On October 29, 2015 the US DOT announced the award of $500 million in TIGER VII discretionary grants to transportation projects in various states. The recipients of these competitive, merit-based grants were States, local governments, port authorities, transit agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations.
TCU wrote letters to the Administration in support of these grants. 18 rail-related projects sponsored public agencies, including short line freight rail projects, port-owned freight rail projects, intercity passenger rail projects, commuter rail projects, and rail transit projects.
Together they received over $245 million out of the $500 million of available funding.
The OneRail Coalition, of which TCU is a member, commends the Administration’s recognition of rail’s inherent efficiency, safety, and environmental benefits in moving freight and passengers throughout the economy.
Some of the grants awarded that may affect TCU members include:
• $14 Million to METRA to replace the Fox River Bridge
• $15.2 million for upgrades and expansion of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief route in Colorado, New Mexico and Kansas.
• $16 million to New Jersey Transit toward replacement of the century-old Portal Bridge, a commuter-rail chokepoint in the Northeast Corridor.
• $15 million to LA MTA for the Rail to Rail Transportation Corridor Project.
• $10 million to build the Barnum Station, a new commuter-rail station that will serve MTA Metro-North Railroad riders in Bridgeport, Conn.
• $10 million to build a new rail yard, called Glacier Rail Park, and construct a pedestrian trail in Kalispell, Mont.
• $10 million to the Vermont Transportation Agency to extend Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express service from Rutland to Burlington.
Click here to read the letter from TCU on the Fox River Bridge Project.
Click here to read the release from One Rail about the TIGER grants.