WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Department of the Interior marked the sixth anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act by pointing to nearly $280 million in recently completed infrastructure work around Washington and additional projects nationwide as the federal government continues deploying money from the law’s Legacy Restoration Fund.
The two Washington-area projects represent some of the largest investments cited by Interior. A $167 million rehabilitation of the George Washington Memorial Parkway repaired pavement, bridges and drainage systems, while a $113 million project at the Tidal Basin restored more than 6,000 feet of seawalls and shoreline.
Both projects were completed in spring 2026, according to the department. The Tidal Basin work was intended to protect monuments, cherry trees and pedestrian areas from flooding while improving waterfront access.
The investments stem from the Great American Outdoors Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in 2020. The law established the Legacy Restoration Fund to address deferred maintenance and infrastructure needs on federal lands.
“Across the country, these investments are restoring historic landmarks, improving visitor facilities, modernizing essential infrastructure and ensuring Americans can continue enjoying our nation’s public lands for generations to come,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated.
Interior also identified projects underway or recently completed through several of its agencies.
In South Dakota, the Bureau of Indian Education began construction in June to replace campus buildings and improve housing at Wounded Knee District School. Interior characterized the work as the school’s first major construction investment since it opened in 1961.
The Bureau of Land Management, meanwhile, reopened Cactus Flats Road in Montana in June after replacing infrastructure and making repairs intended to restore public access. Legacy Restoration Fund money also financed the replacement of three large culverts on nearby Triple Crossing Road that were approaching the end of their service lives.
At Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has used Great American Outdoors Act funding to modernize water and wastewater systems, replace the visitor center and improve campground and recreational infrastructure.
The department cited those projects as part of its continuing use of the law to address aging federal facilities and infrastructure while the U.S. commemorates its 250th anniversary in 2026.
More information about Great American Outdoors Act projects at national wildlife refuges is available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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