TIGER grant demand again exceeds available funding, USDOT says

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) yesterday announced the demand for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants again has surpassed available funding.

Applications for TIGER V, or TIGER 2013, grants seek a total of more than $9 billion in funding, far exceeding the $474 million set aside for the program, USDOT officials said in a press release. The department received 568 applications from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa.

"President Obama challenged us to improve our nation's infrastructure to provide the transportation choices people and businesses want and the efficiency and safety they need," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "TIGER projects do exactly that — across the country, they are helping relieve congestion, create jobs and generate lasting economic growth."

In March, President Obama signed the FY2013 appropriations act, which, after sequestration, provided $474 million for USDOT national infrastructure investments. Like the first four rounds, TIGER V grants are available for surface transportation infrastructure improvements and will be awarded on a competitive basis.

The previous four rounds of the grant program provided $3.1 billion for 218 projects in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The USDOT received more than 4,050 applications requesting more than $105.2 billion in funding through the four rounds.