Major Funding Announcement in Omaha: Omaha's TIGER Grant Award

From Left: Mokhtee Ahmad; Regional Administrator for Region 7, Federal Transit Administration, Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, HUD Omaha Field Office Director Earl Redrick.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx announced in Omaha, a Transportation Investment Generation Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant award for the Central Omaha Bus Rapid Transit Project (BRT).

Metro is one of 72 grants awarded across the country through the highly competitive 2014 TIGER grant program. In total, the U.S. Department of Transportation received 797 applications from 49 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

At the afternoon ceremony, Secretary Foxx was joined by Metro's Executive Director Curt Simon, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, Omaha Field Office Director Earl Redrick and several other state and local officials in making the announcement.

"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 Secretary Foxx. "This TIGER investment will improve transit service on Omaha's busiest transit route, contributing to the economic redevelopment of the Midtown Crossing area, and creating thousands of jobs now and long into the future." The BRT will extend from Westroads to Downtown via Dodge and Farnam Streets.

Curt Simon, Executive Director of Metro Transit said, "The TIGER grant will help construct an eight-mile BRT system offering enhanced urban arterial transit service with upgraded passenger amenities for convenience and comfort and infrastructure improvements to improve speed and reliability."

Construction of the BRT is projected to generate an additional $450 million in development, serve as a catalyst for infill development, and create 1,200 new long-term jobs.

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