U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $11.9 Million TIGER 2013 Grant for I-64 Delta Frame Bridges in Virginia

Topics:  Interstate Highway System

Federal Highway Administration
5 September 2013

FHWA 39-13
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Contact: Nancy Singer
202-366-0660

RICHMOND, Va. - The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today announced a $11.9 million grant for the I-64 Delta Frame Bridge Project, one of 52 transportation projects in 37 states to receive funding under DOT's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) 2013 discretionary grant program. Among these, nearly half – 25 projects funded at $123.4 million – support rural areas of the country, including the I-64 Delta Frame Bridge Project. Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez joined Virginia Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton for the announcement.

"These TIGER projects are the best argument you can make for investment in our transportation infrastructure," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "Together, they answer President Obama's call for a stronger transportation system for future generations by repairing existing roads and bridges, connecting people to new jobs and opportunities, and contributing to our nation's economic growth."

TIGER funds will be used to rehabilitate the Lexington Delta Frame Bridges along I-64 in Rockbridge County, including steel and deck repairs. The existing bridges carry an estimated 9,115 vehicles per day and serve both eastbound and westbound traffic across Rockbridge County.

Built in 1976, the bridges are deteriorating. If they are not repaired, deterioration will continue and repair costs will escalate, eventually forcing the bridges to close to trucks on a major freight corridor. I-64 links freight terminal facilities in the Hampton Roads and Richmond areas to the rest of Virginia and the nation, and an updated, dependable structure will move people and goods more safely and efficiently.

"This project truly exemplifies President Obama's call to "Fix it First" and repair our nation's aging infrastructure," Administrator Mendez said. "Rehabilitating these bridges is a smart transportation investment that will maintain a state of good repair, put people to work and strengthen the economy."

The highly competitive TIGER program offers one of the only federal funding possibilities for large, multi-modal projects that often are not suitable for other federal funding sources. These federal funds leverage money from private sector partners, states, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations and transit agencies. The 2013 TIGER round alone supports $1.8 billion in overall project investments.

TIGER has enjoyed overwhelming demand since its creation, a trend continued by TIGER 2013. Applications for this most recent round of grants totaled more than $9 billion, far exceeding the approximately $474 million set aside for the program. In all, the Department received 585 applications from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

The projects funded through this round of TIGER illustrate the President's goal of creating "Ladders of Opportunity" that connect people to jobs, repairing and replacing aging infrastructure with a "Fix it First" approach and contributing to America's economic growth.

On March 26, 2013, the President signed the FY 2013 Appropriations Act, which after sequestration provided approximately $474 million for Department of Transportation national infrastructure investments. Like the first four rounds, TIGER 2013 grants are for capital investments in infrastructure and are awarded on a competitive basis based on the published selection criteria. This is the fifth round of TIGER funding.

Under all five rounds combined, the TIGER program has provided more than $3.6 billion to 270 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Demand for the program outweighed available funds, and during all five rounds, the Department of Transportation received more than 5,200 applications requesting more than $114.2 billion for transportation projects across the country.

Click here for additional information on individual TIGER grants www.dot.gov/tiger/.