On Feb. 17,  the federal government announced $1.5 billion in TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grants. This was a highly competitive grant process. Bicycling projects fared well, particularly in Philadelphia and Indianapolis.

The federal Department of Transportation has been focusing on cities, and making sure that people have a variety of transportation options for "the last mile" to work, school and home. This continues to boost bike facility funding.

Here’s the overall breakdown on the TIGER awards:

• The Department of Transportation received roughly 1,400 applications of which 3% or 51 were funded.
• 24 of the 51 TIGER projects that were funded include bicycling and walking elements.
• 26 of the applicants (or 1.8% of all applicants) were pure bike-ped projects.
• 2 bike-ped networks were funded (3% - of all TIGER funding): Philadelphia and Indianapolis.
• Dubuque, IA, was funded for a Complete Streets project.
• Burlington VT, waterfront was funded for a project that included a bike/ped trail.
• Several of the road-bridge projects include bike/ped access.

America Bikes and Bikes Belong helped lobby for the inclusion of bicycling and walking projects in this grants program.