Infrastructure investments awarded to 41 projects in 43 U.S. states

The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) has announced 41 projects are to receive nearly $500 million in discretionary grant funding for rail, road, transit and maritime projects.

These grants are awarded through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.

“TIGER grants are targeted investments for our local communities that will increase safety, create jobs and modernise our country’s infrastructure,” said Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Within this round of TIGER funding, 64 per cent – a historic number – was awarded to rural projects, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to supporting rural communities.

The primary selection criteria for TIGER awards include considerations for safety, economic competitiveness, quality of life and environmental sustainability for each project. Secondary criteria include innovation and partnerships.

The list includes many projects focused on improving public transport and sustainable modes of travel, which are listed below:

Summerhill bus rapid transit project, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority,

$12,629,760 has been granted to implement an approximately 9.4-mile bus rapid transit route connecting the Summerhill neighbourhood anchored by Georgia State University to MARTA’s heavy rail system and the Atlanta Streetcar network.

Chippewa Valley regional transit transfer centre revitalisation project, City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin

$5,000,000 has been approved to construct a transit transfer centre in downtown Eau Claire and purchase four new buses to be used by the Eau Claire Transit system.

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe passing lane project, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

$2,000,000 has been given for the upgrade of a 2.5-mile rural portion of U.S. Highway 160 by adding approximately 6,000 feet of passing lanes in each direction, three new box culverts, signage, guardrails, widened shoulders and access improvements.

Carson City Gateway: South Carson Street complete streets, Carson City, Nevada

$7,570,202 has been granted to construct an approximately 2.5-mile complete streets corridor, including a corridor-wide road diet, a roundabout, a multi-use path, dedicated bicycle facilities, pedestrian safety improvements, storm water infrastructure and fibre-optic communications infrastructure to support intelligent transportation systems (ITS).

Downtown Akron promenade (Phase Two), City of Akron, Ohio

$8,000,743 has been approved to design and reconstruct a portion of South Main Street to incorporate complete street elements including roadway reconstruction with traffic calming and a road diet, streetscape improvements, upgraded traffic signals, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, bus shelter enhancements, lighting, wayfinding signage and improved storm water management.

Houston Roadway flood warning system project, City of Houston, Texas

$9,370,000 has been given to install approximately 40 Flood Warning System (FWS) locations. ITS devices will be deployed at each of these locations and include high water sensors, master stations, advance roadside yellow flashers where appropriate, approach overhead red flashers and signal mast arms over the travel lanes, and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras.

Georgetown East Gateway, Delaware Department of Transportation

$7,000,000 has been granted for the construction of multi-modal improvements at the intersection of U.S. 9, Airport Road and Sandhill Road including roadway realignment, additional turn lanes, signal improvements, pavement resurfacing, bike lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, transit stops and lighting.

Immokalee complete streets – growing connections to create mobility opportunities, Collier County Board of County Commissioners, Florida

$13,132,691 has been approved to construct complete streets improvements in Immokalee, Florida, including approximately 20 miles of new sidewalks, a bike boulevard network, a shared­ use path, street lighting, bus shelters, a new transit centre, landscaping, drainage improvements and intersection and traffic calming retreats.

Frankfort Second Street corridor project, City of Frankfort, Kentucky

$7,990,000 has been given to reconstruct the Second Street corridor, including Second Street and East Main Street, into a complete street with wider sidewalks, improved signalling and intersection improvements, ADA accessibility, streetscape enhancements, bike lanes and green infrastructure improvements.

Hightower Road corridor project, Mississippi State University

$7,000,000 has been granted to complete an approximately two-mile, multimodal north/south corridor along Hightower Road and associated collector roads including pavements, bike lanes, transit shelters, signal improvements and street lighting on the eastern perimeter of Mississippi State University.

Alike to previous years, the TIGER grants are awarded on a competitive basis, for projects that will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region. The FY 2017 Appropriations Act specifies that TIGER Discretionary Grants may not be less than $5 million and not greater than $25 million. There is however an exception for projects located in rural areas, where the minimum TIGER Discretionary Grant size is $1 million.