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Don’t hold your breath for that long-sought pedestrian underpass beneath busy Georgia Avenue at the Forest Glen Metro Station. Or a two-way bike lane in Arlington.
Turns out the Washington region faces some stiff competition for a federal grant to build those projects plus more bike-sharing stations.
Applications for what is known as the TIGER III grants flooded the U.S. Department of Transportation, with requests from around the country totaling $14.1 billion of work even though the fund has only $527 million to give out, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Tuesday.
Regional officials, working through the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, submitted an application for $31 million worth of projects last month that would help promote development around existing transit stops, making it easier for people to walk or bike to stations.
The grant is the third round of competitive federal funding known as TIGER grants stemming from the federal stimulus package. The region won $58.8 million from the first round for bus improvements, but lost out on a grant to expand the bike-share system.
The decision on who gets the latest funds is expected to be announced by the end of the year, according to U.S. DOT, ahead of the planned February award date.
