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Under Trump, new transportation grants ditch bikes, walkways

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Asso- cus on rural areas. Maine the Obama administration The Government Account- lion in grants to rural areas.
ciated Press won $10.8 million to help re- about political favoritism ability Office looked into That was just above the 20
WASHINGTON (AP) — For- pair three rural bridges on when grants consistently the program a few years percent minimum required
get about bike-share sta- routes critical to the state’s went in greater numbers ago at the request of then- by the law that established
tions in Chicago or pedes- the program.
trian walkways in Oakland. The Obama administration
That’s so Obama-era. funded numerous urban
In the Trump administration, projects centered on pe-
a popular $500 million trans- destrian walkways and bike
portation grant program is trails. More than one-third
focused more on projects of Obama’s final round of
in rural areas that turned grants featured bike-friend-
out for Donald Trump in the ly projects. A 2016 grant, for
2016 election. That means instance, helped pay for a
more road and rail projects “multi-modal greenway”
in GOP strongholds such in Lexington, Kentucky, to
as Idaho, North Dakota, integrate a network of bike
and Oklahoma, and fewer and pedestrian trails.
“greenways,” ‘’complete The Trump grants contain
streets” and bike lanes. just a handful of such proj-
The latest round of these ects, including a pedestri-
grants has nothing for New an and bike trail along the
York City, Los Angeles or Schuylkill River in Philadel-
Chicago. Money in those phia and preservation of a
Democratic heavy states historic railroad pedestrian
went instead to projects in bridge in Mill City, Oregon.
Trump-friendly regions: re- The Trump administration
painting a bridge in New is focused more on eco-
York’s North Country, con- nomic development proj-
tributing to a highway proj- ects such as port upgrades
ect in Modesto, California, in Alabama, Baltimore and
and upgrading an inter- New Orleans. Some $25
state highway in southern million would help Arizona
Illinois. ease congestion from a
It’s a refocusing from the In this March 20, 2018, file photo, construction workers prepare for the teardown of a U.S. 75 bridge busy U.S.-Mexico port of
deck over Southwest Boulevard in Tulsa, Okla.
priorities of the previous Associated Press entry in Nogales.
administration, which gave Other projects include re-
most of these TIGER (Trans- opening an inactive freight
portation Investment Gen- timber industry. to congressional districts Sen. David Vitter, R-La., and rail line in Idaho, easing traf-
erating Economic Recov- The program was estab- represented by Democrats. found that projects with fic in Big Sky, a tourist des-
ery) grants to urban areas lished under Obama’s 2009 For example, in 2013, about lower grades often won out tination in Montana, and
represented by President economic recovery bill. The two-thirds of TIGER money over top-rated projects. contributing to a highway
Barack Obama’s Demo- grants, distributed at the was awarded to such dis- Of the 41 grants an- bypass around Lincoln, Ne-
cratic allies on Capitol Hill. discretion of the adminis- tricts. nounced by the Trump braska.
“More than 64 percent of tration, are just a small frac- One of those grants went administration, 25 totaling A port project in Alabama
this round of TIGER funding tion of the overall federal to help Florida International $271 million were awarded would build a “roll on/
was awarded to rural proj- transportation dollars when University construct a pe- to projects in congressio- roll off” facility that would
ects, a historic number that compared with more than destrian bridge over a busy nal districts represented by serve several automobile
demonstrates this Admin- $50 billion distributed an- road. The structure col- Republicans. Districts repre- manufacturing plants. Fort
istration’s commitment to nually to states by formula lapsed last month, killing six sented by Democrats gar- Smith, Arkansas, would
supporting the country’s ru- from the highway trust fund. people. nered 14 projects and $190 benefit from repair proj-
ral communities,” the Trans- Trump has twice targeted Grants are awarded ac- million. Two grants worth ects for three deteriorat-
portation Department said the grant program for elimi- cording to a competitive $25 million went to projects ing freight rail bridges.
in a release announcing nation, only to sign a huge process that analyzes cri- spanning district lines. An additional $10 million
the grants last month. spending bill into law last teria such as economic That’s a reversal from the would replace rail lines
“I was very pleased,” said month that tripled its bud- benefits, safety, state of Obama administration, servicing farmers and en-
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, get to $1.5 billion. disrepair, and the environ- which in its last year in of- ergy producers in southern
when asked about the fo- Questions arose during mental benefits of projects. fice provided just $102 mil- Illinois.q