The hunt is on for a share of $1.5 billion in U.S. Dept. of Transportation discretionary grants created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The new program, which DOT calls Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants, is aimed at projects that “will have a significant impact on the nation, a metropolitan area or a region,” the measure says.
David Bauer, American Road and Transportation Builders Association senior vice president, says ARRA “basically had layers of activity.” For highways, the first layer was quick-starting projects like paving jobs, whose funds were obligated by July. Second-layer projects’ money must be obligated by March. TIGER grants are in a third layer for larger projects that may present opportunities for contractors and design firms, he says.