BeltLine Among Southeast Winners of $73.6M in TIGER Grants

Six Southeast projects collectively won roughly $73.6 million in federal funding when the U.S. Dept. of Transportation recently announced its latest round of TIGER grants. Among the recipients in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, the city of Atlanta received the single largest grant, of $18 million, to fund development of the Atlanta BeltLine’s 2.5-mile-long southwest corridor project.

Image courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The U.S. DOT awarded an $18-million grant to the city of Atlanta for development of the BeltLine's $2.5-mile-long southwest corridor project, estimated at $43 million overall.

Image courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Transportation

The city of Raleigh, N.C., won a $10-million grant to help fund construction of a $73-million downtown passenger rail station.

The BeltLine project includes the construction of shared use trails, trailheads and access points, and the preservation of a future streetcar corridor, according to the city. The project—with a total estimated cost of $43 million—also will include construction of a 14 ft-wide concrete trail, lighting, utilities and retaining walls.

"We are extremely grateful to the U.S. DOT for this opportunity to deliver such a significant part of the Atlanta BeltLine in southwest Atlanta years ahead of schedule,” Paul Morris, president and CEO of Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., said in a press statement.

The Florida Dept. of Transportation took home the next-biggest Southeast grant, $13.75 million for South Florida freight and passenger rail enhancements.

Also, the city of Raleigh, N.C., was given a $10-million grant towards construction of a $73-million downtown passenger train station. The North Carolina Dept. of Transportation is currently planning to start construction by early 2015.

Florida International University, Miami, won funding of nearly $11.4 million for its $123.8-million University City Prosperity project. According to FIU’s web site, the project—which will use intelligent transportation system technology—will create new streets between two sections of the campus, and will add street improvements and campus walkways. The TIGER grant will be used to construct a pedestrian bridge.

Additionally, federal funds are going to a pair of Southeast street improvement projects, with the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization, Cape Coral, Fla., receiving $10.5-million, and the City of Goldsboro, N.C., $10 million.

In all, U.S. DOT awarded $474 million in grants to 52 projects in 37 states.

Scott Judy is Deputy Editor for Regions, and editor of ENR Southeast, one of Engineering News-Record's 10 Regional publications. His roughly 27 years as a construction journalist began with an 11-year stint covering Midwest construction projects. In 2000, Judy helped launch the publication now known as ENR Southeast. He often delves into controversial aspects of the construction industry such as bankruptcies and fatal accidents, and wishes he would never have to cover another accident but suspects that he might.