TIGER Grant
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| TIGER Grant | |
|---|---|
| Name | TIGER Grant |
| Established | 2009 |
| Administered by | United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration |
| Funding | Discretionary multimodal transportation grants |
| Country | United States |
TIGER Grant
The TIGER Grant program was a competitive discretionary grant initiative launched in 2009 to fund multimodal surface transportation projects across the United States. It aimed to support capital investments in roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and intermodal facilities to stimulate economic growth, improve safety, and enhance connectivity in urban and rural areas. TIGER Grants were administered through federal agencies and coordinated with state, county, and municipal partners, engaging stakeholders like transit agencies, port authorities, and railroads.
History
The program originated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and was championed by figures in the United States Congress and the Administration of Barack Obama seeking rapid infrastructure investment following the Great Recession. Early rounds mirrored priorities from entities such as the United States Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration, and built on precedent from programs like the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. Over successive authorizations, the program evolved through interactions with the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and budget offices within the Office of Management and Budget. Later initiatives and reauthorizations reflected priorities echoed in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act deliberations and influenced proposals in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act discussions.
Program Overview
TIGER operated as a competitive discretionary grant program offering funds for capital projects that provided significant regional or national benefits. Administration involved program guidance from the United States Department of Transportation, oversight by the Government Accountability Office, and coordination with metropolitan planning organizations such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Awards required compliance with environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and alignment with planning documents developed by bodies like the Metropolitan Planning Organization network and state departments including the California Department of Transportation and the New York State Department of Transportation. Evaluation criteria referenced economic analyses used by agencies including the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the United States Army Corps of Engineers for port and waterway projects.
Eligible Projects and Applicants
Eligible applicants encompassed a wide array of public and quasi-public entities: state departments of transportation, county governments such as Los Angeles County, city governments like Chicago, transit authorities including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), port authorities such as the Port of Los Angeles, railroads including Amtrak, and tribal governments including the Navajo Nation. Projects ranged from bridge replacement and highway rehabilitation to transit expansion, freight rail improvements, port modernization, and intermodal freight facilities serving corridors like the I-95 Corridor Coalition and the Pacific Northwest Freight Corridor. Examples of eligible project types paralleled work by organizations like the Association of American Railroads and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Funding and Grant Process
Grants were awarded through competitive solicitations published by the United States Department of Transportation, with applications evaluated by technical panels and senior leadership including Secretaries and undersecretaries. Funding rounds allocated varying sums, with notable appropriations from stimulus legislation and annual budgets shaped in negotiations involving the United States Congress, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Senate Appropriations Committee. Recipients entered grant agreements outlining cost-sharing requirements, reporting metrics, and milestones monitored by the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation and CFO offices. Financial structures often leveraged matching funds from state treasuries, municipal bonds underwritten by firms regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and private investments from firms like BNSF Railway or CSX Transportation in public–private partnership arrangements.
Impact and Notable Projects
TIGER-funded initiatives included high-profile investments that reshaped urban mobility and freight efficiency. Examples included multimodal corridor projects in metropolitan regions such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, port expansions at the Port of Seattle and the Port of Long Beach, and rail modernization projects involving Amtrak and commuter rail operators like the Port Authority Trans-Hudson system. The program supported projects that connected to national freight routes like the National Highway System and enhanced links to aviation hubs including Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Independent analyses from institutions like the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute cited TIGER investments for catalyzing regional development, while case studies from the National Academy of Sciences highlighted measurable benefits in congestion relief and freight throughput.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics targeted TIGER's discretionary nature, arguing selection processes could be politicized by members of the United States Congress and executive branch priorities, mirroring concerns raised in debates over the earmarks controversies and partisan appropriations disputes in the 1990s. Transparency advocates, including groups like the Transportation Research Board critics and watchdogs cited by the Government Accountability Office, questioned consistency in metrics and long-term performance measurement. Some state agencies, such as those in Texas and Florida, argued grant selection favored urban projects over rural corridors, echoing tensions seen in debates over the Federal Aid Highway Act allocations. Legal challenges and audit findings brought scrutiny from the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation and fueled legislative proposals within the United States Congress to reform discretionary grant frameworks.