Joint Base Lewis-McChord One Of Eight Installations To Get Federal Funding For Improved Transportation

The Department of Defense announced today its plans to distribute $299.6 million to eight transportation projects to improve access to medical facilities affected by the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) process. 

Congress included $300 million for these transportation improvements in the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011.

The eight projects will improve transportation access to medical facilities at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., Fort Belvoir, Va., and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. A list of the selected projects may be found at: http://www.oea.gov.

The projects were selected through a competitive process that considered proposals from states and communities around installations whose medical facilities were affected by the most recent BRAC round. Congress directed the department to give priority to those locations where BRAC actions created transportation challenges that might impede access to medical care.  The selection panel included health care and transportation experts from the Departments of Defense and Transportation. 

Funds will be distributed by Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment once the applicants provide comprehensive plans and environmental information pertaining to the projects in question.