Press Releases

THOMPSON ANNOUNCES $17.8 MILLION DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRANT FOR THREE-COUNTY IMPROVEMENT INITATIVE

Claiborne, Franklin and Jefferson Counties, along with Alcorn State University will receive federal money to support improvement to roadways and economic development.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02) announced the award of $17.8 million by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to Claiborne, Franklin and Jefferson Counties and Alcorn State University. The funding will support a collaborative Three-County Roadway Improvements Program (TRI-Mississippi) to increase job growth, implement critical roadway repairs, and improve safety in these areas.  The funds are awarded through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program.  USDOT received $9.5 billion in applications for the $600 million available in this round of funding.

“Today’s announcement proves that persistence does pay off.  The tri-county region applied to the 2013 round of TIGER grant funding, but missed the award process by just a small margin. Subsequently, my office assisted the applicants to setup a follow-up meeting with USDOT in D.C. to receive input on ways to improve their application.  The applicants were also able to meet with Secretary Anthony Foxx during a roundtable at Tougaloo College earlier this year in April. I firmly believe in the cultivation of relationships between stakeholders and our government and will continue to encourage and facilitate the development of such.

I appreciate the Administration’s investment in Mississippi and their interest in our constituency. These funds will prove instrumental to improvements to infrastructure and safety on rural roads, as well as increasing job growth and boosting our economy.

I congratulate Claiborne, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties and Alcorn State University and look forward to the Administration’s continued investment in Mississippi,” said Congressman Thompson.

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