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Missouri Rep. Sam Graves (AAAEDelivers via YouTube)

From the town that gave us legislative gridlock and constantly tries to popularize the word “cloture,” comes Washington’s newest unique funding tradition. On Dec. 11, the U.S. Department of Transportation will announce the recipients of its latest round of the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, grants (formerly known as TIGER).

Graves announces City of Maryville to receive $10.4 Million BUILD grant — The Maryville Forum (@TheDailyForum)

These are the grants that help cash-strapped state and municipal agencies pay for that bridge repair or freight rail project that keeps our governors awake at night. (Dec. 11 update: Recipients announced)

Ahead of the announcement, a few Congress members have alerted the public about extra funds headed to their districts. Missouri Rep. Sam Graves, the incoming ranking Republican on the transportation panel, noted the city of Maryville will receive $10.4 million for its South Main Corridor Improvement Project. As he put it, the project will “improve safety, decrease gridlock and provide a beautiful new corridor through Maryville.”

“I’m thrilled that city leaders and businesses were forward-thinking in applying for this grant, and I look forward to seeing the completed project,” Graves said, adding that Kansas City’s Buck O’Neil Bridge project also will benefit from a $25 million BUILD grant.

Diaz-Balart

Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, the chamber’s top transportation appropriator, boasted about the $9.5 million Miami-Dade County will receive in BUILD money for a transit project. “For years, I have told the county that I am willing and able to help fund their transit needs, once a viable plan had been submitted,” Diaz-Balart said.

Not to be outdone, Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) indicated the state’s transportation agency won a BUILD grant worth $20 million to help rehabilitate or replace 31 rail bridges in the Vermont Railway system.

Leahy

“This investment in Vermont’s rail infrastructure is a win-win for business and the environment. By increasing the capacity of the VT Railway, Vermont businesses will have better access to rail shipping, which in turn will lead to fewer trucks on our roads,” Leahy said. “As a country and a state, we need to prioritize these types of infrastructure investments that will lessen the transportation sector’s reliance on fossil fuels. It has been one of my priorities to ensure that rural states like Vermont have access to these programs, and I’m pleased that this project will be funded through that work.”

Since their inception during the Obama administration, policymakers and transportation officials at every level of government have boasted about the benefits that come from these infrastructure grants. The Trump White House sought to eliminate them for fiscal 2019.

THE WEEK AHEAD (all times EST):

Kyl

Dec. 10, 6 p.m.: The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies hosts Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) for a discussion about legal affairs.

Dec. 11: U.S. DOT unveils the winners of its BUILD infrastructure grants.

Dec. 11, 8 a.m.: Politico hosts its sixth annual Women Rule Summit with Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) headline the event.

Dec. 11, 9 a.m.: The Copper Development Association Inc. hosts a summit on “Electric Vehicles: Navigating the Road Ahead.”

Dec. 11, 10 a.m.: The House Environment Subcommittee meets for a hearing titled, “Discussion Draft: The 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act.”

Dec. 11, noon: The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies hosts a discussion titled, “The New Congress and Congressional Oversight.”

Dec. 12, 10:15 a.m.: The House Energy Subcommittee holds a hearing titled, “Public Private Partnerships for Federal Energy Management.”

Dec. 13, 10 a.m.: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration holds a meeting of the Unified Carrier Registration Plan.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

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STAY WOKE: Distracted and drowsy driving creates risk for drivers as well as fleets, but various forms of technology can alert drivers to these hazards and enable fleets to tailor training to prevent future events.

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American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Executive Director Jim Tymon speaking to Transport Topics about the Shusters on Dec. 6.

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