U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the strong demand for TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grants continues as once again the number of applications has surpassed the available funding.
Applications to the U.S. DOT for TIGER 2013 grants totaled more than $9 billion, far exceeding the $474 million set aside for the program. The department received 568 applications from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa.
“President Obama challenged us to improve our nation’s infrastructure to provide the transportation choices people and businesses want and the efficiency and safety they need,” said Secretary LaHood. “TIGER projects do exactly that—across the country, they are helping relieve congestion, create jobs and generate lasting economic growth.”
On March 26, 2013, the president signed the FY 2013 appropriations act, which, after sequestration, provided $474 million for U.S. DOT national infrastructure investments. Like the first four rounds, TIGER 2013 grants are for capital investments in surface transportation infrastructure and will be awarded on a competitive basis. This is the fifth round of TIGER funding.
The previous four rounds of the TIGER program provided $3.1 billion to 218 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. During the previous four rounds, the U.S. DOT received more than 4,050 applications requesting more than $105.2 billion for transportation projects across the country.
