Government

Five Projects Picked To Apply for TIFIA Loans

By Tom Ichniowski, Jeff Rubenstone, Deputy Editor, News and Technology

The Dept. of Transportation has selected two projects in California and one each in Colorado, Texas and Virginia to apply for loans under its Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program.

The five winners, announced on April 24, were chosen from among 26 projects. Those not picked—including New York's $6-billion replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge—are eligible for future TIFIA consideration.

The two projects in California are a $1.3-billion extension and added lane for state Route 91 between Orange and Riverside counties and a $960-million bridge in Long Beach. Also making the cut are a $140-million U.S. 36 corridor program in Colorado; a $1.5-billion package of toll roads and other upgrades on I-35W near Fort Worth, Texas; and a $927-million program to convert high-occupancy-vehicle lanes to toll lanes in Virginia.

DOT has $110 million available in 2012 funds for direct TIFIA subsidy aid, which will support $1.1 billion in loans.

As ENR's former Washington Bureau Chief, Tom Ichniowski wrote about the federal government since the George H.W. Bush administration, and covered at least five major highway bills. A recognized expert on government policy on infrastructure and regulation, Tom is also a Baltimore native and Orioles fan who grew up rooting for Brooks and Frank Robinson. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia’s graduate school of journalism, where he once used “unrelentless” in a headline.

Jeff Rubenstone is Deputy Editor for News and Technology at the Engineering News-Record. As news director of ENR he oversees the publication's news coverage, and also covers emerging technologies and innovations in the construction space. With well over a decade of experience reporting on the industry, Jeff has a broad background in engineering and construction journalism. He is based in New York City.

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