TIGER III: a big and agile cat, with legs

Communities across America are still celebrating the new jobs and innovative solutions that DOT's third round of TIGER grants will support.  Today in Charlotte and New Orleans, DOT leaders will be on hand to help cheer two very different projects that demonstrate just how flexible this TIGER is.

Deputy Secretary John Porcari will visit the Port of New Orleans Louisiana Avenue terminal. This specialized complex is strategically located on the Mississippi River near six Class I rail lines and two interstate highways. The port was awarded a $16.7 million grant to help construct a freight rail terminal and other improvements as part of a $500 million expansion. The project will relocate an existing rail yard--with 4,000 feet of new track--inside a new 12-acre intermodal freight terminal. It also adds heavy-duty concrete to support safely storing and moving ultra-heavy cargo.

When completed, the project will reduce congestion, facilitate movement of marine and rail cargo, stimulate international commerce, and maintain an essential port asset in a state of good repair.  The upgrades will quadruple the terminal's capacity.

In addition to helping American communities move freight safely and more effectively, TIGER grants also support ways of helping people get where they're going.  Whether they're commuting to work, school or the grocery store, DOT wants to support communities in offering residents access to different transportation choices.

That's why Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff will be in Charlotte today to congratulate the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) on their proposal to expand capacity on their popular LYNX light rail network. Since opening in November 2007, the LYNX Blue Line has exceeded ridership projections and generated over $1.4 billion of new and planned economic development along the South Corridor.

The TIGER grant awarded to CATS will allow the transit agency to install additional power substations and extend platforms at three stations.  These upgrades will increase capacity on the Blue Line by allowing more frequent operation of current two-car trains and operation of longer three-car trains. Eventually, system-wide expansion of three-car train operations throughout the LYNX Blue Line corridor will help CATS fully accommodate future ridership demand to major employment and economic centers, the University of North Carolina's Charlotte campus, and special event destinations in downtown Charlotte.

Both of these terrific projects--one for freight and one for passengers--will create jobs now and allow their respective communities to expand economic activity over the long term.  With TIGER, the Obama Administration has responded to the nationwide call for a flexible transportation grant program that will help communities now.  These communities cannot wait to start solving their employment and transportation challenges.

When the President said, "We can't wait," DOT didn't.  And, today, communities across America have something to cheer about.