Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced grant awards totaling $474 million for 52 transportation projects in 37 states under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recover (TIGER) 2013 discretionary grant program.  Earlier this year, DOT announced that it received 568 applications for funding totaling more than $9 billion in this latest competition round, including multiple North Carolina projects such as the Charlotte Streetcar.  Only two North Carolina projects recived TIGER grants for 2013, the details of each project are listed below.

Goldsboro

Funds from the grant will be used to complete a group of transportation projects the Goldsboro downtown area has been working on for many years.  These projects include the Gateway Transit Authority Transfer Facility, a Walnut Street Connector Block, and streetscaping improvements around Union Station and Center Street.   This project will reduce the large six-lane highway to a smaller town boulevard size and include side walks and bike lanes.

Project Highlights:

  • Total Project Cost: $21,900,000
  • Grant Funding: $10,000,000
  • Reconstructs streets in downtown Goldsboro to widen the sidewalks and medians, introduce shade trees, and install bike lanes.
  • Constructs a new Gateway Transit facility in a convenient, central location, to serve as a transfer point and administrative office for Gateway Transit Authority.
  • Completes the renovation of the City of Goldsboro’s historic Main street. corridor to address functional, aesthetic, and safety issues.

Raleigh

These grant funds will be used to help in the construction of a full multi-modal station for transit, commuter, and intercity rail service in downtown Raleigh. Funds will extend the platform to full functional length to serve passenger rail. Creation of a vehicle underpass will eliminate an at-grade crossing.   Additional work will include track improvements adjacent to the station and signal work.
Project Highlights:
  • Total Project Cost: $27,449,537
  • Grant Funding: $10,000,000
  • Increases freight capacity by reducing current interruptions in service during passenger rail service.
  • Creates economic competitiveness through the support and development of an economic corridor that reaches from Maine to Alabama and Florida.
  • Improves safety by building a vehicle underpass and removing an at-grade crossing.