OneRail Press Release on TIGER III Awards

in

December 19, 2011

Rail-Related Projects Win $279 Million in Competitive TIGER III grants

Washington, DC

On 12/15/2011, the US DOT announced the award of $511 million in TIGER III discretionary grants to 46 recipients in 33 states. The recipients of these competitive, merit-based grants were States, local governments, port authorities, transit agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations.

23 rail-related projects sponsored by the aforementioned public agencies, including Class 1 and short line freight rail projects, port-owned freight rail projects, intercity passenger rail projects, commuter rail projects, and rail transit projects, received $279 million out of the $511 million of available funding. Rail-related projects accounted for 54% of the $511 million in grant awards.

The OneRail Coalition commends the Administration’s recognition of rail’s inherent efficiency, safety, and environmental benefits in moving freight and passengers.

Investment in America’s rail infrastructure is necessary to support economic growth and improve the competitive position of the United States in the world economy.  Rail enhances the mobility and safety of Americans, minimizes impacts on the environment, and reduces the nation’s dependence on imported oil. Rail investments play a crucial role in alleviating highway and aviation congestion and reducing the wear and tear on America’s highways and bridges. Investment in freight and passenger rail supports the expansion of U.S. exports, strengthens U.S. manufacturing capacity, and advances critical national security and environmental objectives. 

Rail is a vital component of the nation’s surface transportation system, with freight rail hauling 43 percent of the nation’s ton-miles, commuter rail riders taking 472 million trips per year, and intercity passenger rail moving over 30 million passengers annually.  Rail is the smart, sensible way to solve America’s 21st century transportation challenges.

Rail-related projects selected for funding in TIGER III: 

Applicant / Entity Receiving Award

Project

Location

$ Amount

Type

South Jersey Port Corporation

South Jersey Port DelAir Bridge Rail Improvements

New Jersey / Pennsylvania

$18,500,000

freight rail / port

Port of Long Beach

Port of Long Beach Rail Realignment and Expansion

Long Beach, CA

$17,000,000

freight rail / port

Jacksonville Port Authority

Jacksonville Port/Dames Point Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (CSX served)

Jacksonville, FL

$10,000,000

freight rail / intermodal facility / port

West Virginia Public Port Authority

West Virginia Port Authority Intermodal Facility (Norfolk Southern served)

Prichard, WV

$12,000,000

freight rail / intermodal facility / port

Port of Northern Montana

Northern Montana Multimodal Hub/BNSF Rail Facility

Shelby, MT

$9,998,910

freight rail / intermodal facility / inland port

Port of New Orleans

Port of New Orleans Rail Yard Improvements

New Orleans, LA

$16,738,246

freight rail yard / port

Pennsylvania DOT

Norfolk Southern Crescent Corridor Rutherford Intermodal Facility Expansion

Harrisburg, PA

$15,000,000

freight rail / intermodal facility

North Dakota DOT

BNSF Freight Rail/Amtrak Empire Corridor Rail Line Raising

Devils Lake - Churchs Ferry, ND

$10,000,000

freight rail / intercity passenger rail

Oklahoma DOT

Farmrail Freight Rail Oil and Gas Upgrade

Anadarko Basin, OK

$6,756,580

freight rail (short line)

Kansas DOT

Solomon Rural Freight Rail Upgrade (Kyle Railroad/RailAmerica)

North Central Kansas

$6,568,095

freight rail (short line)

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

Muldraugh Rail Bridges Replacement (Paducah & Louisville Railroad)

Fort Knox, KY

$11,558,220

freight rail bridges (short line)

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)

MBTA Merrimack River Rail Bridge Rehabilitation

Haverhill, MA

$10,000,000

commuter rail / intercity passenger rail / freight rail

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

DART Orange Line Extension

Dallas, TX

$5,000,000

rail transit

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

CTA Blue Line Renewal & City Bike Share

Chicago, IL

$20,000,000

rail transit / bike

City of Charlotte, NC

LYNX Blue Line Capacity Expansion

Charlotte, NC

$18,000,000

rail transit / stations

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA)

GCRTA Mayfield Transit Station

Cleveland, OH

$12,503,200

rail transit / stations

Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority

Transit Interchange Construction/Target Field Light Rail Station

Minneapolis, MN

$10,000,000

rail transit / stations

Sound Transit

Sound Transit South Link Light Rail Construction

Seattle, WA

$10,000,000

rail transit / stations

City of Alton, IL

Regional Multimodal Transportation Station

Alton, IL

$13,850,000

station / bus / intercity passenger rail

VIA Metrolpolitan Transit Authority (VIA MTA)

VIA Westside Multimodal Transit Center

San Antonio, TX

$15,000,000

station / bus / streetcar / commuter rail

City of Stamford, CT

Stamford Intermodal Access

Stamford, CT

$10,500,000

station / pedestrian / bus / commuter rail

City of Cincinnati, OH

Riverfront Streetcar Loop

Cincinnati, OH

$10,920,000

streetcar

Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, PA

Carrie Furnace Flyover Bridge

Allegheny County, PA

$10,000,000

road / bridge ramp / rail grade crossings

 

For a full description of the project awards, click here:http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/FY2011TIGER.pdf

The OneRail Coalition applauds the United States Congress for its continued funding of this effective program and anticipates that rail will continue to compete well for the $500 million of available FY 2012 TIGER grants.

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About the OneRail Coalition:

OneRail is a diverse group of rail stakeholders who have come together to educate America about the benefits of a strong freight and passenger rail system.  Our members include the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), Amtrak, Association of American Railroads (AAR), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC), Railway Supply Institute (RSI), States for Passenger Rail Coalition (S4PRC), Surface Transportation Policy Partnership (STPP), Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA), Transportation Communications International Union/International Association of Machinists (TCU/IAM) and the United Transportation Union (UTU).

 Our growing list of Associate Supporters includes AECOM, Alstom, General Electric, HNTB,Parsons, Parsons Brinckerhoff and SYSTRA.  These global companies represent the engineering and manufacturing sectors that are an essential component of private sector job creation in the transportation industry in the United States.

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