2021 INFRA Grants (the grants formerly known as TIGER (and BUILD))

[kermit]

USDOT put out a call for this year's small discretionary grants to cities and states (this year known as INFRA: Infrastructure for Rebuilding America). The total program budget is still small ($889) million, but there is a program that will encourage some unfunded proposals to get a TIFA loan for 49% of project costs. This year's allocations will certainly be more urban than they have been over the past four years and the goal of the grant program is to:

Quote

create infrastructure projects that result in good-paying jobs, improve safety, apply transformative technology, and explicitly address climate change and racial equity. 

For the first time, the USDOT seeks INFRA projects that address climate change and environmental justice. Projects will be evaluated on whether they were planned as part of a comprehensive strategy to address climate change, or whether they support strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as deploying zero-emission-vehicle infrastructure or encouraging modal shift and a reduction in vehicle-miles-traveled.

https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/financing/infra-grants/infrastructure-rebuilding-america

Seems like a good opportunity for Charlotte to package its Greenway program as a broader climate change and mode shift initiative, rather than the recreational focus that (I perceived, perhaps mistakenly) it had. I would think that trail and protected bike lane projects to the North (Stewart Creek to Hoskins, Beatties Ford and the North End area) might be well received by the program. 

Better ped and bike connections over the NS yard and N Tryon are certainly needed and might also be well received.

What other area projects might fit into the program? Remember these are intended to be small grants so things like commuter rail to Gastonia won't fly.

Edited February 18, 2021 by kermit

[Hushpuppy321]

I hope that folks with CATS & CDOT know about this.  I wonder if this could also be used to help fund not only the Greenways but also the Rail Trail Bridge over I-277 and the Publix Station Construction on the Blue Line or better yet - expanding the existing Blue-Line Stations to fit Three (3) Car Trains.

[jjwilli]

Greenways as transit routes would be great. Would the new Park and Ride stations up 77 express route be eligible? I wonder if some quick hit projects like that up North could lead to more support from the north towns for the overall transit plan. 

And is the cross Charlotte trail bridge over Independence dead? I know they applied for the TIGER grant in the past with that cool design.

[JHart]

12 hours ago, jjwilli said:

And is the cross Charlotte trail bridge over Independence dead? I know they applied for the TIGER grant in the past with that cool design.

The separated greenway bridge is dead. They are connecting it along 10th street and it will cross Independence on the Central Ave. bridge. Should be done later this year!

https://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/XCLT7thto10th.asp

Edited February 19, 2021 by JHart

[Nathan2]

If the city is going to continue building bike lanes separated by plastic bollards on busy roads they need to figure out a way to keep cars from running them over and leaving the lanes totally in disrepair. The plaza bike lane is constantly covered in filth and the E 12th street bike lane is almost always unusable. They need a more permanent solution. 

[kermit]

NC gets nothing this year…

https://twitter.com/enrnews/status/1410299643871825923?s=21

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by kermit

[Blue_Devil]

4 minutes ago, kermit said:

NC gets nothing this year…

https://twitter.com/enrnews/status/1410299643871825923?s=21

 

 

 

How can the whole state get nothing... really?

[CLT2014]

Press release says prioritized funding to rural areas and improving local economies to create jobs. Looking through the list of winners, almost all of the dollars are going to coastal and inland port improvements, interstates, and critical bridges at the end of their useful life. There were two projects that are corridor "improvements." Nothing like a greenway won money. Very little to bikes either. Mainly big commerce.

Edited June 30, 2021 by CLT2014

[Nick2]

Until they get that massive infrastructure bill passed, I think they'll continue prioritizing the big stuff. Things that'll improve economic conditions and make/save money.

[kermit]

The just passed Infrastructure Bill contains $100 billion in discretionary funds for the DOT — this is a HUGE increase from the TIGER and TIGER like programs in the past. It sounds like they will continue to emphasize small projects with the cash.

I genuinely hope that city and state leadership can surprise me and step up and submit some worthwhile applications for innovative projects. Our swing state status and democratic gov really improve our competitiveness for these funds. 

Unfortunately I think this will be yet another case of the city squabbling and twiddling thumbs instead of developing useful plans and strategies to accommodate our growth and housing cost problems. Traiq’s recent arson of our mobility plan being exhibit one.

Edit: I would bet that vision zero / greenway / bike infrastructure projects will be particularly well received in Washington.

Edited November 6, 2021 by kermit

[jjwilli]

The least they could do is submit a few greenway projects, right? Not sure how “transformative” these projects need to be but I’d love to see the Irwin Creek Greenway gap from West Blvd to Wesley Heights completed. 

[kermit]

48 minutes ago, jjwilli said:

The least they could do is submit a few greenway projects, right? Not sure how “transformative” these projects need to be but I’d love to see the Irwin Creek Greenway gap from West Blvd to Wesley Heights completed. 

Just guessing but I suspect that individual greenways proposals probably won’t get much attention, but efforts to build connections which will create bike and ped networks / commuter routes will do much better.

Edited November 6, 2021 by kermit

[kermit]

Too lazy to create a new thread for the 2022 RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant awards (formerly known as TIGER and BUILD grants). This year had $2.2 bullion in awards (amount enhanced with infrastructure bill money) and awards were made to 166 projects.  The Charlotte metro area got.....

.... nothing.

While I don't want to suggest that we should score big in every grant cycle, I will say that as a rapidly growing metro, in a swing state, we should probably be doing better than average in this annual competition. I don't know if Charlotte planners put in any applications this year, but god knows we have a huge list of needs, particularly for bike infrastructure (e.g. funding gaps on the cross Charlotte trail). I kinda fear this is yet another indication that Charlotte's planners are kinda overwhelmed, perhaps poorly led, or hamstrung by whatever seems to be hamstringing public projects in town. I am disappointed -- I really can't point to anything positive emerging from planners in Charlotte over the past couple of years (Silver Line LPA and a few short cycle track sections are the only things that come to mind).

The list of awards is here. Road construction saw far too much money IMO (they are supposed to have their own dedicated revenue stream after all)

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-08/RAISE 2022 Award Fact Sheets.pdf

NC did OK:

• Port of Wilmington got $18 million to improve and update their rail intermodal apron. No indication if this is being planned to accommodate a new rail bridge over the Cape Fear, but it will create additional rail carloads blocking streets all across town. 
• NCDOT got $10 million to rebuild 28(ish) road bridges in western NC
• Elizabeth City got $2 million for a 3.6 mile multi-use path
• the town of Wake Forest (?) got $3.4 million for "planning mobility hubs along the S-Line" (not sure why the Town of Wake Forest got cash for planning in Sanford, Apex, Youngsville, Franklinton, Henderson and Norlina)
• Winston-Salem got $6 million for a 1.2 mile trail extension along the rail corridor to 25th st
• NCDOT got $20 million for a complete street transformation in Rutherfordton and Spindale

Edited August 11, 2022 by kermit

[kayman]

As someone who has worked in transportation planning for a long time, one thing that is an unspoken rule about the federal government has about discretionary grants is that they don't give one area multiple ones in a short time. Charlotte has been awarded 2 discretionary grants already in the past 12 months both going to CATS (1 for the CTC redevelopment and mixed use towers and another for furthering BRT planning across the CATS service area footprint). Another consequence of the Charlotte area planning is nearly all of the major regional transportation planning are controlled by the City of Charlotte instead of actual independent, regional transportation planning entities (a regional transit authority and an independent metropolitan planning organization) with responsibilities separate from the auspices of the COC City Council's political influence.  Unfortunately, the federal government seems to see that everything locally until things changes as all the City of Charlotte in paper as the applicant as the sole applicant. This notion adds to this bias of not wanting to award multiple discretionary grants to the entity, the City of Charlotte, in this case. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by kayman

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

Atlanta metro got 2 $25m projects. It helps when you have 2 forward thinking senators (doesn't hurt to be in the presidents party, or the two who decided the majority admittedly), but once again NC doesn't prioritize CLT. 

[JRCLT]

As someone who has worked in transportation planning for a long time, one thing that is an unspoken rule about the federal government has about discretionary grants is that they don't give one area multiple ones in a short time. Charlotte has been awarded 2 discretionary grants already in the past 12 months both going to CATS (1 for the CTC redevelopment and mixed use towers and another for furthering BRT planning across the CATS service area footprint). Another consequence of the Charlotte area planning is nearly all of the major regional transportation planning are controlled by the City of Charlotte instead of actual independent, regional transportation planning entities (a regional transit authority and an independent metropolitan planning organization) with responsibilities separate from the auspices of the COC City Council's political influence.  Unfortunately, the federal government seems to see that everything locally until things changes as all the City of Charlotte in paper as the applicant as the sole applicant. This notion adds to this bias of not wanting to award multiple discretionary grants to the entity, the City of Charlotte, in this case. 

Don’t see how them (CATS) being separated from COC would change the fact that it would help them get more grants. Unless you mean CATS should become an Metro transportation authority with operations in most of the metro cities and towns. Then isn’t that still giving one area multiple grants in short span anyways? Simply because it’s not directly to a city and instead a separate authority presiding over a larger area.

[AirNostrumMAD]

6 hours ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

Atlanta metro got 2 $25m projects. It helps when you have 2 forward thinking senators (doesn't hurt to be in the presidents party, or the two who decided the majority admittedly), but once again NC doesn't prioritize CLT. 

DC region got several totaling $60M. In addition to the $50M awarded in July for Dulles airport terminal expansion. 
 

I think you’re right on N.C. not prioritizing Charlotte. Which is sort of evident from the first round of Infrastructure bill funding. And even then, it seems like the majority of money is simply going to highway and bridges. If you follow Buttigieg, he’s said many times they’re prioritizing projects that can get enough federal $’s to start transformative projects that are sustainable, equitable green and rebuilds neighborhoods that were cut off by highways. 

[kayman]

8 hours ago, JeanClt said:

Don’t see how them (CATS) being separated from COC would change the fact that it would help them get more grants. Unless you mean CATS should become an Metro transportation authority with operations in most of the metro cities and towns. Then isn’t that still giving one area multiple grants in short span anyways? Simply because it’s not directly to a city and instead a separate authority presiding over a larger area.

Huh?

There would because CATS or a regional public transit would be an ACTUAL, independent, metropolitan transit authority not an entity of the City of Charlotte (COC).  

The reason why many of things are stagnant outside of the COC is because the COC wants to control everything with little to not regard to outside input.

If you want more highly competitive proposals then we must get more regional buy-in possibly multiple local funding sources from the surrounding counties, and even possibly the 2 South Carolina counties (York and Lancaster). Furthermore, the federal government looks at the competitiveness of discretionary grants applications by the ability to pool together regional resources of funding to elevate and the level of regional impact rather than looking like one jurisdiction is doing everything for itself.

Regionalism is key to be more competitive for Charlotte with discretionary grants.

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by kayman

[kayman]

12 hours ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

DC region got several totaling $60M. In addition to the $50M awarded in July for Dulles airport terminal expansion. 
 

I think you’re right on N.C. not prioritizing Charlotte. Which is sort of evident from the first round of Infrastructure bill funding. And even then, it seems like the majority of money is simply going to highway and bridges. If you follow Buttigieg, he’s said many times they’re prioritizing projects that can get enough federal $’s to start transformative projects that are sustainable, equitable green and rebuilds neighborhoods that were cut off by highways. 

Yeah, NC (because of the NCGOP-led,  General Assembly) doesn't want to support an increasingly racially diverse, growing place like Charlotte. It doesn't fit their narrative nor base of support. 

18 hours ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

Atlanta metro got 2 $25m projects. It helps when you have 2 forward thinking senators (doesn't hurt to be in the presidents party, or the two who decided the majority admittedly), but once again NC doesn't prioritize CLT. 

Actually, the Atlanta area only got one (the one for the Five Points MARTA transit station).  Athens is apart of the Atlanta CSA, & basically what Hickory is to Charlotte.  The Athens project is a complete streets project. 

Fun fact: the many discretionary grant funded projects awarded to the Atlanta area in the past 4 years were the MARTA Clayton County BRT study and the MARTA Summerhill BRT project. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by kayman

[AirNostrumMAD]

44 minutes ago, kayman said:

Huh?

There would because CATS or a regional public transit would be an ACTUAL, independent, metropolitan transit authority not an entity of the City of Charlotte (COC).  

The reason why many of things are stagnant outside of the COC is because the COC wants to control everything with little to not regard to outside input.

If you want more highly competitive proposals then we must get more regional buy-in possibly multiple local funding sources from the surrounding counties, and even possibly the 2 South Carolina counties (York and Lancaster). Furthermore, the federal government looks at the competitiveness of discretionary grants applications by the ability to pool together regional resources of funding to elevate and the level of regional impact rather than looking like one jurisdiction is doing everything for itself.

Regionalism is key to be more competitive.

 

To be fair, the surrounding counties are so red and there is a lot of contention, I think, with some surrounding counties and Mecklenburg. The politics don't mesh well with Charlotte.  Particularly we saw this flair up when GOP had their redistribution of wealth bill that pit Meck versus the surrounding counties. Or the Airport Authority drama. Unfortunately mass transit & sustainability is a partisan issue in most places. 

If Mecklenburg had the neighbors that Wake does, regional cooperation would work better probably. Metrolina is way more blue-collar red than the Triangle which is fairly liberal.

 

Edit: And agreed to your last post.

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by AirNostrumMAD

[kayman]

5 hours ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

To be fair, the surrounding counties are so red and there is a lot of contention, I think, with some surrounding counties and Mecklenburg. The politics don't mesh well with Charlotte.  Particularly we saw this flair up when GOP had their redistribution of wealth bill that pit Meck versus the surrounding counties. Or the Airport Authority drama. Unfortunately mass transit & sustainability is a partisan issue in most places. 

If Mecklenburg had the neighbors that Wake does, regional cooperation would work better probably. Metrolina is way more red than the Triangle which is fairly liberal.

 

Edit: And agreed to your last post.

 

Well, Cabarrus (and Gaston too) will be a swing county before this decade is over. The demographics shows trending purple towards more blue and non-white. Concord has shown serious interest in investing in more public transit. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by kayman

[kermit]

Thread title is out of date (again), and I failed to note what Charlotte applied for this year, but...

The 2023 RAISE (the funding formerly known as TIGER) grants have been awarded

NC got:

• Brevard (area) $24.5 million for a 19 mile shared use trail along the former NS tracks
• Charlotte (Sugar Creek) $12 million for "mobility hubs" a 3.5 mile shared use path and crossing improvements along W. Sugar Creek
• Raleigh $10 million for a paratransit maintenance facility
• 12 rural counties (including Rowan): $9 million Various pedestrian improvements (missing sidewalks, crossings, etc.)
• Lumberton $8.6 million: 2.1 miles of complete streets
• Chapel Hill: $1 million: Feasibility study for 25 miles of Greenway / Ped infrastructure

While the Sugar Creek project isn't nothing (its gets props for better connecting Hidden Valley to the Blue Line), I am once again dismayed by the lack of ambition and action by the city of Charlotte. Given our growth rates and political significance as the largest urban area in a swing state we really should be doing better in these competitions (IMO). The biggest part of the blame lies with the city, blame also goes to our house and senate members for not advocating on our behalf (but they can only work with what they are given by the city).

I increasingly feel like local micro-transit / ped / bike improvements must be done via guerrilla urbanism (the bus benches were a good start but its time to ramp that up)

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-06/RAISE 2023 Fact Sheets_0.pdf

Edit: This is what I am talking about -->

 

 

 

Edited June 28 by kermit

[nicholas]

I feel like that's been a consistent trend for a while now...a general malaise and lack of ambition from the City of Charlotte.  Wasn't there a report not too long ago saying that we're missing like 250 miles worth of sidewalks throughout the city?  It feels almost incomprehensible to be so far behind in that regard, and only land 3.5 miles worth through grants.  Although to be fair the Sugar Creek project will be a significant upgrade for that corridor (even though the multi-use path ends at Tryon St instead of continuing to the Blue Line , hopefully that last segment will be connected before too long due to all the planned redevelopment). 

I seriously wonder if long-completed projects, such as the East Blvd road diet, would even be considered by current leadership if they hadn't been done previously.  I'm struggling to think of a recent notable infrastructure project other than greenways, and we're still somehow seemingly a long ways off from finally seeing a Rail Trail bridge over 277.

[AirNostrumMAD]

55 minutes ago, nicholas said:

I feel like that's been a consistent trend for a while now...a general malaise and lack of ambition from the City of Charlotte.  Wasn't there a report not too long ago saying that we're missing like 250 miles worth of sidewalks throughout the city?  It feels almost incomprehensible to be so far behind in that regard, and only land 3.5 miles worth through grants.  Although to be fair the Sugar Creek project will be a significant upgrade for that corridor (even though the multi-use path ends at Tryon St instead of continuing to the Blue Line , hopefully that last segment will be connected before too long due to all the planned redevelopment). 

I seriously wonder if long-completed projects, such as the East Blvd road diet, would even be considered by current leadership if they hadn't been done previously.  I'm struggling to think of a recent notable infrastructure project other than greenways, and we're still somehow seemingly a long ways off from finally seeing a Rail Trail bridge over 277.

Charlotte does seem to be getting notably small to no grants the last couple of years. Even compared to various (even small) cities in the Carolina’s.

But exactly what voters have a problem with Charlotte’s trajectory? There’s almost zero upside in cheesing off the vehicle crowd of voters and the voters who would be receptive to such developments are already perfectly happy with the status quo. 

There seems to only be downsides to pursuing more urban infrastructure or ambitious goals or bigger gains in greenway & biking infrastructure until the voters demand it. And we need to expand that pro-urbanity benefits the entire city, not just a couple areas that that average Charlottean doesn’t care about (SouthEnd/Uptown). We can’t have policy based on 30,000 people in a city of over 700,000. Bike infrastructure, sidewalks, Safer crosswalks, more greenways etc benefit everyone from Highland Creek to Steele Creek. Focusing on uptown & SouthEnd is a hobby; not urban policy. 

Im going to have to have to vote as Charlotte voters being the biggest problem followed by the city followed by the state GOP (as I’ve mentioned in other threads, the NC democrats have plans drafted and ready to go to drastically change the course of NC and it’s policies that would infuse billions in mass transit and other pro-urban policies). 
 

Edited June 28 by AirNostrumMAD

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

Thread title is out of date (again), and I failed to note what Charlotte applied for this year, but...

The 2023 RAISE (the funding formerly known as TIGER) grants have been awarded

NC got:

• Brevard (area) $24.5 million for a 19 mile shared use trail along the former NS tracks
• Charlotte (Sugar Creek) $12 million for "mobility hubs" a 3.5 mile shared use path and crossing improvements along W. Sugar Creek
• Raleigh $10 million for a paratransit maintenance facility
• 12 rural counties (including Rowan): $9 million Various pedestrian improvements (missing sidewalks, crossings, etc.)
• Lumberton $8.6 million: 2.1 miles of complete streets
• Chapel Hill: $1 million: Feasibility study for 25 miles of Greenway / Ped infrastructure

While the Sugar Creek project isn't nothing (its gets props for better connecting Hidden Valley to the Blue Line), I am once again dismayed by the lack of ambition and action by the city of Charlotte. Given our growth rates and political significance as the largest urban area in a swing state we really should be doing better in these competitions (IMO). The biggest part of the blame lies with the city, blame also goes to our house and senate members for not advocating on our behalf (but they can only work with what they are given by the city).

I increasingly feel like local micro-transit / ped / bike improvements must be done via guerrilla urbanism (the bus benches were a good start but its time to ramp that up)

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-06/RAISE 2023 Fact Sheets_0.pdf

Edit: This is what I am talking about -->

 

 

 

Tbh Alma Adams isn't from Charlotte and hasn't done much for Charlotte since her district shifted southward. 

Atlanta got a huge portion of the Beltline funded bc of Nikema Williams' advocacy.