TIGER Program Receives $600 Million in Funding
President Obama and DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the sixth round of funding.
U.S. DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx and President Barack Obama have announced that $600 million will go toward the sixth round of funding for the DOT's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program, according to a press release from DOT. The announcement was made at the Union Depot in St. Paul, which received funding during the first round of TIGER.
Initially started as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, The TIGER program aims to improve transportation across the country and "will place an emphasis on projects that support reliable, safe and affordable transportation options that improve connections for both urban and rural communities, making it easier for their residents to reach work, school and other ladders of opportunity." According to the press release, the grant program prioritizes projects that lead to more jobs, training, and neighborhood development.
In 2013, TIGER supported $1.8 billion in project investments. Since its inception in 2009, the program has awarded $3.5 billion to 270 projects in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. According to DOT, TIGER is important and competitive because it is one of the only federal funding options for large, "game-changing" transportation projects.