TIGER Program Enters 4th Round
President Obama is making good on his State of the Union promise to provide for greater investment in infrastructure. In an announcement by Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant program will enter a fourth round, making another $500 million available for capital investments in surface transportation projects. TIGER 2012, as it is being called, will focus on projects having a significant impact on the nation, metropolitan areas or regions. High-speed rail and intercity passenger rail projects will remain eligible for funding.
Because of high demand, funds will be distributed on a competitive basis. In previous rounds of the TIGER program, the Department of Transportation allocated $2.6 billion toward 172 projects throughout the United States and its territories. This was despite over 3,348 applicants requesting more than $95 billion in funding. The Department of Transportation will evaluate each proposal’s safety, economic competitiveness, livability, environmental sustainability, state of repair and potential for short-term job creation.
