Federal grant awards U.S. 95 northern Idaho project $7.4 million in TIGER funds

The Idaho Transportation Department was awarded $7.4 million in federal funding to complete the U.S. 95 Worley North Stage project in north Idaho. The award represents 80 percent of the overall $9.25 million needed to complete the project. The grant was awarded on an 80/20 match basis.

The project was one of 72 in 46 states awarded Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, funding by the U.S. Department of Transportation for 2014 on Sept. 12. A total of $600 million was awarded nationwide. The grants will support more than $2 billion in projects.

The Idaho funding will be used to upgrade a 2.75-mile segment of U.S. 95, which will complete a 15-year, $190 million project to improve traffic flow and safety along a 28-mile stretch of the U.S. 95 corridor in north Idaho. Previously, the narrow, winding highway had no shoulders. Today, it meets current design and safety standards and is easier to operate and maintain.

“This funding will provide for the completion of the last element of a much larger project and that’s exciting,” said District 1 Senior Transportation Planner Don Davis. “It’s positive news for economic development in our city, county and state.”

An exact timeline for construction and where the remainder of the funding will come from will be determined as part of the due-diligence process, Davis said.

The U.S. DOT said that since 2009, the TIGER program has provided nearly $4.1 billion to 342 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – including 117 projects to support rural and tribal communities.

Published 9-19-14