New London — The city is making another attempt to secure federal funding for the proposed expansion of the Water Street parking garage, and this time it has a few partners.

The city, which has included Union Station and Cross Sound Ferry in its application, will apply for a $25 million grant through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE, discretionary grant program. The U.S. Department of Transportation is offering $1.5 billion in grants from the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last year.

The RAISE grants are still highly competitive — New London was unsuccessful in a previous application — but funding has been increased by 50% from past years for projects like the one proposed in New London. The deadline for applications is April 15, with selected projects to be announced this summer.

The project proposed in New London includes the garage expansion, a transit hub for Southeast Area Transit District buses to be moved off Water Street and space for the city’s new NL Smart Ride commuter bus initiative. The grant would also help fund a restoration project planned at Union Station as well as the development of Cross Sound Ferry’s new high speed ferry terminal.

About $20.7 million of the funding would go toward the garage expansion and related projects in the garage. Plans call for the garage to be expanded by 250 spaces, from 910 to 1160.

The expansion would add spaces to the third, fourth and roof levels, with the addition built over the existing surface lot adjacent to Water Street. Part of the garage will connect to the state-funded pedestrian bridge that will shuttle pedestrians over Water Street and to the rail line to the waterfront at City Pier and the National Coast Guard Museum. A $700,000 portion of the grant application is dedicated to that project.

More space will be needed at the garage to accommodate an influx of visitors to the city, with the planned National Coast Guard Museum and additional ferry terminal at Cross Sound Ferry, both of which are located across the street from the garage.

New London Parking Director Carey Redd said the city estimates the museum will bring in 300,000 people annually and the new ferry will bring an additional 40,000 to 50,000.

Redd said the Parking Authority has spent several years working to relieve congestion in the garage and has already freed up 600 spaces that in the past were reserved for Electric Boat employees. The EB workers now have spaces in the Fort Trumbull area.

The city has requested $2.2 million toward creation of the transit hub, visitor center and other garage improvements. The grant application calls for nearly $865,000 to go to Cross Sound Ferry and $424,000 toward the expected $5 million investment in restoration at Union Station.

Redd said the entire project would come without a cost to the city, since it is using existing funding committed to the various projects. The Parking Authority intends to use more than $1 million from its own enterprise fund toward the project.

“The real essence of the project is improving the quality of life for residents and visitors to the city,” Redd said.

Redd said U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney and Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy have all authored letters of support for the project.

g.smith@theday.com