Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Federal Stimulus

One More Reason to Dig TIGER: Transit and Roads on the Same Footing

Being D.C.-bound, Streetsblog Capitol Hill could only watch with interest as the U.S. DOT kicked off a transportation "listening tour" this week with four senior lawmakers in Minnesota, which has become a transit hotspot of late with the imminent construction of a new light rail line.

USDOT_Tiger___Recovery.jpg(Logo: U.S. DOT)

But a helpful source has passed along one big highlight from the Minnesota event.

When an audience member asked assistant transportation secretary Polly Trottenberg if all modes of transport could be evaluated using one cost-effectiveness standard -- remember, that's the benchmark that the Obama adminstration has knocked down from its once-prime perch when it comes to transit funding decisions -- Trottenberg replied, "We're doing exactly that with TIGER."

TIGER, short for Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery, is the stimulus law's $1.5 billion grant program aimed at funding projects based on merit alone, with roads, transit, ports and bike-ped all in the same mix.

Obama advisers have touted TIGER as a first step towards an impartial system of federal transport funding, without politically skewed formulas that benefit roads at the expense of transit. But Trottenberg's comment is the first public indication that the same standard is truly being applied inside the administration as an estimated $57 billion in TIGER applications vie for a small slice of the pie.

The White House is throwing its weight behind a new infusion for the TIGER program as the Senate crafts a new job-creation bill, expected to be released in the next couple of weeks.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Are We All Living in a ‘Carspiracy’?

How does "car-brain" shape the way we think about the world — even in relatively bike-friendly countries like the U.K.?

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines Share and Share Alike

Bikeshares, and e-bikes and scooters generally, are becoming more popular. That's led to more injuries, highlighting the need for better infrastructure.

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on With the California E-Bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague.

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 25, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts