10-05-2017, 11:36 AM
Department of Transportation is seeking help from community members in support of a TIGER Grant for improvement of Highway 130 in the Puna District.
Is it possible to send out to our membership? There is a short turnaround, Wednesday, October 11, for submitting support letters back to Donald Smith at DOT.
Below is a letter from Don with more details.
Dear Hawaii Community and Friends,
I am in the process of applying for a TIGER Grant for Route 130, Keaau – Pahoa Road to make intersection and safety improvements from Shower Drive to Ainaloa Drive and I humbly ask for your help and support. Below is a short description from the TIGER Grant website about the program.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced the opportunity for state and local stakeholders to apply for $500 million in discretionary grant funding through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.
“The TIGER grant program is a highly competitive program whose winners will be awarded with the funding they need to rebuild the infrastructure of their communities,” said Secretary Elaine L. Chao. “TIGER grants will continue to fund innovative projects that will improve the safety of America’s passengers and goods.”
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 appropriated $500 million, available through September 30, 2020, for National Infrastructure Investments otherwise known as TIGER grants. As with previous rounds of TIGER, funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2017 TIGER grants program are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region. The FY 2017 Appropriations Act specifies that TIGER Discretionary Grants may not be less than $5 million and not greater than $25 million, except that for projects located in rural areas the minimum TIGER Discretionary Grant size is $1 million.
The selection criteria remain fundamentally the same as previous rounds of the TIGER grants program, but the description of each criterion was updated. Additionally, the FY 2017 TIGER program will give special consideration to projects which emphasize improved access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation for communities in rural areas, such as projects that improve infrastructure condition, address public health and safety, promote regional connectivity, or facilitate economic growth or competitiveness.
Given the above criteria, Route 130 in The Puna District appears to be an excellent choice for TIGER funding. It is an aggressive schedule and many people are already working hard to capitalize on this opportunity.
One very important factor is community support. It is my understanding the second most downloaded portion of the application is the support letters. I apologize in advance for the short notice, but I will need all of the letters in my office by no later than Wednesday, October 11, 2017. A scanned copy will suffice.
Please forward this request to those who would support this effort and send responses. Neighborhood Associations, Business Associations, Council Members, Representatives, and Senators, and anyone else who can help us with this opportunity to bring much needed improvements to this area. Please let me know if you have any questions and I appreciate your support.
Thanks
Donald L. Smith
Hawaii District Engineer
50 Makaala Street
Hilo, HI 86720
(808)933-8866
SEND LETTERS SCANNED IN BY EMAIL TO donald.l.smith@hawaii.gov
Is it possible to send out to our membership? There is a short turnaround, Wednesday, October 11, for submitting support letters back to Donald Smith at DOT.
Below is a letter from Don with more details.
Dear Hawaii Community and Friends,
I am in the process of applying for a TIGER Grant for Route 130, Keaau – Pahoa Road to make intersection and safety improvements from Shower Drive to Ainaloa Drive and I humbly ask for your help and support. Below is a short description from the TIGER Grant website about the program.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today announced the opportunity for state and local stakeholders to apply for $500 million in discretionary grant funding through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.
“The TIGER grant program is a highly competitive program whose winners will be awarded with the funding they need to rebuild the infrastructure of their communities,” said Secretary Elaine L. Chao. “TIGER grants will continue to fund innovative projects that will improve the safety of America’s passengers and goods.”
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 appropriated $500 million, available through September 30, 2020, for National Infrastructure Investments otherwise known as TIGER grants. As with previous rounds of TIGER, funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2017 TIGER grants program are to be awarded on a competitive basis for projects that will have a significant impact on the Nation, a metropolitan area, or a region. The FY 2017 Appropriations Act specifies that TIGER Discretionary Grants may not be less than $5 million and not greater than $25 million, except that for projects located in rural areas the minimum TIGER Discretionary Grant size is $1 million.
The selection criteria remain fundamentally the same as previous rounds of the TIGER grants program, but the description of each criterion was updated. Additionally, the FY 2017 TIGER program will give special consideration to projects which emphasize improved access to reliable, safe, and affordable transportation for communities in rural areas, such as projects that improve infrastructure condition, address public health and safety, promote regional connectivity, or facilitate economic growth or competitiveness.
Given the above criteria, Route 130 in The Puna District appears to be an excellent choice for TIGER funding. It is an aggressive schedule and many people are already working hard to capitalize on this opportunity.
One very important factor is community support. It is my understanding the second most downloaded portion of the application is the support letters. I apologize in advance for the short notice, but I will need all of the letters in my office by no later than Wednesday, October 11, 2017. A scanned copy will suffice.
Please forward this request to those who would support this effort and send responses. Neighborhood Associations, Business Associations, Council Members, Representatives, and Senators, and anyone else who can help us with this opportunity to bring much needed improvements to this area. Please let me know if you have any questions and I appreciate your support.
Thanks
Donald L. Smith
Hawaii District Engineer
50 Makaala Street
Hilo, HI 86720
(808)933-8866
SEND LETTERS SCANNED IN BY EMAIL TO donald.l.smith@hawaii.gov