Congresswoman Terri Sewell announced today that she helped the City of Birmingham secure a $20 million TIGER Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The money will be used for a 15-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project which will connect 25 West and East Birmingham neighborhoods that are primarily low-income, communities of color.

“I am proud to have helped secure this $20 million TIGER Grant for this critically important project. Birmingham is a City on the rise, and this project will support our efforts to improve our public transportation, and revitalize the Magic City,” said Rep. Sewell. “One of the primary goals of President Obama’s Ladders of Opportunity initiative is community revitalization. This project will help us create more economic opportunities for underserved communities, and contribute to the success of the Birmingham World Games in 2021.”

“The significance of this funding is that it allows us to connect the eastern and western parts of town with the city center providing access to jobs, education opportunities and healthcare in a transformative way. This was a collaborative effort and our thanks go out to the team of people that worked to secure this grant, especially Congresswoman Sewell who made it her mission to get it approved,” said Birmingham Mayor William Bell.

“This is a wonderful day for the Birmingham-Jefferson County (BJCTA) area,” said Rev. Patrick Sellers, the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority Board Chairman. “We can now move towards the next generation of public transit in the area with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). This funding will help us continue toward our mission to provide world-class transit service that is convenient, reliable and safe.”

“We are so thankful for Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s tireless work to get this funding for the system. Her work changes the game for public transit in Alabama.  The BRT line will make a huge difference for thousands of commuters who need and deserve reliable transit service,” said Barbara Murdock, BJCTA Interim Executive Director.  “This will enable us to expand service to better meet the needs of the many communities we serve.”

About the TIGER Grant

The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) is a competitive grant program that focuses on capital projects that generate economic development and improve access to reliable, safe and affordable transportation for disconnected communities both urban and rural, while emphasizing improved connection to employment, education, services and other opportunities, workforce development, or community revitalization.

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