Tiger funding boost for US ports

The US Department of Transportation is to provide $600m for 72 transportation projects in 46 states and the District of Columbia through its 2014 TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program.

Modernising: Seattle's T46 has been awarded a welcome funding fix

Port Newark, Norfolk International Terminals, Port of Seattle and Seward Marine Terminal will all benefit from this year’s TIGER grants.

Seattle is to receive $20m to develop its Terminal 46 (pictured), while Virginia’s Norfolk International Terminal will get $15m for its planned intermodal gate complex. A further $14.8m is heading to Newark to expand the terminal and improve access, while project planning for Seward Marine Terminal will get a $2.5m shot in the arm.

The seven projects that are classed as maritime amount for $74m, or approximately 13% of the total funds. This year’s programme was 15 times oversubscribed, with 585 more applications than in 2013.

“As uncertainty about the future of long-term federal funding continues, this round of TIGER will be a shot in the arm for these innovative, job-creating and quality of life-enhancing projects,” said US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “For every project we select, however, we must turn dozens more away – projects that could be getting done if Congress passed the GROW AMERICA Act, which would double the funding available for TIGER and growing the number of projects we could support.”