In the new round of TIGER grants announced recently, $10 million will go to the City of Birmingham, Alabama to repair its streets and build new sidewalks, bike lanes, paths and pedestrian corridors. Improvements in Pratt City, hard-hit by a tornado last year, will be the main focus of the project, called “Roads to Recovery.” U.S. Department of Transportation official and Birmingham native Dana Gresham announced the news last week along with U.S. Representative Terri Sewell and Birmingham Mayor William Bell, saying:
“The coalition of communities and organizations that have come together behind this grant is incredibly impressive… from a federal standpoint it is always extraordinarily helpful to see a large commitment from the local community, the private and public sector and the region as a whole behind one project.”
Rep. Sewell and fellow U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus were credited with advocating for the proposal, and many local donors large and small pledged to match money to the project. The University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Jefferson County Health Department and CSX railroad all lent their support. The project has also received letters of support from both business and environmental groups in the area.
For more on TIGER and other Partnership for Sustainable Communities grants, read about the TIGER grant announcement or visit www.smartgrowthamerica.org/partnership.