Grants will fund Highway 161 and Dallas Streetcar system

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation will award two transportation projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex a total of $43 million.  The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will receive $20 million for the Texas State Highway 161 Project, and the North Central Texas Council of Governments will receive $23 million to expand the downtown Dallas Streetcar system.

“Today, on the one year anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, I am pleased to announce that North Texas will receive $43 million in economic recovery transportation funding,” Congresswoman Johnson said.  “The North Texas Tollway Authority will use its grant to support a $400 million loan to improve State Highway 161, which will directly benefit not only the residents of Irving and Grand Prairie, but commuters throughout Dallas and Tarrant Counties.

“Expansion of the Dallas Streetcar system in downtown Dallas will also directly benefit commuters,” Congresswoman Johnson continued.  “Innovative public transit projects like this one make our communities more livable, and I look forward to seeing the Streetcar system grow.”

The grants are funded by the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant Program, a part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), landmark economic recovery legislation that President Obama signed into law February 17, 2009.  TIGER grants fund innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that will bring economic and environmental benefits to metropolitan areas.

Congresswoman Johnson was the only Member of Congress from North Texas to vote for ARRA.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.