TIGER VIII & FASTLANE grants

[CHamilton]

TIGER's eighth round to fund $500 million in grants

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced today that $500 million will be made available for transportation projects under an eighth round of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) competitive grant program.

 

[VT Hokie]

Would that be enough to rebuild the three surviving RTL-3 Turboliner sets? And if not, would Amtrak even care if they happened to disappear from the Bear, DE yard one day? I'm wondering if there's a way to pull this off!

 

[neroden]

I'm pretty sure Amtrak wouldn't care that much if the Turboliners "disappeared", but I seriously doubt that anyone could get away with it. Kind of hard to fence, y'know?

 

[afigg]

Would that be enough to rebuild the three surviving RTL-3 Turboliner sets? And if not, would Amtrak even care if they happened to disappear from the Bear, DE yard one day? I'm wondering if there's a way to pull this off!

The purpose of the TIGER grants are to fund local transportation and transit projects. Not to waste money on obsolete equipment. Don't know why Amtrak has not scrapped the Turboliners in its possession to free up the space and get some $ for the scrap value; possibly there are unsettled legal issues, or lease options on them. But those Turboliners are never coming back.

With regards to the FY16 TIGER grants, this is one of the few pots of federal funding grants that can be tapped for intercity passenger rail improvements. Amtrak did well with the FY15 awards with some useful projects getting funded. Hopefully the FY16 awards will be as useful for Amtrak.

 

[cirdan]

Would that be enough to rebuild the three surviving RTL-3 Turboliner sets? And if not, would Amtrak even care if they happened to disappear from the Bear, DE yard one day? I'm wondering if there's a way to pull this off!

The purpose of the TIGER grants are to fund local transportation and transit projects. Not to waste money on obsolete equipment. Don't know why Amtrak has not scrapped the Turboliners in its possession to free up the space and get some $ for the scrap value; possibly there are unsettled legal issues, or lease options on them. But those Turboliners are never coming back.

With regards to the FY16 TIGER grants, this is one of the few pots of federal funding grants that can be tapped for intercity passenger rail improvements. Amtrak did well with the FY15 awards with some useful projects getting funded. Hopefully the FY16 awards will be as useful for Amtrak.

Does anybody have any idea what projects have been applied for?

 

[Eric S]

According to the US DOT TIGER website, applications are not due until April 29.

 

[neroden]

I'm hoping Chicago will apply for either

(a) finishing environmental analysis of Grand Crossing

(b) partial construction of 75th Street CIP (I'm not sure which part they could apply for independently)

Vermont will probably try to get funding to accelerate the Western Route.

I expect nothing from NY, unfortunately.

 

[afigg]

I'm hoping Chicago will apply for either

(a) finishing environmental analysis of Grand Crossing

(b) partial construction of 75th Street CIP (I'm not sure which part they could apply for independently)

Vermont will probably try to get funding to accelerate the Western Route.

I expect nothing from NY, unfortunately.

No planning only grants allowed this year, same as in FY15. Congress (well, presumably the House) dropped the planning grant subset from the TIGER program with the FY15 appropriations. So CREATE can't get a TIGER grant just for completing the Alternatives and EIS phases of the Grand Crossing project. Quoting from the USDOT TIGER grant webpage: "The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, does not provide dedicated funding for the planning, preparation, or design of capital projects; however, these activities may be funded as part of an overall construction project."

However, the CREATE program has a number of projects in the EIS stages, so I think in the final year of the Obama Administration, it is likely to land $15 or $25 million towards at least one CREATE project as a going away help to Chicago.

Looking at the spreadsheet list of the FY2015 applications, I don't see any from NY DOT or local governments that appear to be related to improvements to the Empire corridor. So, yea, under Cuomo, it is likely that the state DOT won't be applying for a FY16 TIGER grant for a project for improvements to the western Empire corridor.

At least 20% of the $500 million, ie $100 million, has to go to rural projects, same percentage as FY15. Which helps the prospects for VT, ME, and the SWC Raton pass segment to land grants again.

 

[afigg]

The TIGER application deadline was April 29. Besides the Southwest Chief route application, I have seen little on what Amtrak related projects states and local agencies submitted applications for this year. A short Google search did not turn up much.

There is another new grant program in the transportation authorization, FASTLANE, that has $800 million to award. It is focused on improvement projects for freight and good transportation, so it can't be used for Amtrak directly from what I can see. But it can be used for railroad freight route projects, including grade crossing separations. Congress really stretched the name, Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies to get the FASTLANE acronym or shorthand name. US DOT website for FASTLANE program.

I thought I would mention it here as FASTLANE had a April 14, 2016 application deadline and is a grant program that may be used for various freight railroad improvement and grade crossing separation projects that will also benefit parts of the Amtrak network. Wouldn't be surprised if some state agencies submitted nearly identical applications to both FASTLANE and TIGER to improve the odds of getting funding. US DOT issued a press release today about the many applications they received. Railway Age: FASTLANE Grant Applications Totaling Nearly $9.8 Billion.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has received 212 applications totaling nearly $9.8 billion for grants through the newly-created Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies (FASTLANE) grant program.

Another grant program gets over a 10:1 ratio in applications for funds available, in this case 13:1. Whenever the awards are announced, I think it may make sense to list any that appear to be relevant to Amtrak in the current TIGER thread rather to have a separate thread on it.

With the TIGER VIII April 29 deadline, will probably see a news release on the total number of applications and amounts requested for TIGER grants in the next several weeks.

 

[neroden]

I wish we had a governor who wasn't brain-damaged here in NY, but it looks like we may have to wait through several more election cycles for that.

Andrew Cuomo was a big automobile fanatic as a kid. *When they still used leaded gasoline*. I think it explains his general stupidity...

 

[Palmetto]

Andrew Cuomo has given his blessing to a few significant projects in New York, and poor Mayor DeBlasio has been left to look on.

 

[TylerP42]

I truly hope Cleveland gets one.

 

[Andrew]

Andrew Cuomo has given his blessing to a few significant projects in New York, and poor Mayor DeBlasio has been left to look on.

Governor Cuomo has given his blessing to Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, and the Gateway Project as well. Check out: https://www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/governors-senators-announce-agreement-that-paves-the-way-for-gateway-tunnel-project-to-proceed-full-steam-ahead

 

[Palmetto]

Andrew Cuomo has given his blessing to a few significant projects in New York, and poor Mayor DeBlasio has been left to look on.

Governor Cuomo has given his blessing to Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, and the Gateway Project as well. Check out: https://www.schumer.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/governors-senators-announce-agreement-that-paves-the-way-for-gateway-tunnel-project-to-proceed-full-steam-ahead

Not to mention re-doing Penn Station.

 

[afigg]

Andrew Cuomo has given his blessing to a few significant projects in New York, and poor Mayor DeBlasio has been left to look on.

Yes, Governor Cuomo has given his support for the Second Ave subway Phase 2 project, LIRR main line 3rd track, Metro-North to NYP with new stations in the Bronx, fully funding the MTA five year capital plan, and NY's share of the NEC Gateway project. The catch is that he has said little about NY State or the MTA will pay for the projects other than having the MTA and the state load up on debt.

But this thread is about the FY2016 TIGER grant program, not Cuomo. Did NYS DOT or others submit any TIGER applications for station or track projects on the Empire corridor or the Adirondack route north of SCH? Or FASTLANE grant applications for that matter in coordination with CSX? Not a lot of news this year on who submitted TIGER grant applications this year for projects on Amtrak routes.

 

[edjbox]

When will the TIGER and FASTLANE grant winners be announced?

 

[Palmetto]

Or is there at least a list of applications / applicants? GOOGLE brings up nothing.

 

[afigg]

When will the TIGER and FASTLANE grant winners be announced?

Grant award announcements would likely be in early/mid-September to mid-October timeframe. Sometime before the November elections so the Senators, Representatives, and state & local politicians can issue press releases or have press conferences taking credit for getting the funding for their state/district/etc. Whether they supported the TIGER grant program or not...

Or is there at least a list of applications / applicants? GOOGLE brings up nothing.

Would not expect a condensed list of FY2016 applications to be posted until well after the award selections are announced. The US DOT TIGER program website has a link on the right side under TIGER Application List to a spreadsheet with a summary of all the applications received for FY2009 through FY2015.

 

[afigg]

US DOT has posted a news release with the numbers for the 2016 TIGER grant applications: Communities Across America Seek $9.3 Billion in Transportation Funding. Starting excerpt:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today announced that the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program has received 585 applications from across the country totaling $9.3 billion in requested funding – over 18 times more than the $500 million that will be awarded. Now in its eighth year, the TIGER program has continued to attract overwhelming demand from communities of all sizes, with 337 applications coming from urban areas and 248 from rural communities. The high level of interest underscores the continued need for transportation investment nationwide.

So as in prior years, applications asking for vastly more funds than are available. Of the 585 applications, likely only 40 to 50 will get selected and of those, many will get only part of what they requested.

 

[CHamilton]

$165 million FASTLANE grant for Virginia

 

[afigg]

The $165 million FASTLANE grant award to Virginia is significant for passenger rail. The VDOT Atlantic Gateway plan is a mix of highway, toll road, and rail projects, mostly in the Northern Virginia region, adding up to over a billion dollars. Virginia was seeking $200 million, got $165 million, but the state likely has enough resources to make up the $35 million.

Gov. McAuliffe talked about the request for federal funding last week which was covered in a Washington Post article which had some additional information on the rail projects: McAuliffe hoping to lock in federal grant for big road, rail projects. The major rail projects or components relevant to Amtrak include:

• Advancing a Phase 1 of the Long Bridge replacement project
• Adding a 4th track from the Potomac River through Alexandria to AF interlocking
• Adding approx 8 miles of 3rd track from Franconia-Springfield to north of the Occoquan River
• Buying the CSX S-Line from Petersburg to the NC border to secure the ROW for the Virginia part of the Petersburg to Raleigh SEHSR corridor.

Since the VA Commonwealth Transportation Board has already approved Atlantic Gateway project, I suspect the 4th track in Alexandria and the 3rd track south of Franconia-Springfield could be done in the next 4-5 years. The Long Bridge replacement will likely be done in the early to mid-2020s.

Now we will see if there are any other 2016 FASTLANE grant awards that can benefit Amtrak routes.

 

[edjbox]

Anyone have a link to all of the FASTLANE grants from the DOT?

 

[afigg]

Anyone have a link to all of the FASTLANE grants from the DOT?

I don't expect US DOT will post a full list of the FASTLANE grants for another day or so. There is a sequence for grant award announcements such as this. First the winning states and local governments are informed; the Senators, Representatives, Governors, local and state politicians then put out press releases and get articles with their names prominently mentioned in the local press and media. Once that news cycle has played out, then the US DOT will post a press release with a link listing all the grant awards.

So far, with a search, turned up a $90 million grant to the National Park Service for the Arlington Memorial Bridge across the Potomac (bridge is in bad shape and the NPS has a huge backlog of unfunded infrastructure maintenance & replacement projects across the US) and two highway projects, in Lousiana and Arizona.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

The $165 million FASTLANE grant award to Virginia is significant for passenger rail. ... Virginia was seeking $200 million, got $165 million, but the state likely has enough resources to make up the $35 million.

... components relevant to Amtrak include:

• Advancing a Phase 1 of the Long Bridge replacement project
• Adding a 4th track from the Potomac River through Alexandria to AF interlocking
• Adding approx 8 miles of 3rd track from Franconia-Springfield to north of the Occoquan River
• Buying the CSX S-Line from Petersburg to the NC border to secure the ROW for the Virginia part of the Petersburg to Raleigh SEHSR corridor.

Buying the CSX line is very significant. I'm tempted to say its huuuge. Hard to see either NC or VA spending any money on the route until they own it, as per the plan.

Virginia's $35 million shortfall between the 'ask' and the 'get' could also be fixed with a second, small grant. Probably not all the projects are 'shovel-ready' and won't be much delayed if the money comes next year, or even the next.

I doubt if the feds trimmed the request because parts of it were unworthy. Surely the feds wanted to spread the money around many states and Congressional districts to sustain political support for FASTLANE funding in the next appropriation.

 

[kmock]

The best map I could find for this is here: https://www.fampo.gwregion.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/State_of_Virginia_Atlantic_Gateway.pdf. Anyone else find anything better? I couldn't find an official webpage for the project.