Today, the Obama Administration is letting a little more than the cat out of the bag; we're unleashing a TIGER.
At DOT, we know that America's transportation infrastructure is in need of attention. In some communities, the roadways need crucial repairs. In others, residents need ways to connect with transit networks. We also know that these repairs and new projects create good jobs for hard-working Americans.
And all it takes for cities, counties, states, and regions to get started is good planning...and good funding.
That's why I am so proud to announce our TIGER 2012 grant recipients.
In this fourth round of our TIGER program, DOT is investing a total of nearly $500 million in 47 projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Projects that improve safety, like repairing structurally deficient bridges in Arizona and Maine. Projects that help communities recover, like rebuilding after a devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Projects that give people choices, like developing intermodal facilities in Rochester, NY. Projects that focus on our strengthening our maritime industry, like rehabilitating Tulsa's Port of Catoosa, one of the largest inland ports in the country.
But the one thing these 47 projects have in common is that they will create good jobs today and build a stronger economy tomorrow.
But the applications keep coming in.
For TIGER 2012 alone, we received 703 applications totaling $10.2 billion from every state, the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. Every one of them would have solved a pressing transportation problem; every one would put workers back on the job; and every one would help position their communities for a brighter future.
Unfortunately, the critical need for transportation improvements in this nation continues to exceed the funding Congress has made available.
The roads, rails, ports, and trails supported by TIGER funding are neither Democratic nor Republican; they're American. The jobs they create are American. And the economic growth they foster is American.
At DOT, we're working hard to do more for America, and TIGER 2012 is a strong step forward.
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Please click here for a list of the TIGER 2012 projects.
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