of Transportation | $106,561,818 | 9% |
| 7 | Alabama Department Of Transportation | $60,099,516 | 5% |
| 8 | Tennessee Department Of Transportation | $12,344,029 | 1% |
| 9 | Maryland Department Of Transportation | $10,181,416 | 1% |
| 10 | Executive Office Of The Commonwealth Of Kentucky | $9,933,434 | 1% |
10 of 60 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$105,894,555 |
| FY2025 | $141,688,487 |
| FY2024 | $319,631,363 |
| FY2011 | $240,000 |
| FY2010 | $163,400 |
| FY2009 | $741,256 |
| FY2006 | $210,000 |
| FY2001 | $158,644 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 23.003?
Assistance Listing 23.003 is Appalachian Development Highway System, a federal grant program run by Appalachian Regional Commission.
What is the CFDA number for Appalachian Development Highway System?
Its CFDA number is 23.003: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 23.003 awarded?
279 grant awards under 23.003 have obligated $1,158,933,465 in federal funds to 60 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 23.003?
The recipients obligated the most under Appalachian Development Highway System are Transportation North Carolina Department ($291,203,412), Georgia Department Of Transportation ($198,783,834) and Wvdot Division Of Highways ($159,453,464).
How much did 23.003 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 23.003 obligated $141,688,487 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
- Every grant award and opportunity under it
- Funding by recipient, agency and assistance type
- Alerts for new opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this program