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DOT Awards $500M to Transit Projects

Monday, June 25, 2012

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Bridges in Indiana and Maine, ports in California, freight rail in Chicago and Texas, and streets in Alabama are among 47 transportation projects nationwide that will share nearly $500 million in newly approved federal funding.

The Department of Transportation’s highly competitive TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program will benefit projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia in 2012, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Friday (June 22).

Arizona DOT

I-15 bridges in Arizona’s Virgin River Gorge will receive $21.6 million.

This is the fourth round of TIGER funding, a competitive program that supports capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure.

High Demand

As always, demand for program funds far outstripped resources. More than 700 applications seeking $10.2 billion were submitted for this round of funding, DOT said.

The TIGER program funds innovative projects not served by other federal programs. In many cases, the grants serve as the final piece of funding for infrastructure investments totaling $1.7 billion in overall project costs.

wavestreetcar.com

Fort Lauderdale’s forthcoming WAVE streetcar system is slated to receive $18 million.

TIGER funds are leveraged with money from private-sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies.

“TIGER projects mean good transportation jobs today and a stronger economic future for the nation,” said LaHood.

Focus on Roads, Bridges, Rural Projects

The 2012 grants will fund a wide range of transportation projects:

• More than $120 million will go to projects in rural areas.

• About 35 percent will help fund road and bridge projects, including more than $30 million slated for rural projects.

• 13 percent will support high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects.

• 12 percent will go to freight rail projects.

• 12 percent will benefit multimodal, bicycle and pedestrian projects.

• 12 percent will help build port projects.

In addition, three grants are being directed to tribal governments to create jobs and address transportation needs in Indian country.

Project Highlights

This year’s largest awards and recipients include:

• $30.4 million to Chicago’s CREATE rail project and 95th Street Terminal Expansion;

• $21.6 million for Arizona’s I-15 Virgin River Gorge Bridge;

• $21 million for the first phase of the Raleigh (NC) Union Station, an $84.2 million intercity passenger service project;

• $18 million for the Fort Lauderdale WAVE Streetcar Project;

• $16 million for the Pickaway East West Connector Road in Columbus, OH;

• $15 million each for the Rochester (NY) Intermodal Transportation Center, Port of Oakland (CA) Intermodal Rail Improvements, Sacramento (CA) Valley Station Improvements, Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Transit Center, and Denver’s I-25 North and Express Bus projects; and

• $12 million to tornado-ravaged Joplin, MO, for disaster recovery and transportation projects.

The full list of 2012 recipients is available here. 

Earlier Projects

More than two dozen projects funded by earlier TIGER rounds will break ground over the next six months, while work on 64 other TIGER-supported projects is underway, according to DOT.

US NOAA

Tornado-ravaged Joplin, MO, will receive $12 million to help rebuild surface transportation systems.

The four rounds of TIGER funding have provided a total of $3.1 billion to 218 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In those four years, the program has received more than 4,050 applications requesting more than $105.2 billion for transportation projects across the country.

The fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill now in the Senate would provide $500 million for the program next year.