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The U.S. Department of Transportation has chosen 39 projects to be awarded funds from the seventh round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program. Of the $500 million TIGER VII awards, nearly $220 million were awarded to freight projects or projects with a strong freight element, according to the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors.
"Freight projects are often large-in-scale and cross multiple jurisdictions, making them difficult to fund through traditional methods," said Sharon Neely, chairman of the board of the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC). "TIGER is currently the only federal program available for complex freight projects. High demand year-over-year points to the need for a freight-specific grant program to complement TIGER."
In recent months, CAGTC says both the House and Senate have called for freight-specific competitive grant programs in their surface transportation proposals. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee proposed a freight grant program valued at $4.46 billion, distributed over six years. The Senate-passed DRIVE Act establishes two competitive grant programs totaling $3.3 billion as well as an $11.65 billion freight formula program, all distributed over a six-year period.
Some successful projects in TIGER VII that involve freight include:
Port of Hueneme, Intermodal Improvement
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Project: The Intermodal Improvement Project is meant stimulate subsequent investment from private terminal operators. "We at the Port of Hueneme are thrilled to receive a $12.3 million TIGER grant that funds a crucial component of our intermodal improvement project, a project which allows for larger-capacity vessels, increased cold storage and cargo treatment and handling capability to support increased agricultural imports and exports, as well as on-dock rail improvements for the more efficient transfer of cargo," said Kristin Decas, CEO and port director at the Port of Hueneme.
Port of San Diego, Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal Modernization Project: The Port of San Diego will receive $10 million through TIGER VII for its Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal Modernization Project. Funds will go towards increasing capacity and improving operational efficiency for Port users, according to USDOT.
Port of Newport International Terminal Shipping Facility: This $2 million TIGER grant will help construct an international deep-water marine terminal with intermodal (marine/river/highway) access at the Port of Newport, Oregon.
South Dakota DOT Freight Capacity Expansion Project: The funds from this $6 million TIGER grant will help South Dakota increase rail capacity for agricultural shippers by constructing approximately 7,000 feet of rail near Phillip, SD, and replacing about 10 miles of rail near Huron, SD.
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