For Immediate Release:

Monday, May 4, 2026

Contact:
Doug Kinniburgh, Local Government Assistance, 605-773-4284
David Huft, Intelligent Transportation Systems Program Manager, 605-773-3358

Rural Access Infrastructure Funding (RAIF) Provides Vital State and Local Partnership for Inventory and Replacement of Small Structures

PIERRE, S.D. – Legislation passed by the 2026 legislature and signed by Governor Larry Rhoden will give counties additional funding to repair and replace deficient culverts and small bridges on township and county secondary roads. SB240 provides an additional $5 million to help counties and townships inventory their small structures, plan needed improvements, and pay for repair or replacement. SB236 extends the Rural Access Infrastructure Fund (RAIF) program and allows unobligated or unspent funds to be redistributed to other counties with unmet needs.

"These funds promote local control, enabling communities to put dollars to work in ways that best strengthen their infrastructure," said Governor Larry Rhoden. "I was proud to sign these bills into law to sustain a vital, safe transportation system."

“Since this program was established, state and local governments have collaborated closely to secure and use the funding made available by the state legislators and Governor Rhoden,” said Joel Jundt, Secretary of Transportation. “I applaud their foresight in 2021 to secure funding to upgrade county and township structures that are critical to the connectivity of the state’s transportation network.”  

Since its creation in 2021, the Rural Access Infrastructure Fund (RAIF) has distributed $31 million in proportion to the number of eligible culverts and small bridges in each county. To be eligible, structures must lie on fully maintained or minimum maintenance county secondary or township roads. Individual culverts or groups of adjacent culverts must have an outlet opening of at least 16 square feet. Small bridges cannot exceed twenty feet in length. Currently 8,252 eligible culverts and 467 eligible small bridges have been inventoried.

Counties and townships must provide at least twenty percent of the cost of any repair or replacement project with funds other than RAIF. Townships must either opt out of the tax freeze or impose a secondary road capital improvement tax levy to receive RAIF funding.

The South Dakota Department of Revenue distributes funding by August 1 each year based on inventory received by the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). The SDDOT is notifying local agencies now because they must update their small structure improvement plans by August 31 and submit culvert and small bridge funding applications to their county commission by November 30. County commissions are to award funding by January 15. The South Dakota Department of Transportation supports counties and townships by providing a geographic information system to contain the small structure inventory along with technical resources and support.

About the SDDOT:

The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to provide a safe and efficient public transportation system.

Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov.

For the latest on road and weather conditions, road closures, construction work zones, commercial vehicle restrictions, and traffic incidents, please visit https://sd511.org or dial 511.

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